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

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

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

Ethereum has spent much of December under pressure, and the recent fall below $3,000 has left a visible mark on investor positioning.  On-chain data now shows a notable deterioration in profitability across the network, with the share of ETH supply sitting in profit falling below 60%. At the same time, institutional demand has decreased, with data from Glassnode showing how both retail profitability and institutional participation in Ethereum have weakened simultaneously. Related Reading: Could XRP Make Trillionaires? Tech Firm Founder Thinks It’s Possible Ethereum’s Percent Supply In Profit Falls Below 60% The drop in Ethereum’s percent supply in profit has been one of the clearest signals of stress for Ethereum. Ethereum’s investors have fallen into deeper losses, and this is a reflection of recent price action.  Speaking of price action, Ethereum had initially reclaimed the $3,000 price level on December 22. During this time, the percentage of ETH supply in profit pushed back above 60% and reached as high as 63%. However, this break was for only a very brief time, and price action fell back below $3,000 after just a few hours.  As ETH broke below $3,000 again, the share of supply held at unrealized gains fell under 60%, down from above 70% earlier in December. This fall shows that the pullback has not been limited to recent buyers but has begun to impact investors who accumulated during the beginning of the month. ETH Percent Supply In Profit. Source: Glassnode ETF Net Outflows Indicate Waning Institutional Participation The weakness in on-chain profitability and price action is also a reflection of trends in the ETF market. Another data metric from Glassnode shows that since early November, the 30-day moving average of net flows into US Spot Ethereum ETFs has turned negative and remained there. This persistence of outflows points to a phase of muted participation and disengagement from institutional traders. The ETF chart below shows that inflows, which supported Ethereum’s push to new all-time highs in August, have faded, replaced by continued outflows through November and December. This matters for price action because ETF demand has been a key source of incremental buying. As that bid has weakened, Ethereum has struggled to absorb sell-side pressure, contributing to its failure to hold above $3,000. ETH: US Spot ETF Net Flows. Source: Glassnode The combination of negative ETF net flows and Ethereum’s recent price behaviorhelps explain rising unrealized losses. Interestingly, various on-chain data sources also reveal different instances of whale addresses reducing their exposure to Ethereum outside of spot ETFs.  For instance, Lookonchain recently highlighted activity from a wallet believed to be linked to Erik Voorhees, which swapped 4,619 ETH, valued at about $13.42 million, into Bitcoin Cash (BCH) over the past two weeks after having been inactive for nearly nine years. Voorhees later responded by clarifying that the wallet does not belong to him and that he does not hold any Bitcoin Cash. Related Reading: Ethereum’s 2026 Overhaul Aims To Cut Costs, Boost Speed, Limit Censorship Lookonchain also pointed to selling pressure from Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, who has offloaded a total of 1,871 ETH at about $5.53 million in the past week. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is considering offering cryptocurrency trading services to its institutional clients, based on reports from Bloomberg and Reuters. The move is reported to be in early stages and has not been confirmed by the bank. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s $126K Sprint May Be Over — Fidelity Predicts 2026 Slide Institutional Demand And Product Options Reports have disclosed that the bank is looking at a range of possible offerings, including spot trades and derivatives, as it tests whether client demand justifies a rollout. Decisions will depend on risk assessments and the regulatory environment, sources say. Banks Respond To A Shifting Market Wall Street is already moving closer to crypto. Morgan Stanley, for example, plans to make crypto trading available on its E*Trade platform by mid-2026, a step that shows firms are racing to meet investor interest. The global crypto market is estimated to be about $3.1 trillion, with Bitcoin close to $1.8 trillion of that total, according to market data cited by reporters. JPMorgan Chase reportedly plans launching crypto trading services for institutional clients. https://t.co/Ggj0bOxcUc — TheStreet (@TheStreet) December 22, 2025 Plans To Start Without Custody Several industry reports say JPMorgan may initially focus on executing trades rather than holding clients’ tokens — that is, the firm would facilitate transactions but not provide custody services at first. That approach would let the bank offer access while limiting direct exposure. Banking History And Changing Views JPMorgan’s public position on crypto has shifted over time. Its CEO was once highly critical of Bitcoin, yet the firm has been testing blockchain and tokenization projects in recent years. The broader policy climate has also turned more favorable: US President Donald Trump has taken a stance seen by some observers as supportive of crypto, and that has affected industry calculations. What This Would Mean For Clients If JPMorgan moves ahead, clients could gain access to bank-grade execution for Bitcoin and other tokens, potentially with institutional custodians or third-party safekeeping used where needed. Market makers and asset managers would likely react quickly; liquidity could increase, and trading costs might shift. Those outcomes would depend on the exact products launched and on regulatory guardrails. Collateral And Tokenization Moves Earlier This Year The bank has already taken other crypto steps. In October, Bloomberg reported that JPMorgan planned to allow institutional clients to use Bitcoin and Ether as collateral for loans by the end of the year, a sign that the firm is testing ways to bring crypto into traditional banking functions. Related Reading: Saylor Sparks Bitcoin Speculation With ‘Green Dots’ Signal Bitcoin Price Reaction Traders reacted positively to the news of JPMorgan exploring crypto trading, sending Bitcoin briefly higher into the $88,000–$90,000 range. While the price didn’t break past $90,000 decisively, the announcement added support near existing resistance levels and boosted market sentiment. Analysts note that any lasting price impact will depend on whether JPMorgan actually launches trading services and how US regulators respond, but for now, the story has reinforced optimism among institutional and retail investors alike. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin supporters are warning holders not to rush out of BTC to buy gold even as the metal climbs above $4,000 per ounce. According to market educator Matthew Kratter, Bitcoin’s features — like ease of transfer, clear supply rules, and divisibility — make it a stronger long-term store of value than gold. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn Gold Supply Concerns Kratter points to steady increases in the gold supply, estimating it has risen about 1-to-2% annually for decades. Based on that rate, supplies would double roughly every 47 years. That steady growth, he says, can be amplified by large new finds — on land or, he adds, potentially beyond Earth — which could flood markets and push prices down after a surge. Reports have disclosed that sudden inflows of precious metal have reshaped economies before, citing how the arrival of New World gold into Europe in the 1500s contributed to major inflation and the collapse of Spain’s power. Gold’s Practical Limits The physical nature of gold creates limits in a world that moves value over networks. Moving large amounts is costly and risky. Kratter has argued that tokenized gold — digital tokens claiming to represent physical reserves — brings back counterparty risk: issuers might mint more tokens than they hold, refuse redemption, or see reserves seized. Based on reports from market watchers, these concerns have pushed some buyers toward assets that are easier to move or verify over the internet. Industrial Metals Catch Up Reports have disclosed that industrial metals also posted huge gains in 2025, a year when copper, lithium, aluminum, and steel ran as strong as gold in many markets. Demand from AI data centers, electric vehicles, and clean-energy projects has pushed consumption higher. Supply hiccups — like mine outages and stretched inventories — tightened markets at the same time. That mix of stronger demand and shakier supply has helped lift prices across the board. Tariffs And Trading Rushes Trade policy has added more heat. US President Donald Trump’s announcements of 50% tariffs on certain copper, steel, and aluminum products prompted traders and buyers to rush shipments and stockpile supplies. BTCUSD trading at $87,915 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView That front-loading behavior briefly drained available inventories and sent prices swinging. Traders told reporters that even short-term tariff threats can cause big moves because firms try to avoid future costs by buying early. Where Bitcoin Fits In The debate between gold and Bitcoin is still active. Bitcoin proponents highlight scarcity — the fixed BTC supply rule — and speed of transfer. Gold advocates contend that gold has centuries of use as money and that Bitcoin’s volatility remains a hurdle for some investors. Related Reading: Banks Could Favor A Higher XRP Price, Finance Expert Says The industrial metals rally adds a third thread: these materials are tied to real economic activity, not just safe-haven flows. Analysts say investors should weigh different risks. Gold can act as a hedge in turbulent times, but steady mine output and big discoveries can change its long-term math. Industrial metals may keep rising if energy and tech demand holds. And Bitcoin’s supporters argue its digital traits make it better suited to a world that values fast, verifiable transfers. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

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 

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

XRP-linked exchange-traded funds reached about $60 million in assets under management on December 17, according to market reports, even as XRP’s spot price slid. Related Reading: 5,606 Bitcoin: Lightning Network Sets Fresh Capacity Record At the time of reporting, XRP was trading around $1.86, down more than 8% in the last week. That gap between ETF growth and a falling spot price has left some investors puzzled. ETF Flows And How They Work According to Chad Steingraber, the way ETFs operate helps explain the disconnect. ETF shares trade on exchanges like regular stocks during market hours. Fund managers then tally net flows at the end of the trading day and arrange purchases of the underlying XRP after the market closes. Because of that timing, ETF inflows do not always translate into instant buying pressure on the spot market. Officially crossed $60Million! Record day! https://t.co/Nub2m5MK0Y pic.twitter.com/xg2zgecq24 — Chad Steingraber (@ChadSteingraber) December 18, 2025 Institutional Processes Take Time Based on reports, part of the picture is the nature of institutional decision-making. Large funds tend to move slowly. They run checks, review risk, and take time to approve new positions. That process can take months or longer. So an increase in ETF AUM can reflect careful planning and staged capital allocations rather than a rush of short-term bets. Price Action Shows Technical Weakness On charts, XRP has been under pressure for months. Traders watching longer time frames point to a steady downtrend and multiple warnings of a broader pullback since mid-year. The token has slid about 12% over the past month. Support between $1.80 and $1.90 is now being tested. A sustained break below $1.80 would likely shift focus to $1.60, and then to a wider support band near $1.30 to $1.40 if selling continues. ETF Growth Still Small In Context While $60 million sounds meaningful, that sum is small compared with AUM levels seen in larger crypto ETFs, and it may not be enough on its own to move markets. ETF structures differ, too. Some managers may hedge, use staged buys, or employ other tactics that change how and when they add XRP to reserves. These operational choices can mute any immediate impact on price. ???? Among top cap assets, here are the amount of non-empty wallets on each network currently: ???? Ethereum $ETH: 167.96M ???? Bitcoin $BTC: 57.62M ???? Tether $USDT: 9.63M ???? Dogecoin $DOGE: 8.13M ???? XRP Ledger $XRP: 7.41M ???? Cardano $ADA: 4.54M ???? USD Coin $USDC: 4.39M ???? ChainLink… pic.twitter.com/ciRBUp4GxE — Santiment (@santimentfeed) December 18, 2025 Non-Empty XRP Wallets Steadily Climbing Meanwhile, reports show that the number of non-empty wallets on the XRP Ledger has been climbing. Santiment has highlighted rising counts of addresses holding some XRP. Over the past month, while the token fell in price, on-chain wallet activity suggested accumulation by some holders. That pattern raises questions about whether larger buyers are quietly adding to positions. Related Reading: UK Crypto Ownership Takes Biggest Hit Since 2021, Regulator Says What This Means For Traders For now, markets show mixed signals. ETF AUM growth points to rising institutional involvement over time. Price action, however, signals caution. Traders and investors will be watching whether end-of-day ETF purchases increase demand on the spot market, and whether the $1.80 level holds. The coming days and weeks may help reveal whether AUM gains translate into broader buying or if technical pressure continues to dominate. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

According to new research commissioned by the Financial Conduct Authority, the share of UK adults who hold cryptocurrencies has fallen to 8% in 2025, down from 12% a year earlier. Related Reading: Ethereum Meets Wall Street: JPMorgan Rolls Out Tokenized Fund Survey Shows Smaller Numbers Holding Crypto Fieldwork for the FCA study ran from 5th August to 2nd September 2025, using a YouGov online panel to collect a nationally representative sample of 2,353 interviews plus a boosted sample of people who own or previously owned crypto. Awareness of cryptocurrencies remains high at 91%, even as fewer people report owning them. The drop marks the first fall in overall ownership in the last four years, although ownership is still about double the level recorded in 2021. That suggests some people who held small amounts have pulled back while a core of larger holders remains active. Average Holdings Have Increased Reports have disclosed that the mix of holdings has shifted upward. The proportion of holders with crypto worth between £1,001 and £5,000 rose to over 20%, and those with holdings of £5,001 to £10,000 increased to around 10%. At the same time, reported small holdings under £100 have declined. Many users also reported net gains in 2025, with a majority saying their portfolios rose in value over the year. Among people who still hold crypto, Bitcoin is the most common asset at 57%, followed by Ether at 43%. Other tokens are far less widely held, though Solana registers with about 21% of holders. These figures point to concentration in a few large names even as overall participation shrinks. Regulators Move To Tighten Rules The FCA published this research as part of a broader push to bring the sector under clearer rules. The regulator has launched consultations on proposals covering trading platforms, market safeguards and rules for staking, lending and custody. Reports show the consultation process is part of a wider government plan that aims to start formal regulation of cryptoassets by October 2027. What This Means For Markets And Consumers Traders and platforms will likely watch these trends closely. A smaller base of retail owners can mean less retail-driven volatility, but it can also reduce everyday familiarity with crypto in the wider public. Related Reading: 5,606 Bitcoin: Lightning Network Sets Fresh Capacity Record At the same time, higher average portfolio sizes raise the stakes for consumer losses when markets wobble. The FCA’s work on clearer rules comes amid growing government attention to market integrity and consumer protection. In short, fewer Britons now report owning crypto, yet those who remain tend to hold larger sums and favor the top coins. The figures from the FCA suggest a market that is thinning at the edges while concentration and regulatory scrutiny rise. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

According to a Grayscale outlook released Monday, the asset manager expects rising demand for alternatives and clearer rules in the US to push Bitcoin to a new all-time high in the first half of 2026. Related Reading: Ethereum Meets Wall Street: JPMorgan Rolls Out Tokenized Fund The report lays out 10 key investing themes for 2026 and ties the Bitcoin call to two main forces: growing portfolio demand for stores of value and what Grayscale describes as improving regulatory clarity. Spot-Bitcoin ETPs reached the market in 2024, the firm notes, and Congress passed the GENIUS Act in 2025, steps that the report says reduce barriers for big investors. Macro Risks And Demand For Crypto Grayscale frames its outlook around a simple macro point. Rising public debt and the risk that fiat currencies lose buying power are pushing some money toward Bitcoin and Ether, the report says. That argument will sound familiar to many institutional buyers. It is also a broad claim. No exact price targets were offered for Bitcoin, only a view that valuations will climb in 2026 and that the so-called four-year cycle may be ending. Stablecoins are another major theme. Grayscale expects stablecoin use to grow: cross-border payments, collateral on derivatives, even use on corporate balance sheets are all mentioned as likely developments. Asset Tokenization And DeFi Growth Reports have disclosed that Grayscale sees asset tokenization reaching an inflection point next year. Lending protocols and staking are singled out as areas where activity could expand. The firm foresees practical outcomes: stablecoins in payment rails, more institutional access to staking, and tokenized assets showing up in trading and custody systems. Grayscale also flags two narratives it does not expect to move markets in 2026 — quantum computing risk for crypto and digital asset treasuries — saying research will continue but valuations are unlikely to be affected this soon. Related Reading: Analyst: Bitcoin’s Cycle Is Intact, Yet No Longer Purely Market-Driven Over the past 3 months, the average return across nearly all crypto sectors has underperformed Bitcoin. This persistent relative weakness highlights a market environment where capital concentration favours BTC. ???? https://t.co/rFisuVfSY7 https://t.co/lpXqEe9bbW pic.twitter.com/WNtKEKclX7 — glassnode (@glassnode) December 16, 2025 Onchain Data Suggests Quiet Caution Meanwhile, data from onchain analytics group Glassnode was also cited in this context. Over the last three months, Glassnode reports, the average return across most crypto sectors has underperformed Bitcoin, indicating capital concentration in BTC. That has not translated into strong faith in leadership. A separate institutional feed, Bitcoin Vector, said dominance fell in the second half of the year, with ETH rotations cutting into BTC’s lead and a weaker rebuild after deleveraging events. In short: funds appear to prefer holding Bitcoin, but are not placing big new bets. Featured image from YourStory, chart from TradingView

According to reports, Coinbase has launched regulated futures linked to Shiba Inu, opening the token to trading on a US derivatives venue. Related Reading: Analyst: Bitcoin’s Cycle Is Intact, Yet No Longer Purely Market-Driven The new products include perpetual-style contracts and monthly futures tied to what Coinbase calls the 1k SHIB index (a 1,000 token index), with trading scheduled to run 24/7. The rollout began on December 5, 2025, as part of a broader push by the exchange to add altcoin derivative listings under US rules. Regulated Futures Hit The Market Reports have disclosed that the perpetual contracts operate like offshore swaps in form but are offered through Coinbase’s regulated platform and are designed to include a funding-rate mechanism to keep prices close to spot. Now live: Trade US Perpetual-Style Futures for all altcoins on Coinbase Derivatives, available 24/7. → Shiba Inu $SHIB → Avalanche $AVAX → Bitcoin Cash $BCH → Cardano $ADA → Chainlink $LINK → Dogecoin $DOGE → Hedera $HBAR → Litecoin $LTC → Polkadot $DOT → SUI $SUI →… pic.twitter.com/yjS2XsQ2jN — Coinbase Markets ????️ (@CoinbaseMarkets) December 15, 2025 Monthly contracts were made available as an initial phase. Clearing and settlement are handled inside systems compatible with US oversight, and the products are described as compliant with Commodity Futures Trading Commission frameworks. What Traders And Institutions Might Do Market participants say having regulated futures can change who trades a token. Institutional desks and some large funds often need regulated venues and clearer custody paths before they increase exposure. Added liquidity and round-the-clock pricing may attract more active traders, and that could raise volume. At the same time, access to futures also makes it easier to bet against the token, which can push volatility up. Reports note that immediate moves in spot markets have been mixed, showing that access to derivatives does not automatically lift the token’s price. Because SHIB has regulated futures on Coinbase (“1k Shib Index”), it qualifies for spot ETF consideration under the same SEC pathway Bitcoin and Ethereum followed. The big picture for SHIB •SHIB now joins the “ETF-watchlist club” with other futures-backed cryptos. •If/when… pic.twitter.com/cZPxUWWhBn — ???????????????????? (@LucieSHIB) September 18, 2025 Market Context And Exchange Strategy Coinbase’s decision follows steps the exchange has taken to grow its derivatives arm. Company filings and public letters in 2025 framed derivatives growth as a strategic priority, and the firm has pursued deals and product launches to expand those capabilities. Related Reading: Ethereum Meets Wall Street: JPMorgan Rolls Out Tokenized Fund One notable deal disclosed earlier involved an agreement valued at close to $3 billion to strengthen derivatives know-how and infrastructure. This background helps explain why Coinbase is offering altcoin futures that trade continuously, under a regulated roof. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

A recent technical analysis shared on X by crypto analyst Merlijn The Trader presents Ethereum’s price action on the 2-day candlestick chart as a textbook example of Wyckoff accumulation. In his assessment, Ethereum has already moved through several key stages of the model and is now approaching a powerful expansion phase, provided the structure stays intact. Related Reading: American Bitcoin Makes Big Buy, Adds 416 BTC To Its Stack Wyckoff Accumulation Structure Taking Shape On Ethereum Chart Over the past several days, Ethereum has traded between roughly $3,050 and $3,400, repeatedly failing to secure a sustained move beyond either boundary. At the time of writing, Ethereum’s price action is trading around $3,100. This prolonged standoff has reinforced the view that Ethereum has returned to consolidating rather than trading in a defined trend, a behavior that aligns closely with the accumulation phase highlighted in a technical analysis by Merlijn The Trader. In his post, Merlijn described Ethereum’s chart as a “Wyckoff masterclass,” pointing to a sequence of events that align with textbook behavior from the Wyckoff accumulation schematic, which have been playing out for the entirety of 2025. According to the annotated structure, the spring occurred when ETH briefly dipped below $1,500 in the first half of the year. Price did not linger below that level for long, reclaiming the range within days and going on a rally that eventually ended at a selling climax (SC) of $4,946 Within this structure, the initial selling climax and automatic downtrend reaction established a clear range in which the cryptocurrency has been trading up until now. The chart labels show this as Ethereum moving through Phase D, and this has been highlighted by a downtrend in recent months.  However, based on the Wyckoff framework, Ethereum seems to now be approaching the breakout zone, with a transition into a full Phase E and a potential vertical markup coming next if the structure continues to play out. Phase E Projection Points To Strong Upside Scenario If the Wyckoff roadmap continues to unfold as outlined, Merlijn believes Ethereum is setting up for a full Phase E, the final stage of the accumulation process. This phase is characterized by a sustained markup, where price exits the selling climax (SC) decisively and trends higher with increasing momentum. Ethereum / US Dollar: @MerlijnTrader on X The projection on the chart shows a sharp upside expansion once overhead resistance is cleared, with Merlijn pointing to $10,000 and higher as a long-term objective if the structure completes. The path higher is not expected to be linear. The model anticipates an initial push into new all-time highs, followed by a modest rejection around the $5,000 area before the price pauses to consolidate towards the Backup and Last Point of Support Related Reading: Do Kwon Falls Hard — Terraform Labs Chief Gets 15 Years For Wire Fraud According to the chart, this BU/LPS would likely form around $3,750. If Ethereum holds above that level during the pullback, it would confirm structural strength, with the subsequent expansion targeting above $10,000. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

XRP’s recent pullback to $2 has not changed the broader technical picture, according to a new analysis shared on X by crypto analyst Egrag Crypto. Despite the lack of bullish price action in recent weeks, the technical analysis proposes that the market structure continues to favor an upside continuation rather than the trend ending.  This outlook places the next three to six months in a constructive zone for XRP’s price action, where the probability of further upside is higher than the risk of a downward move. Related Reading: Do Kwon Falls Hard — Terraform Labs Chief Gets 15 Years For Wire Fraud XRP Currently In Consolidation, Not Distribution The assessment of Egrag’s technical analysis is based on XRP’s price action currently ticking a list of boxes that points to the next move being up. The first of these boxes is what the analyst referred to as a regime shift, which occurred after the XRP price made a decisive breakout from a multi-year base around $0.5 last year. This decisive breakout shifted the market from accumulation to expansion. Pullbacks in this phase are usually corrective, not trend-ending. In that context, the current price action can be viewed as part of a natural pause rather than a signal that the larger bullish move has failed. Another central argument in the analysis is that the current price behavior represents consolidation rather than distribution. Egrag Crypto describes the market as being in a compression phase following an impulse, and this is a pause, not a top. Although XRP has spent about 13 months ranging within this structure, the analyst interpreted this as extended consolidation instead of a distribution process. Chart Image From X. Source: @egragcrypto On X EMA Structure Keeps Bullish Bias Intact Another reason as to why the trend is more likely bullish is because XRP is still trading in alignment with its long-term exponential moving average, which remains above the 21 EMA. That relationship preserves the bullish bias, even though price currently sits below the faster 9 EMA, but this only reflects short-term weakness rather than a structural breakdown. Beyond pure chart structure, fundamental developments have added weight to the case for longer-term appreciation. XRP is currently holding $2 as an important support zone, and recent developments have emerged that could increase bullish sentiment. An example is Ripple’s conditional approval alongside other crypto firms for a national trust bank charter from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Related Reading: Solana’s Long-Awaited Firedancer Launch Sparks 5% Rally Although the outlook is much more bullish, there is always the possibility of turning bearish within the next six months. According to Egrag, this outlook can only turn bearish if XRP records a sustained monthly close below the $1.80 to $1.60 region.  Taken together, the analysis concludes that XRP is more likely to resolve higher than lower over the next three to six months, even if there is price volatility along the way. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

XRP has struggled to create any upside traction over the past few days, with the price rejecting above $2.15 in the middle of the week and now back to lingering just above the $2 level.  A new long-term technical comparison shared by crypto analyst ChartNerd places XRP’s price behavior since its July all-time high of $3.65 into an interesting context, implying that what XRP is doing now resembles a phase from its 2016 market cycle that points to an incoming huge rally. Related Reading: American Bitcoin Makes Big Buy, Adds 416 BTC To Its Stack Repeating 2016 Rejection And ABC Crash Structure According to crypto analyst ChartNerd, XRP’s current structure matches a similar price action that unfolded in late 2016. when price rejected an accumulation supply block and rolled into an ABC corrective move. That correction ultimately produced a 69% flash-wick decline that extended into the first quarter of 2017.  The drop was severe and unfolded over several months, eventually pushing XRP to as low as $0.00240, but it eventually represented the end of the correction rather than the end of the bullish cycle. The chart accompanying the analysis, which is shown below, highlights a similar rejection pattern forming now. This pattern is based on how the XRP price rejected at its most recent all-time high in July. Since then, the monthly price chart has been printing consecutive red candles, with monthly closes consistently below opens. At the time of writing, XRP is about a 44% correction from this all-time high. This means a 69% correction is yet to play out in its entirety. Therefore, if history repeats, a full 69% ABC-style move from the all-time high would drag XRP back below $1 and as low as $0.8. This move is expected to play out into the first quarter of 2026. XRP Price Chart. Source: @ChartNerdTA Potential Drop Could Be A Set-Up For A Much Larger Rally XRP is currently trading at $2.04. Therefore, a deeper pullback below $1 will translate to a 51% decrease from the current price action. The idea of a deeper pullback from $2 is tough to imagine, especially given the inflows into Spot XRP ETFs. In fact, a pullback of that magnitude could test conviction across the market and cause many bullish traders to step aside. However, the technical analysis frames it as a structural reset rather than anything else. In 2017, the post-crash consolidation laid the groundwork for one of XRP’s most explosive rallies on record, ultimately delivering gains in excess of 110,000%. Related Reading: Is Dogecoin Waking Up? Critical On-Chain Metric Explodes Higher If this sequence plays out as expected, then the real bullish opportunity would develop later in 2026. From that reset zone, the chart projects a long-term advance to the 1.618 Fibonacci extension, placing a potential upside target around $27. The visual projection in the chart above shows a clean multi-month expansion zone that delivers a 2,300% gain after the corrective phase.  Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Dogecoin (DOGE) is testing the lower boundary of a long-term triangle pattern, a move that could determine its next major price direction. A new technical analysis highlights a roadmap with key recovery levels and outlines a potential timeframe when selling and profit-taking may become favorable. Dogecoin Triangle Pattern Signals Recovery Path In a recent X post, crypto analyst Jonathan Carter presented a new analysis of Dogecoin’s price action, predicting that a potential recovery may be imminent. Carter explained that Dogecoin is currently testing a critical support area around $0.135 within a long-standing descending triangle chart structure. The setup is unfolding over the 3-day timeframe, with price action remaining above the pattern’s lower boundary. This zone has become a key battlefield between buyers and sellers.  Related Reading: Is Dogecoin Waking Up? Critical On-Chain Metric Explodes Higher Carter highlights that the ongoing support area offers a favorable risk-reward profile for market participants. Buyers stepping in at this level are attempting to prevent a breakdown that could invalidate the broader recovery outlook. This means holding above this support zone could keep Dogecoin’s bullish scenario intact. The descending triangle visible on the analyst’s shared chart shows a series of lower highs pressing against the stable support zone at $0.135. This compression often precedes a decisive move once the price reacts strongly at the base. Dogecoin’s current structure also suggests the market is steadily approaching that inflection point. The volume data at the bottom of the chart has yet to show strong expansion near the support area. This indicates that Dogecoin’s trading activity has been relatively muted, suggesting that the market may be waiting for confirmation before committing to a significant upward move.  If Dogecoin successfully rebounds from the $0.135 support zone, Carter’s chart maps out several upside levels to watch. Initial recovery targets are seen around $0.155 and $0.190, where previous price reactions occurred. Clearing these levels would signal growing momentum and a possible end to DOGE’s downtrend. Further upside extensions projected on the chart include $0.250 and $0.310, which align with previous consolidation areas. A stronger continuation could open the path toward $0.370 and ultimately the resistance zone near $0.470. Resistance Zone Reveals When To Sell DOGE  Carter’s Dogecoin chart clearly shows the $0.47 resistance zone, where sellers are expected to become active again. A rally into the zone would likely face increased selling pressure based on historical price behaviour. As a result, the resistance area serves as a strategic level for profit-taking rather than for new entries in Dogecoin.  Related Reading: Binance’s USD1 Stablecoin Push Deepens Relationship With Trump’s Crypto Platform Overall, Carter’s analysis suggests that Dogecoin’s price is sitting at a pivotal technical level that could shape its next major move. The meme coin’s price is currently down, having crashed by over 22% year-to-date, according to CoinMarketCap. Despite this slip, Carter remains optimistic about DOGE’s recovery path. The recovery timeline highlighted in the analysis suggests that by 2026, the meme coin may have emerged from its downturn.  Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin climbed to a three-week high on Tuesday before slipping back, a move that has traders and analysts watching closely. Related Reading: NFT Slump Worsens With Monthly Sales Hitting Rock Bottom According to TradingView data, Bitcoin price topped out at $94,600 late in the session — its highest level since November 25 — then eased to about $92,450 at the time of reporting. Santiment, a blockchain analytics firm, said social chatter calling for “higher” and “above” exploded during the spike, but market action remained uneven. Bitcoin: Trader Frenzy And Skepticism Reports have disclosed that the surge drew heavy retail attention and a flurry of social-media posts urging more buying. Some market watchers questioned how organic the rise was. A well-known long-term investor using the handle “NoLimit” told his 53,000 X followers that the $94,000 push looked engineered: big buys packed into a few minutes, thin order books, then little follow-through. ???? Bitcoin enjoyed a much needed rebound back to $94.6K today, reinvigorating traders, causing them to FOMO back in and expect higher prices. According to our social data scraping X, Reddit, Telegram, & other data, calls for “higher” & “above” exploded. ???? High bars indicate… pic.twitter.com/o3U3yWkwkk — Santiment (@santimentfeed) December 9, 2025 That pattern, he argued, is how larger traders can create short-term fear of missing out so they can sell into strength. Santiment also highlighted a behavioral twist: smaller traders appear to pile in after spikes, often leaving them on the wrong side of moves. Volatility followed the high, as prices pulled back by a couple thousand dollars within hours. Exchange order depth and timing of large blocks, analysts say, matter a lot when liquidity is shallow. Fed Decision Could Shift Momentum The US central bank meeting this week is a key wildcard. Market pricing on CME Group futures showed an 88% chance of a 0.25% rate cut, which many traders think helped fuel the rally. Yet some analysts warned that any sign of hesitation about future cuts could dampen risk appetite. Beyond US policy, next week’s potential Bank of Japan rate action is being watched because a tighter stance there could lift yields and pull capital back to Japan, tightening global liquidity. That kind of flow can pressure risky assets across markets. Liquidity, Institutions And The Bigger Picture Meanwhile, long-term holders pared back supply after a 36% correction from the all-time high, and some addresses now hold levels seen in March. Jessica Gonzales, an analyst cited in reports, said M2 money supply sits at about $22.3 trillion and stablecoin reserves remain elevated, suggesting there is capital around but not necessarily evenly distributed in markets. Institutional moves also feature: big firms such as BlackRock and Strategy have expanded crypto exposure, which could add a steadier buyer base — or simply shift where risk sits. Related Reading: Institutions Scoop Up 9,000 Ether, Fueling Bullish Signals What Traders Should Watch Short-term traders should track order-book depth, large trade clusters, and how price reacts to any Fed wording about future cuts. The next 25 days were flagged as especially important by several observers because liquidity swings and regulatory updates could flip the narrative fast. If a true broad-based bid forms, prices could move quickly. If the Fed signals caution, the opposite could happen. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

Based on reports, France’s second-largest banking group has started letting customers trade crypto in its mobile apps. BPCE opened the service on Monday for selected users of Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne. Related Reading: Bitcoin Adoption Is Just Getting Started — 200x Growth Possible, Tom Lee Says Around 2 million people in four regional banks can now buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and USDC through the apps. Measured Limited Rollout The launch covers the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur branch of Caisse d’Épargne and the Île-de-France division of Banque Populaire, among others. BPCE has said it will watch early use closely. That controlled approach is meant to catch technical issues and fix the user flow before wider availability. If all goes to plan, the bank intends to extend the feature across its 25 remaining regional entities by 2026, reaching a retail base of roughly 12 million clients. ???? EXCLUSIVE @TheBigWhale_: BPCE now lets customers buy crypto assets. Starting this Monday, the French bank’s customers will be able to purchase BTC, ETH, SOL, and USDC: https://t.co/J2C4UnWi68@GroupeBPCE, one of Europe’s leading banks, is rolling out this service in a first… pic.twitter.com/3olRgVoot4 — Raphaël Bloch ???? (@Raph_Bloch) December 6, 2025 BPCE has set up a separate unit, Hexarq, to handle customer crypto accounts. Each user will have a dedicated in-app digital-asset account that is managed by Hexarq rather than being routed to outside exchanges or third-party wallets. The arrangement keeps custody within the bank’s ecosystem. It also comes with a monthly fee of €2.99 and a trading commission of 1.5% on transactions. Banks Face Fintech Pressure Reports have pointed to the rise of fintech rivals as a driving reason for the move. Companies such as Revolut, Deblock, Bitstack and Trade Republic built early crypto offerings and attracted many retail users. Traditional lenders now risk losing younger customers unless they match those services. Some banks in Europe already offer in-app trading: BBVA supports Bitcoin and Ethereum, Openbank under Santander lists five cryptocurrencies, and Raiffeisen in Vienna provides similar features through a tie-up with Bitpanda. BPCE’s entry follows this trend and could push other big lenders to act. Related Reading: All-In On XRP: Why This Leading Investor Sold His Entire Bitcoin Stack The fees set by BPCE are higher than what many crypto-first platforms charge. Yet many consumers may accept that in exchange for having crypto tied directly to their bank accounts and day-to-day services. For many users, trust and convenience matter more than the lowest possible fee. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

According to reports, a well-known crypto commentator/investor who goes by the handle Crypto X AiMan has sold all his Bitcoin and moved the proceeds into XRP. He says four reasons drove his decision, and the move has stirred debate across trading circles. Related Reading: Massive Bitcoin Awakening: 2 Physical Coins Unlock $179 Million After 13 Years Investor Dumps Bitcoin For XRP AiMan, who says he first bought Bitcoin when it traded at $3,000, told followers that legal clarity is the main reason for his shift. He pointed to a July 2023 court ruling by Judge Torres that found certain programmatic XRP sales were not securities. According to him, that court decision gives XRP a different standing from many other tokens. He also noted that US regulators often treat Bitcoin as a commodity, a stance reiterated by former SEC Chair Gary Gensler. AiMan framed the court outcome as a rare, explicit legal test that favored XRP. He highlighted another factor: Ripple’s large holdings. Based on company disclosures, Ripple holds close to 40 billion XRP, nearly 40% of the total supply. AiMan argued those reserves could support future use cases if Ripple or its partners chose to deploy the tokens for payments. I just sold ALL my Bitcoin. Yes, you read that right. I went 100% all-in on XRP. Here’s why: XRP is the only crypto with legal clarity in the United States (won the SEC case, not a security). Ripple owns ~40B XRP and is partnered with 300+ banks, central banks, and payment… pic.twitter.com/tRzpiKPas5 — Crypto X AiMan (@CryptoXAiMan) December 5, 2025 He called XRP faster and cheaper to move than Bitcoin, saying it is built for cross-border transfers — a point he used to contrast XRP’s utility with Bitcoin’s role as a store of value. He also ran through a market-size scenario. Market analysts have projected the cross-border payments market at $250 trillion by 2027, and AiMan suggested that even a 1% share of that volume could mean big gains for XRP. He admitted the trade is extreme: “If I’m wrong? XRP probably goes to zero, and I lose everything,” he said. He added that if he is right, the payoff would be huge. XRP’s Legal Advantage Market reaction has been mixed. Based on reports from data providers, traders are taking large short positions against XRP. Coinglass figures show XRP with $15 million in shorts versus $0.6 million in longs — a roughly 96% short allocation and a shorts-to-longs ratio near 25 to 1. For comparison, Bitcoin had $131 million in shorts and $70 million in longs; Ethereum showed $110 million shorts and $58 million longs. Despite heavy shorting, XRP has posted daily gains at times, according to recent price movements. Aggressive Shorts Dominate Positioning Analysts say heavy short positions can indicate weak near-term sentiment. They also create technical risks, because a squeeze could push prices higher quickly if shorts are forced to cover. Related Reading: Bitcoin Adoption Is Just Getting Started — 200x Growth Possible, Tom Lee Says That does not remove the core risks AiMan flagged and others raised: a big token allocation held by one company raises centralization concerns, and banks have not broadly shifted settlement rails to public tokens. Bitcoin still has a market cap near $1.8 trillion and deeper liquidity, which many investors view as stability in a volatile market. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Jake Claver, CEO of Digital Ascension Group, says ultra-wealthy families are rapidly accumulating XRP, and he believes most XRP holders still don’t realize how rare their position is. In a video posted on X, Claver revealed that his firm has been in recent conversations with large family offices that are now making significant allocations into XRP.  His comments arrive at a moment when XRP’s long-term narrative is witnessing increased interest due to ETFs, and they highlight a shift happening among investors who have always avoided cryptocurrencies altogether. Related Reading: Bitcoin Adoption Is Just Getting Started — 200x Growth Possible, Tom Lee Says Wealthy Families Quietly Accumulating XRP Claver explained that XRP ownership is currently extremely limited relative to the global population, noting that only around 8 million wallets exist on the XRPL. Half of those wallets contain fewer than 100 XRP, which makes existing holders far more uncommon than they may think. He contrasted this with Bitcoin’s widespread ownership, arguing that XRP is still early in its adoption curve. He said the wealthy families showing interest are not looking for quick profits. According to him, they have already built their fortunes and instead see XRP as a form of insurance. According to his post, these families are buying crypto, not to get richer, but to protect the wealth they already have.  He described their interest in cryptocurrencies as a hedge. These investors want something uncorrelated in their portfolios ahead of any potential shock in traditional markets. Claver’s $10K Price Target And The Conditions He Outlined When asked where he sees the price of XRP going, Claver stated that he believes the cryptocurrency could be trading at $10,000 by late 2026 or early 2027. He tied this prediction to how much ecosystem infrastructure becomes active on the XRPL over the next two years.  He said the network would need substantial institutional-grade utilities, including XRP treasury systems, Evernorth’s launch, on-chain borrowing mechanisms, and new amendments to the XRP Ledger that will bring in additional compliance layers and smart-contract features. His projection assumes that rising network volume will require higher liquidity levels and that price stability at four- and five-figure ranges will only be achievable if the ledger is handling large-scale financial flows. He also pointed to ETFs as a major factor in shaping supply and demand, noting that as ETF adoption grows, more XRP will be locked away in long-term institutional products.  Speaking of ETFs, Spot XRP ETFs are now approaching $1 billion in total net assets and could cross that threshold within the next few days. Since their debut, these funds have taken in about $897.35 million worth of XRP from exchanges and OTC desks, and they have yet to record a single day of outflows.  Related Reading: A New Era Begins: CFTC Approves Spot Bitcoin On Regulated US Markets This growing demand ties directly into a quiet change happening among institutions, a trend Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently highlighted. He explained that Ripple is seeing notable activity through Ripple Prime, where long-watching institutions that once stayed out due to regulatory uncertainty or simple risk aversion are finally beginning to step in.  Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Two long-dormant Casascius coins, each loaded with 1,000 Bitcoin, were activated on Friday, unlocking more than $179 million that had sat untouched for over 13 years. Related Reading: Bitcoin Adoption Is Just Getting Started — 200x Growth Possible, Tom Lee Says According to onchain data, one of the coins was minted in October 2012 when Bitcoin traded at $11.69. The other dates back to December 2011, when BTC was worth $3.88, giving that piece a theoretical gain near 2.3 million% since minting. Historic Physical Coins Activated Based on reports, Casascius coins (metal coins) were produced between 2011 and 2013 by Utah entrepreneur Mike Caldwell as physical representations of Bitcoin. Each coin or bar concealed a paper with a private key, and a tamper-resistant hologram covered that key. ???????????? Two Casascius coins, each containing 1,000 BTC, have just moved after being dormant for more than 13 years. pic.twitter.com/nlFUy39MkD — Sani | TimechainIndex.com (@SaniExp) December 5, 2025 Records show only 16 of the 1,000 BTC bars and 6 of the 1,000 BTC coins were ever made, making these items both rare and historically important. Caldwell shut down the operation after receiving a letter from FinCEN that raised questions about whether his business qualified as an unlicensed money transmitter. How The Coins Worked The mechanism was simple in practice but strict in outcome: whoever removed the hologram and revealed the private key could claim the full Bitcoin value stored beneath it. Once that sticker was lifted and the private key used, the coin no longer carried any Bitcoin value. Based on reports, collectors treat that moment as irreversible. Some owners chose to move funds off the physical coins without cashing out. Rarity And Returns Numbers here show why collectors and investors watch these events closely. Two coins at 1,000 BTC each represent a huge hoard when prices are high. Even leaving aside the cost of minting, the December 2011 coin’s rise from $3.88 to current market valuations yields a headline-grabbing multiple. But experts warn that turning the private key into spendable Bitcoin is only the first step; what happens next depends on the holder’s choices. Some will hold. Others may move funds into cold storage. Selling is not guaranteed. Related Reading: A New Era Begins: CFTC Approves Spot Bitcoin On Regulated US Markets Derivatives Market Shock Meanwhile, the spot and derivatives markets are experiencing high volatility. Based on CoinGlass data, today’s derivatives activity showed an 11,588% liquidation imbalance that overwhelmingly wiped out long positions. Bitcoin, at the time of writing, was trading below $90,000, and more than $20 million in BTC long liquidations occurred in minutes while short positions barely budged. That kind of one-sided pressure happens when many traders are crowded in the same direction and conditions change quickly. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

A crypto analyst has made an unexpected declaration, predicting that XRP investors could become extremely rich in just a few months. This bold claim comes with a new technical analysis, suggesting that XRP is now entering a pivotal price area that previously triggered explosive rallies. Despite the cryptocurrency’s low price and recent downtrend, the analyst remains confident that XRP could mirror past trends and skyrocket to new highs. Related Reading: Bitcoin Adoption Is Just Getting Started — 200x Growth Possible, Tom Lee Says XRP To Make Holders Wealthy In 3 Months? In a recent X post, popular market analyst ‘Steph Is Crypto’ issued a dramatic warning to XRP holders, announcing that investors will become extremely rich within the next three months. The analyst’s bold prediction elicited mixed reactions from the XRP community, with some expressing optimism and others skepticism.  Steph Is Crypto shared a price chart with colored bands to support his ambitious claims, tracking XRP’s performance through multiple past bull cycles. The chart highlights a recurring pattern in which XRP enters a higher-colored zone during periods often associated with altcoin strength. In previous cycles, those moments were followed by unexpected, explosive upward price moves.  During the bull cycle in 2018, XRP skyrocketed by 100x, pushing its price up towards its current all-time high of $3.84. A similar uptrend occurred again during the 2020 to 2022 cycle, with XRP entering a prolonged bull phase that saw its price rally by 20x. According to Steph Is Crypto, the current chart setup appears similar to these past bullish phases.  His chart analysis suggests that XRP is once again approaching the same colored region that previously marked the start of strong price rallies. While the scale of the projected acceleration this time may differ from the peaks seen in the last two cycles, Steph Is Crypto remains confident that it will still be substantial enough to make holders significantly wealthy by March 2026. XRP Maintains Bullish Monthly SuperTrend Crypto market analyst ChartNerd has released a fresh technical analysis of XRP, suggesting that the cryptocurrency continues to show strong positive signals. According to him, XRP’s monthly SuperTrend remains firmly bullish. He emphasized that maintaining a price above the green SuperTrend line near $1.30 signals a long-term upward trajectory, with no red trends currently indicating the onset of a bear market.  ChartNerd shared a chart with a SuperTrend overlay where green lines represent bullish conditions and red lines highlight previous bear markets. The current monthly candles for XRP remain well above the green zone, reinforcing the belief that broader market conditions favor an upside. The analyst interprets this as confirmation that XRP’s long-term price trend is still predominantly bullish.  Related Reading: A New Era Begins: CFTC Approves Spot Bitcoin On Regulated US Markets Historical data on the chart also indicate that past declines in XRP coincided with prolonged red SuperTrend phases. This happened before the big 2017 and 2020 breakout, with each recovery triggered once the price moved back above the green SuperTrend line.  Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

VTB, Russia’s second-largest bank, has told clients it plans to let them buy and sell real cryptocurrencies through its brokerage service, with a target rollout in 2026 pending regulator approval. Related Reading: Bitcoin Crash Fails To Shake Ripple CEO — He Still Calls For $180K According to the bank, the move would go beyond the derivative products that most Russian banks have offered so far. It is a clear shift toward opening traditional finance to digital assets, at least for now among wealthy clients. Client Eligibility And Timetable Reports have disclosed that VTB intends to begin with high-net-worth customers only. The bank set thresholds for its initial offering: clients with assets above $1.3 million or annual income over $649,000 would be eligible at first. Andrey Yatskov, who heads VTB’s brokerage arm, said there is “sharp demand” from clients for access to actual crypto, not just paper products tied to token prices. The bank has picked 2026 as the planned start year, but it made that clear the launch depends on regulators signing off. Real Crypto, Not Just Contracts Based on reports, the service would allow ownership of the underlying coins — not merely derivative contracts or token-linked notes. That is a significant distinction in Russia, where until recently banks were limited to offering exposure through derivative instruments. Allowing customers to hold coins directly would require legal and compliance work, from custody arrangements to anti-money-laundering controls. Those steps are on the critical path before any retail expansion can happen. Potential Market Signals VTB has also given investors a sense of how it views crypto as an asset class. The bank recommended a 7% allocation to crypto for some investor profiles, and its internal forecasts have mentioned medium-term Bitcoin price targets in the $200,000–$250,000 range under favorable conditions. If VTB moves forward, it could be the first major Russian bank to operate in this way — a signal that some parts of the financial sector see token ownership as something to be offered through mainstream channels. Related Reading: A New Era Begins: CFTC Approves Spot Bitcoin On Regulated US Markets Regulatory Hurdles And Geopolitics The plan is not risk free. Russian regulation of crypto is still evolving, and any permit to offer direct trading will require approval from the relevant authorities. Sanctions and other geopolitical pressures could alter timelines or force changes to how the service is structured. Compliance teams will need to reconcile domestic rules with international restrictions that affect many big banks operating in or dealing with Russia. For now, the rollout remains conditional. VTB’s timeline, client criteria, and product design all hinge on legal clarifications and regulator consent. Market participants and clients will likely follow announcements from the Bank of Russia and other agencies to judge how soon broader access might come. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Regulators in Washington on Thursday cleared a major step that lets Americans trade spot Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on federally registered exchanges for the first time. Related Reading: Bitcoin Crash Fails To Shake Ripple CEO — He Still Calls For $180K According to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, listed spot crypto products may now be offered on exchanges registered with the agency, a move announced on December 4, 2025. Regulated Spot Trading Begins The action comes from a CFTC press release labeled Release No. 9145-25 and that the change allows spot crypto contracts to be listed on futures exchanges that are registered with the CFTC. The regulator said its rules now permit such listings to trade under the oversight and surveillance standards those exchanges already follow. .@CFTCpham Announces First-Ever Listed Spot Crypto Trading on U.S. Regulated Exchanges: https://t.co/89Mx6f0ss4 — CFTC (@CFTC) December 4, 2025 Bitnomial Leads The Way Bitnomial, a Chicago-based derivatives exchange, is set to be the first exchange to list such products, with plans to offer both leveraged and non-leveraged spot trading on its platform. Market notices and statements show Bitnomial moved quickly to use the new framework, announcing a launch and filings that position it as the first US venue to trade listed spot crypto under CFTC rules. What This Means For Investors According to market commentators and reporting, the shift brings spot trades under long-standing market protections like clearing, surveillance and execution rules that apply to other listed products. That can make some institutional players and big funds more willing to trade onshore. At the same time, regulators say this is meant to pull activity away from unregulated offshore venues and improve market oversight. Acting Chairman Caroline Pham said the move is meant to strengthen the US position in the crypto market while giving traders access to safer and more transparent trading venues. Risks Remain Reports have disclosed that the change does not remove the underlying risks of crypto: prices can swing widely, and no regulatory move can stop market volatility. Also, only exchanges that seek and obtain the proper CFTC registration will be able to use this route, so most offshore platforms remain outside US oversight for now. Related Reading: Eric Trump Says Bitcoin Could Hit $500,000, Stands By ABTC Strategy Next Steps Observers will be watching whether other US exchanges follow Bitnomial, how many retail investors gain access, and how the SEC responds on parallel issues such as token classification and custody rules. The CFTC had flagged this pathway in August as part of a broader initiative to allow listed spot crypto trading, and agencies have since coordinated on guidance and public engagement. The CFTC’s Acting Chairman said this brings spot crypto trading into a regulated setting Americans can trust, and that exchanges with the right protections can now list these products. This development is part of a months-long policy push by the administration to create clearer rules for digital assets. Featured image from Barron’s, chart from TradingView

A sharp rise in crypto liquidations is sending a louder message of how some traders are using more leverage in recent months. Related Reading: Bitcoin Trail Ends: $29M Seized After European Authorities Shut Down Cryptomixer Average daily wipeouts have jumped from roughly $28 million in long bets and $15 million in shorts during the last cycle to about $68 million long and $45 million short in the current cycle, according to a new Glassnode and Fasanara report. That shift has made single sell-offs much more violent. Early Black Friday Shock Reports have disclosed that Oct. 10 was the clearest sign of the change. On that day, more than $640 million per hour in long positions were liquidated as Bitcoin plunged from $121,000 to $102,000. Open interest fell about 22% in less than 12 hours, sliding from close to $50 billion to $39 billion. Traders felt the move fast. Positions were closed out on a scale Glassnode called one of the sharpest deleveraging events in Bitcoin’s history. Futures Activity Hits Records Futures markets have swelled. Open interest climbed to a record $68 billion and daily futures turnover topped $69 billion in mid-October. Perpetual contracts now account for more than 90% of that activity, which concentrates risk in instruments that reset continuously. Average daily futures wipeouts rising to $68 million long and $45 million short shows the costs when big swings occur. Spot Trading Doubles Based on reports, spot trading has also become more active. Bitcoin’s spot volume has climbed into an $8 billion to $22 billion daily range, roughly double what was seen in the prior cycle. During the Oct. 10 crash, hourly spot volume spiked to $7.3 billion, with many traders stepping in to buy the dip rather than run for the exits. That flow has helped shift where price discovery happens. Capital Flows And Market Share Monthly inflows into Bitcoin have varied from $40 billion to $190 billion, pushing realized market capitalization to a record $1.1 trillion. Roughly $730 billion has flowed into the network since the November 2022 low — more than all previous cycles combined. As a result, Bitcoin’s share of overall crypto market cap rose from 38% in late 2022 to 58% today, based on the report’s figures. Related Reading: $93K And Climbing: Analysts Say Bitcoin’s Push To $100K Has Begun Bitcoin As Settlement Rail Meanwhile, there’s another striking stat: over the past 90 days the Bitcoin network processed nearly $7 trillion in transfers. That throughput exceeded what major card networks handled in the same window. This has been cited as a reason some participants view Bitcoin not just as a store of value, but as an increasingly important settlement rail. Bitcoin Price Action At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at $93,165, up 6.5% and nearly 7% in the daily and weekly timeframes. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Authorities in Europe have shut down a large crypto mixing service and seized a major amount of Bitcoin, according to law enforcement statements and media reports. The operation took down a key domain, seized servers, and captured $29 million in Bitcoin that investigators say was tied to illicit flows. Related Reading: XRP Is About To Hit A Major Turning Point This Week, Analyst Says Europol And Swiss Authorities Act Based on reports, a joint action by Europol, Swiss, and German authorities took place between November 24 and November 28, 2025. During the operation, three servers located in Switzerland were seized, the domain Cryptomixer.io was disabled, and investigators recovered about 12 terabytes of data. According to officials, the service had been used since 2016 and is linked to roughly €1.3 billion in laundered Bitcoin over that time. The cash figure seized in the takedown was reported at close to $30 million in Bitcoin. How The Service Worked Reports have disclosed that the site operated as a hybrid mixer. That means it accepted funds on the regular web and used techniques to pool, jumble, and redistribute coins so the origin of funds became hard to trace. Criminals allegedly used the service to hide proceeds from activities such as drug sales, ransomware attacks, and fraud, according to investigators. By randomizing amounts and delaying payouts, mixers like this make the usual tracking tools much less effective. What The Seized Data Could Reveal Law enforcement officers say the 12 terabytes of material may hold leads that point to other illegal transfers and the people behind them. The data is now being examined, and it could make it easier to trace how money moved through the service. It is not yet clear whether arrests have been made. Experts warn that even with seized material, tracing every tainted coin will be difficult because of how mixing services scramble transaction records. Related Reading: ‘Saylor Is Finished’ – Peter Schiff Slams Bitcoin Tycoon Over $1.44B Reserve Build-Up Wider Impact On Crypto Crime Investigators argue the takedown is a major blow against online money laundering in Europe. Based on reports, crypto mixers of this size helped mask hundreds of millions, and in some cases billions, of dollars over years. The removal of one large service may slow some criminal flows, but analysts caution that operators and users can migrate to other services or new tools. Criminals often adapt quickly, which means the broader problem may continue unless follow-up actions and legal steps are taken. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Kazakhstan’s central bank has signaled plans to place up to $300 million into crypto and crypto-linked assets, a move that would mark one of the clearest examples yet of a sovereign institution putting reserve money into this market. Based on reports, the funds would come from the country’s gold and foreign-exchange reserves rather than its social or oil wealth funds. Related Reading: Bitcoin Miners Face A Harsh December: Rising BTC Difficulty, Falling Hashprice Central Bank Moves Cautiously According to central bank briefings and market reporting, the investment will not be made all at once. Initial tranches could be modest — figures discussed publicly include amounts like $50 million and $100 million as possible early steps, with larger allocations of $250 million also on the table if conditions allow. The plan appears to be phased, with the bank watching price swings and market signals before committing major sums. The assets under consideration may include direct holdings of crypto tokens or instruments linked to the crypto sector, such as exchange-traded products and equity stakes in companies that serve the industry. Based on reports, the central bank’s alternative investments arm, which already holds high-tech and financial assets, would manage the placement. Investment Targets And Broader Plans Reports have disclosed that this move sits alongside a wider push to create a national digital-asset reserve fund. Officials and informed sources have mentioned target sizes in the range of $500 million to $1 billion for that reserve. That proposed fund would focus more on ETFs and corporate equity than on simply holding tokens in wallets. An existing state initiative, the Alem Crypto Fund, has already taken public steps into the market. In September 2025 the fund made an investment in the cryptocurrency BNB, signaling that parts of the state apparatus are experimenting with exposure to digital assets. That action is being watched closely by both domestic policymakers and foreign observers. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sentiment Sparks CZ Comment: Sell Greed, Buy Fear Risks And Safeguards The central bank has stressed caution. Large price swings in major tokens have been noted as a reason to phase investments slowly. The proposed $300 million allocation, according to briefings, would be drawn from non-essential reserves — explicitly kept separate from Kazakhstan’s National Fund that pays for public programs — which is meant to protect social spending from market losses. Some of the purchases, reports suggest, could be executed through regulated financial products rather than raw token buys, lowering custody and liquidity risks. The decision to structure the program in stages is intended to reduce the chance of a sudden, large loss if markets move against the holdings. Featured image from kursiv.media, chart from TradingView

The launch of spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking Dogecoin in the United States was met with muted enthusiasm. Inflows into Grayscale and Bitwise’s ETFs were limited in their first week of trading, despite the hype around the first-ever Dogecoin ETFs. But even as ETF inflows sputter, some technical analysts argue that DOGE might still undergo a strong price rally, possibly all the way to $1, if important support levels hold. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s November Slump Could Trigger A 2026 Revival, Analysts Say Spot DOGE ETFs Off To A Slow Start When Grayscale rolled out its Spot DOGE fund (GDOG) on November 24, inflow volume clocked in at just about $1.8 million on the first day, far below the estimates some market participants had forecasted. For example, Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg, predicted that the ETF will witness a $12 million volume on the first day of trading. According to data from SoSoValue, net inflows across the DOGE ETFs by Grayscale and Bitwise added up to just over $2.16 million over the course of the initial trading week. This shows that institutional and retail investors are somewhat cautious when it comes to investing in the meme cryptocurrency.  This is in contrast to the strong opening inflows seen by other altcoin ETFs, such as those for Solana (SOL) and XRP which were launched in the past few weeks. Furthermore, the lackluster uptake has raised doubts about whether the ETFs will ignite the kind of renewed interest in DOGE that some backers hoped for. Technical Outlook Suggests Bullish Potential To $1 Even though ETF demand is currently tepid, multiple technical outlooks point to a potentially more optimistic outcome for Dogecoin. One technical outlook from crypto analyst Ali Martinez identifies key support at roughly $0.08, with resistance around $0.20. This support level harkens back to a time when DOGE dipped below $0.10, before launching into a multi-month rally to $0.50 after the US elections. Dogecoin Key Price Levels. Source: @ali_charts On X More bullishly, a multi-week technical breakdown done by crypto analyst XForceGlobal suggests that DOGE might be wrapping up a long-term corrective phase and positioning for a fifth wave, which is a powerful upward impulse according to the Elliott Wave Theory. That wave could push prices well beyond current levels, with intermediate targets potentially between $0.33 and $0.50, and a longer-term stretch to $1. Similarly, crypto analyst Trader Tardigrade believes Dogecoin has dropped back onto the same long-term support zone that previously led to major rallies, calling it the launch pad for the next big move. His weekly chart highlights how Dogecoin’s price action has repeatedly bounced from this ascending trendline, producing gains of more than 80%, 210%, and even over 440% since October 2023.  Dogecoin Technical Analysis. Source: @TATrader_Alan On X  The analyst says the pattern is intact once again, and if the support at $0.15 holds, Dogecoin could follow the same structure into a larger expansion phase. Based on his projection, that continuation would give Dogecoin enough momentum to make a gradual 610% climb to $1 by 2026. Related Reading: 320 Ether On The Move: Bhutan Ramps Up Its Staking Game At the time of writing, Dogecoin is trading at $0.15 and is close to either rebounding or breaking below the support. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView