XRP shocked the crypto market in 2024. After years of slow movement and legal uncertainty, the token surged nearly five times in value toward the end of the year 2024. Many investors openly admitted they missed the move. Some were left asking whether this rally was just a one-off event or the early sign of …
The crypto market has started 2026 on a strong note, with Bitcoin climbing back above the $90,000 mark and triggering a broad rally across altcoins. While Bitcoin’s move itself drew moderate attention, the real momentum is coming from strong buying activity, rising whale accumulation, and improving on-chain signals across the market. At the time of …
With 2025 now closed, the crypto market is beginning 2026 with attempts to recover from one of its most challenging years. After a tumultuous period, total market capitalization has surged back above $3 trillion. However, many investors are left wondering what the new year has in store for digital assets. Institutions Forecast Bullish Crypto Prices For 2026 According to a recent report by analysts at Bull Theory, the past year proved to be robust for traditional markets, particularly for metals, while cryptocurrencies fell short of expectations. Silver surged by 160%, and gold followed suit with a 66% increase. In contrast, Bitcoin (BTC) wrapped up 2025 down approximately 5%, despite several positive indicators, such as consistent purchasing by Strategy, strong inflows into Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and growing institutional interest. Related Reading: Is The Dogecoin Bottom In? 3 Analysts Break Down the Charts Yet, when one asset class lags significantly while liquidity remains abundant, historical trends show that the gap typically narrows. In terms of specific projections, various major institutions and prominent investors have offered their forecasts for both Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH). Standard Chartered targets Bitcoin to reach $150,000 by the end of 2026, and JPMorgan projects a price of $170,000. Meanwhile, Citi’s base case stands around $143,000, with a more aggressive bull case suggesting a potential rise to $189,000. Cathie Wood of ARK Invest envisions a long-term scenario where Bitcoin could hit $500,000, contingent on widespread institutional adoption. Tom Lee from Fundstrat anticipates Ethereum will trade between $7,000 and $9,000 by early 2026, fueled by the tokenization of real-world assets. New Regulations And Economic Optimism The analysts further highlighted that, unlike previous years, this cycle looks distinct in several key aspects. For one, crypto is no longer encumbered by operating within a legal gray area. New regulatory frameworks, particularly in the US, are poised to offer clearer guidelines, reducing uncertainty and facilitating easier access for institutional investors. The anticipated changes aim for simplified regulations that could enhance market structure while broadening institutional participation beyond just Bitcoin and Ethereum. Moreover, several factors suggest that a sharp movement in the crypto markets could be on the horizon. The end of quantitative tightening on December 1, 2025, coupled with a growing GDP, signals a conducive environment for crypto. Related Reading: Dogecoin Long-Term Bullish Structure Still In Play And Will Cross $10 With inflation stabilized below 3% and unemployment at 4.6%, there are indications that the Federal Reserve (Fed) may adopt a more dovish stance, especially with a new Fed Chair expected to take office in May 2026. Overall, as the new year begins, the crypto market finds itself in a position of underperformance rather than excess. This contrasting state often results in rapid repricings as gaps are closed in response to liquidity alignment. As a result, Bull Theory analysts believe that 2026 could very well be the year when these disparities start to correct, leading to a potentially bullish environment for cryptocurrencies. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin turns 17 today, marking the day Satoshi Nakamoto mined the first-ever block on January 3, 2009. This moment started the Bitcoin ledger, a record that remains permanent and open for anyone to verify. What began as a single block has grown into a worldwide financial network, reshaping ideas around money, trust, and independence. Seventeen …
The broader meme coin market is heating up, with CoinGecko's GMCI Meme Index showing a market value of $33.8 billion and a trading volume of $5.9 billion.
Rising confidence in Bitcoin's future performance may influence investment strategies, potentially shifting focus from traditional assets like gold.
The post Odds of Bitcoin outperforming gold in 2026 surge to 59% on Polymarket appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Story Highlights The live price of the HEX token is . In 2026, HEX’s price outlook depends on long-term staker behavior, eyeing the $0.00140–$0.00280 range by 2026. By 2030, HEX could see a structural revaluation if long-duration staking models regain. HEX is one of the most unconventional tokens in the crypto market. Built as an …
Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), holding 4.11 million ETH ($12.1B), deposited 82,560 ETH ($259M) into Ethereum’s Proof of Stake contract today. Since starting staking on December 27, 2025, it has committed 544,064 ETH ($1.7B), about 13.2% of its holdings, ahead of its MAVAN validator launch in Q1 2026. This aggressive move, led by Chairman Tom Lee, …
The departure of SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw is seen as potentially paving the way for more crypto-friendly policies.
Crypto markets have begun the 2026 trade with major bullish momentum as the prices of the majority of the tokens have reclaimed their crucial resistance. The Bitcoin price rose above $90,000 while the Ethereum price managed to secure $3100. XRP price led a spectacular move by surging above $2, due to which the token flipped …
Ripple’s native token XRP has just flipped BNB to become the fourth-largest cryptocurrency, with a market cap close to $124 billion. Over the past 24 hours, XRP climbed nearly 9%, pushing its price to around $2.05. This sudden rise has caught the attention of traders, especially since XRP had been trading quietly for weeks. ????Just …
The crypto market may see FOMO enter the market if Bitcoin suddenly creeps toward the $92,000 price level, according to a crypto analyst.
Despite the recent price action, Bitcoin (BTC) closed 2025 as the year with the lowest volatility in its history, driven by market maturity, regulatory developments, and the increasing participation of institutions in the crypto space. Related Reading: Ethereum Optimism For 2026: Analysts Share Bullish Forecast Despite Disappointing End-Of-Year Bitcoin Records Least Volatile Year On Friday, K33 Research data revealed that Bitcoin has recorded the least volatile year in the asset’s history. According to the chart, the flagship cryptocurrency saw its lowest volatility level, measured by the average deviation of daily returns, in 2025, hitting just 2.24%. The recent data shows that BTC fell below the previous lowest year on record, 2023, which registered 2.30% volatility. Moreover, it’s annual volatility has also ended below the 3% mark over the past three years, its lowest levels since 2016. This signals a “clear” diminishing trend, K33 Research noted, as Bitcoin’s volatility has been trending lower year by year, suggesting growing market maturity and stabilizing price action. Crypto trader Niels highlighted that “for the first time, BTC recorded its lowest annual volatility on record, lower than every cycle before it, including the early ‘wild west’ years and the post-ETF era.” As he explained, 2025 was “the calmest year in Bitcoin’s history” despite all the price movements of the years, including the Q4 daily corrections, which saw the flagship crypto retrace up to 16% in a single day. It’s worth noting that BTC’s deepest correction in 2025 saw the cryptocurrency drop nearly 36% in a two-month period, while previous cycles’ corrections recorded retraces of more than 50% during similar periods. Previously, Nic Carter addressed the negative sentiment brewing around Bitcoin and the broader market. He detailed that the market could be considered “boring” now because most of the questions that drove the historical volatility have been answered. Carter also asserted that the space matured significantly with “more serious businesses (…), [and] less chaos” in the industry. The Start Of The ‘Institutional Era’ In his X post, Niels also pointed out that the diminishing trend in Bitcoin volatility was fueled by the massive institutional participation, calling for “More capital. More long-term holders. More institutional participation. [and] Less emotional trading” for the future. Similarly, Bitwise’s CEO, Hunter Horsley has affirmed that the overall crypto market was changing, driven by the significant decrease in regulatory risk, which has led to last year’s spike in institutional adoption and mainstream recognition. Notably, the market saw the second of wave of crypto Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) go live, with funds based on altcoins like Solana (SOL) and XRP breaking multiple records. In addition, the Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) trend, led by Strategy’s Bitcoin purchases, poured billions of dollars into cryptocurrencies in 2025. Related Reading: Crypto Hacks Swipe Nearly $3 Billion In 2025 Despite Fewer Attacks – Report In November, Ark Invest’s CEO Cathie Wood stated that growing institutional adoption will be a powerful driver for long-term value for Bitcoin, noting that large-scale institutions have barely dipped their toes into the space and “have a long way to go.” Meanwhile, Head of Research at Grayscale, Zach Pandl, said in an January 2 interview that 2026 could be the “dawn of the institutional era” for crypto. He noted that rising demand for alternative stores of value and progress on bipartisan US crypto market structure legislation could drive Bitcoin to new highs in the first half of the year. As of this writing, Bitcoin is trading at $90,240, a 1.54% increase in the daily timeframe. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
XRP has surged past BNB to become the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, reaching approximately $123 billion after an 8% price jump to $2.02-$2.03 in the last 24 hours. This positions XRP behind Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether, driven by a 177% spike in trading volume to $3.8 billion and ongoing inflows into US spot XRP …
XRP has climbed past BNB to become the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency by market value. Behind the move is a quiet but important trend: XRP held on exchanges has fallen to its lowest level in eight years. Since October, more than half of the supply has moved off exchanges, showing strong long-term holding rather than selling. …
As 2026 begins, XRP is starting the year on a bearish note, with investor sentiment plummeting to levels of extreme fear. Despite these challenging conditions, analysts are suggesting that this negativity may set the stage for a significant bullish reversal, drawing parallels to historical trends. Institutional Buyers Remain Active Reports indicate that periods of extreme sentiment have often preceded XRP rallies with impressive gains, at times exceeding 1,000%. Data from Santiment indicates that bearish mentions of XRP are now running 20-30% higher than the subdued averages seen in November. This deepening negativity, coupled with XRP stabilizing between $1.8 and $1.9 mark, highlights “a classic market divergence”: sentiment continues to worsen while prices consolidate, suggesting that emotional capitulation is occurring faster than any fundamental deterioration. Related Reading: Is The Dogecoin Bottom In? 3 Analysts Break Down the Charts Beneath this wave of retail fear, however, institutional behavior paints a more positive picture. Spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded inflows of approximately $424 million in December alone, making them the best-performing crypto ETF product. This contrast between extreme retail sentiment—currently at an extreme fear level of 24—and substantial institutional accumulation, which stands at around $1.3 billion over the past 50 days, often precedes market reversals more reliably than sentiment readings alone indicate. 70-75% Chance Of Bullish Reversal For XRP, the current setup combines extreme fear readings with a social sentiment significantly above baseline levels, alongside price consolidation, creating a historical pattern that has led to substantial rallies multiple times since 2020. For instance, back in the 2020-2021 cycle, XRP dropped to $0.17 amid the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit, followed by a 1,053% increase to $1.96 over just four months. Today’s scenario mirrors this past occurrence. With institutional accumulation diverging sharply from retail capitulation, historical data suggests that this combination yields a 70-75% chance of a bullish reversal within the next two to eight weeks. Current trading conditions for XRP sit at approximately $1.90, with the Fear & Greed Index at 24. This setup creates three potential scenarios. Three Potential Price Scenarios For XRP In the most favorable bullish scenario, the Trump administration could announce clear pro-crypto regulatory policies in the first quarter of the year, BlackRock might file an XRP ETF application, or the adoption of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin could rapidly scale above $2-3 billion. Historically, when the Fear & Greed Index climbs from 24 into neutral territory (between 50 and 60), XRP often rallies between 30-50%, setting targets between $2.44 and $2.82. If bullish momentum continues into mild greed (70+), XRP could reach the $3.00-$3.20 range. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s $150K Target Looks Unlikely As Polymarket Odds Sink To 23% In a more neutral scenario, sentiment may gradually normalize without dramatic catalysts, with ETF inflows continuing to average between $200-300 million monthly. As RLUSD organically grows through existing partnerships, fears could naturally subside over a span of six to eight weeks. As the Fear & Greed Index rises from 24 to the 45-55 range, XRP has typically appreciated between 15-25%, targeting between $2.16 and $2.35. If the support at $1.85 holds through January, and trading volume expands above $1.98, the price could extend toward $2.40-$2.50. In a bearish outcome, sentiment could linger in extreme fear (below 30) for over eight weeks without relief. A decisive break below $1.85 on substantial volume would see XRP testing support levels around $1.65-$1.70. The altcoin has surged by over 6% in the past 24 hours towards $1.98 amid a broader recovery in the crypto market. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
A cryptocurrency analyst has pointed out how Dogecoin could be on track for $0.08 based on this breakout from a consolidation channel. Dogecoin Has Fallen Under An Ascending Channel In a new post on X, analyst Ali Martinez has talked about where Dogecoin could be heading based on a technical analysis (TA) pattern. The pattern in question is an “Ascending Channel,” which is a type of Parallel Channel. Related Reading: Bitcoin Cycle Defined by Demand, Not Price: CryptoQuant Head Says Parallel Channels appear whenever an asset’s price observes consolidation between two parallel trendlines. When these lines have a positive slope, the pattern is known as an Ascending Channel. This channel corresponds to consolidation that occurs toward some net upside. Like other such patterns in TA, the upper line acts a source of resistance, while the lower one provides support. A break out of either of these boundaries can signal a continuation of trend in that direction. This means that a surge above the channel may be a bullish signal, while a drop under it a bearish one. Like the Ascending Channel, there is also a pattern in TA called the Descending Channel, emerging when the opposite type of consolidation takes place. That is, when the price moves to a net downside between two parallel trendlines with a negative slope. Until recently, Dogecoin had been trading inside a multi-year Ascending Channel on the 3-day timeframe. The memecoin capped off 2025 with a breakout from it, as the chart shared by Martinez shows. From the above graph, it’s apparent that Dogecoin has escaped the long Ascending Channel with a fall below the support trendline. The memecoin has since been following a steep downward trajectory, a potential sign that the bearish breakout is in effect. Breakouts from Parallel Channels are considered likely to end up being of the same height as the distance between the trendlines. Based on this, the analyst has put the $0.08 target for DOGE. It now remains to be seen whether the asset will follow this trajectory or if it will see a rebound before long. Related Reading: XRP At Risk Of A Drop To $0.80? Analyst Makes The Case In another X post, Martinez has highlighted how Bitcoin, the number one cryptocurrency, has also been trading inside a TA consolidation pattern recently. As displayed in the chart, the pattern in the case of Bitcoin is a Symmetrical Triangle, a channel that involves two lines converging at a roughly equal and opposite slope. BTC’s 4-hour price has been moving sideways in this pattern recently and based on its height, the analyst thinks that the coin may be set up for a 15% move. DOGE Price At the time of writing, Dogecoin is floating around $0.13, up more than 8% over the last 24 hours. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
XRP's rise highlights shifting dynamics in the crypto market, potentially influencing investor strategies and altcoin valuations.
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The US Genius Act dealt with “structurally simpler” issues than the CLARITY Act, which has yet to be passed into US law, according to a Coinbase executive.
As 2025 came to a close, Bitcoin (BTC) ended on a negative note, trading more than 30% below its all-time highs and grappling with the formation of a death cross—a technical indicator that traditionally precedes significant price corrections. Currently hovering just above $89,200, Bitcoin recently saw its 10-week and 50-week simple moving averages (SMAs) cross paths on December 8, a development highlighted by market analyst Ali Martinez on social media site X (previously Twitter). Bitcoin May Face 50%-60% Correction Martinez emphasized the importance of watching the behavior of these two moving averages on the weekly chart. Historically, each time Bitcoin has registered a death cross between the 10-week and 50-week SMAs, it has been followed by substantial corrections. Related Reading: Dogecoin Long-Term Bullish Structure Still In Play And Will Cross $10 As seen in the cryptocurrency’s weekly chart below, past occurrences of such crossovers have led to price declines of 67% in September 2014, 54% in June 2018, 53% in March 2020, and 64% in January 2022. With the recent death cross-forming, Martinez suggests that if history is any guide, Bitcoin could face a correction between 50% and 60%, which would place its price anywhere between $50,000 and $38,000. Adding another layer of complexity to the analysis, market expert Mags has outlined two potential scenarios for Bitcoin’s near future. Two Scenarios For BTC’s Future Following Bitcoin’s downturn since its October highs above $126,000, it has been trading around the $85,000 mark for several weeks. Coinciding with this, Tether’s USDT dominance has broken out of its previous range, currently maintaining levels above the breakout zone. Since Bitcoin and USDT dominance exhibit an inverse correlation, Mags has identified two main scenarios moving forward. The first, a bullish scenario, hinges on the idea that if USDT dominance begins to decline, the current breakout could turn out to be a fakeout. Mags asserts that such a move could potentially ignite another expansion in Bitcoin’s price, possibly even leading to a new all-time high before any significant distribution occurs. Related Reading: Here’s How Much The XRP Price Will Be If It Overtakes Ethereum In Market Cap Conversely, Mags outlined a second scenario indicating early signs of a bearish structure. If the broader market trend weakens, Bitcoin might experience a temporary bounce, while USDT dominance forms a higher low near its mid-range before trending back upwards. In this case, BTC would exhibit a slow distribution pattern, marking neither a crash nor a rapid decline, but rather a gradual, choppy downward movement characteristic of initial bearish market behavior. The next move in USDT dominance is poised to play a crucial role in determining whether the current market represents a mere pause before further price continuation or the onset of an extended distribution phase leading up to a new all-time high. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin closed the year slightly in the red, marking a rare break in the long-observed four-year cycle pattern of one red year followed by three green years. The annual decline was modest—around 6%—and negligible compared to historical drawdowns seen in prior bearish years. Yet despite its limited magnitude, the red close carries symbolic weight, suggesting a shift in market behavior rather than outright weakness. Related Reading: Ethereum Liquidity Rebuilds On Binance: December Inflows Signal Strategic Repositioning Recent on-chain analysis from Axel Adler adds important context to this change. Data tracking cumulative Net Taker Flow shows that aggressive buying peaked around the New Year before fading. Since then, the balance of market aggression has tilted toward sellers, though not in an extreme way. The indicator currently sits in a moderate negative range, signaling that sell-side pressure has increased but remains far from capitulation levels. Historically, similar conditions have tended to coincide with heightened downside sensitivity rather than immediate trend reversals. In practical terms, this suggests that Bitcoin is vulnerable to further weakness if demand fails to recover, but it is not yet displaying the stress typically associated with deeper bear phases. The key takeaway is nuance. Bitcoin is not collapsing, but it is no longer behaving like an asset in a clean, momentum-driven expansion. The shift toward moderate sell pressure, combined with a rare red yearly close, points to a market transitioning into a more complex and selective phase rather than following its familiar cycle script. Derivatives Momentum Turns Cautious as Sell-Side Pressure Aligns Adler’s analysis highlights a growing shift in short-term market behavior through the Bitcoin Net Taker Flow momentum metric, which tracks how aggressively traders are positioning on the long or short side. Unlike cumulative flow, this indicator is designed to react quickly to sentiment changes, offering an early read on shifts in trader behavior rather than longer-term positioning. In recent sessions, this momentum gauge has rolled over decisively. After holding positive territory in late December, the smoothed reading has slipped into negative levels, now hovering around -0.3. While this does not yet reflect extreme stress, it places the market firmly in a moderate bearish pressure regime. The timing is notable: the momentum downturn occurred alongside a deterioration in cumulative Net Taker Flow, reinforcing the signal rather than contradicting it. This alignment matters. When both cumulative pressure and short-term momentum weaken together, it reduces the likelihood that the move is driven by noise or isolated positioning. Instead, it points to a broader shift in trader aggression toward the sell side. Adler notes that deeper downside risk would emerge if momentum continues to weaken, particularly if readings push beyond the -0.4 threshold. Conditions suggest controlled but persistent selling pressure. Bitcoin is not yet in capitulation territory, but the synchronized signals indicate that bearish forces currently have the upper hand, increasing sensitivity to any loss of price support. Related Reading: Bitcoin Miner Distribution Re-Emerges: BTC Enters A Fragile Price Phase Bitcoin Holds Key Support As Momentum Remains Fragile Bitcoin is consolidating around the $88,000–$90,000 zone after a sharp pullback from its recent highs. Reflecting a market caught between stabilization and lingering downside risk. Price remains below the short-term and medium-term moving averages, signaling that bullish momentum has not yet been reclaimed. The 50-period moving average has turned into dynamic resistance, while the 100-period average is flattening, reinforcing the idea of a broader compression phase rather than an immediate trend reversal. Importantly, Bitcoin is still holding well above the 200-period moving average, which continues to slope upward. This suggests that, from a higher-timeframe perspective, the broader structure has not fully broken down. However, the loss of the $100,000–$105,000 region earlier marked a clear regime shift from expansion to distribution. Increasing sensitivity to sell-side pressure. Volume has notably declined during the recent sideways movement, indicating a lack of conviction from both buyers and sellers. This supports the view that the market is digesting prior excesses rather than aggressively repricing lower. Still, repeated failures to push back above the $92,000–$95,000 range highlight weak demand at higher levels. As Bitcoin holds the $85,000–$88,000 support band, consolidation remains the dominant scenario. A breakdown below this area would likely open the door to deeper retracements. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
A well-known finance coach in the XRP community has urged patience, calling the cryptocurrency’s price sliding under $2 a rare long-term chance to buy. According to his public posts, he described XRP trading below $2 as “one of the greatest blessings of our lifetime” and said he remains actively accumulating at current levels. Related Reading: Crypto Exchange Korbit Fined $1.90 Million By South Korean Regulators XRP Below $2 Seen As Entry Point Coach JV’s portfolio centers on a mix of major coins and infrastructure tokens. His top crypto holdings include XRP, Bitcoin, WLFI, Solana, XLM, HBAR, and VET. On the equities side, he highlighted American Bitcoin Corp (ABTC) and Twenty One Capital (XXI) as key stock positions. The disclosure was used to argue that steady exposure, not frantic trading, fits a long-term plan. Market watchers in the XRP sphere are pointing to several possible tailwinds. According to other commentators, growing interest in XRP spot ETFs has pushed combined holdings to about $1.16 billion. There are also reports that companies such as VivoPower and Wellgistics Health have added XRP to their treasuries, which some analysts say could take supply off the market and tighten available coins. Investor Mix Of Crypto And Stocks XRP under $2.00 is one of the greatest blessings of our lifetime. I am still accumulating. My top crypto holdings: XRP Bitcoin WLFI Solana XLM HBAR VET My top two stocks: ABTC XXI Cash-value life insurance is the foundation of my family’s wealth empire. Cash flow is the… — Coach, JV (@Coachjv_) January 1, 2026 Mason Versluis, a popular crypto YouTuber, offered a grounded view about expectations. He urged followers to focus on “the real things” and fundamentals, rather than clinging to failed three-digit forecasts. Versluis reminded the community that XRP began January 2025 at $2.08 and moved to $3.40 by the end of that month. The token then reached a yearly high of $3.66 in July before sliding back to close 2025 at $1.84, which represented an 11.5% YTD decline. “We just look at the fundamentals,” he said, adding that those who loudly predict extreme prices often end up wrong. My thoughts on Jake Claver’s TRIPLE DIGIT $XRP prediction: (Clip from my stream today) pic.twitter.com/y7JJQfPsPf — MASON VERSLUIS (@MasonVersluis) December 31, 2025 According to several voices in the space, regulatory moves could also matter. One influencer cited a White House confirmation that the CLARITY Act markup is scheduled for January 2026, which supporters believe may clarify crypto rules and encourage institutional flows. Based on reports, such policy milestones are being watched closely by investors who expect clearer rules to broaden participation. Focus On Systems Over Hype As for Coach JV’s public statements on this issue, he emphasized and stressed the process more than making predictions. JV explained that he maximized cash-value life insurance as part of his wealth strategy, managed debt very carefully, and created systems which enforce discipline on himself and his business. Related Reading: Crypto ETFs Defy The Pullback With $32 Billion In Fresh Investor Cash The mix of voices in the community reflects two linked ideas: some see current prices as a buying window, while others warn that timing markets is risky. Based on reports and the coach’s disclosures, the common advice is simple — build a plan, stick to it, and buy if the thesis still holds. For many holders, the current sub-$2 trading range is being treated not as failure, but as an opportunity to prepare for possible wider adoption down the road. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Altcoin season was widely anticipated for 2025, but the reality has unfolded very differently. Instead of a broad-based rally, most altcoins suffered deep and prolonged drawdowns, erasing years of gains and forcing many investors out of the market. As 2026 approaches, sentiment around altcoins remains fragile. A growing number of analysts now warn that the worst may not be over, arguing that structural weakness, declining liquidity, and fading retail participation could drive another leg lower across the sector. Related Reading: Ethereum Liquidity Rebuilds On Binance: December Inflows Signal Strategic Repositioning Market data reinforces this cautious outlook. The Crypto Total Market Cap, excluding the top 10 assets—commonly referred to as the OTHERS index—has collapsed by more than 50% since December 2024. Market capitalization has fallen from roughly $451 billion to around $182 billion in just twelve months, highlighting the scale of capital destruction across mid- and small-cap tokens. This sharp contraction reflects aggressive de-risking, weak demand, and sustained selling pressure across the altcoin market. However, not all analysts are convinced the altcoin cycle is finished. A smaller group points to historical precedents, arguing that periods of extreme underperformance and investor capitulation have often preceded powerful altcoin recoveries. From this perspective, 2026 could mark the delayed arrival of an altcoin season—if liquidity conditions improve and capital rotation resumes. Altcoin Trading Activity Remains Elevated Despite Price Weakness A recent CryptoQuant report challenges the widely held belief that this cycle has produced “no altcoin season.” According to the data, centralized exchange trading volume for altcoins—excluding the top five assets—has reached levels significantly higher than those seen in previous market cycles. In other words, altcoins are being traded more actively than ever, even as prices remain deeply depressed across much of the market. This divergence between volume and price helps explain the prevailing confusion. While many tokens have lost a substantial portion of their value, on-chain and exchange data show that activity has not disappeared. Instead, the market has undergone a structural shift. Retail participation has largely faded after months of losses, with many smaller investors capitulating and exiting positions. Their absence, however, has not resulted in lower overall trading activity. CryptoQuant’s analysis suggests that altcoin dominance has increasingly concentrated among larger players. Whales and professional participants now account for a growing share of altcoin volume, using periods of low liquidity and weak sentiment to accumulate positions or actively rotate capital. From this perspective, the current phase may not signal the absence of an altcoin cycle, but rather its transformation. If whale-driven positioning continues and broader market conditions improve, these participants are likely to push prices higher to maximize returns. Related Reading: Bitcoin Miner Distribution Re-Emerges: BTC Enters A Fragile Price Phase OTHERS Market Cap Shows Prolonged Compression The OTHERS chart, which tracks the total crypto market capitalization excluding the top 10 assets, highlights the depth and duration of the ongoing altcoin correction. After peaking near $450 billion in late 2024, the market has lost more than half of its value, stabilizing around the $200–210 billion zone. This sharp contraction confirms that the altcoin market has experienced a full reset rather than a shallow pullback. From a technical perspective, the structure reflects prolonged compression. Price is currently oscillating around the 200-week moving average (red), a level that historically acts as a long-term equilibrium zone during transitions between bearish and recovery phases. The failure to reclaim the 100-week and 50-week moving averages suggests that upside momentum remains weak and that buyers lack conviction at higher levels. Related Reading: Bitcoin Supply In Profit Sets The Stage For Bullish Cross In Q1 2026 Volume dynamics reinforce this view. While periodic spikes appear during sell-offs and relief rallies, there is no sustained expansion in volume that would signal broad-based accumulation. This implies selective positioning rather than widespread risk appetite. Importantly, the market is no longer making aggressive lower lows, indicating that forced selling may be largely exhausted. However, the absence of higher highs keeps the structure neutral-to-bearish. For a meaningful altcoin recovery, OTHERS would need to reclaim the $260–280 billion range and hold above key moving averages. Until then, the chart suggests consolidation, dominance by larger players, and a market still searching for a durable bottom rather than the start of a classic altcoin season. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
Jake Claver, a renowned XRP promoter and CEO of Digital Ascension Group, is again leaning into a familiar XRP thesis: behind-the-scenes institutional adoption, NDAs, and “domino” catalysts, only days after analyst Zach Rector publicly criticized Claver’s failed “$100 XRP by end of 2025” prediction as misleading. $100 XRP Only Delayed, Says Claver In a post on Jan.1, Claver responded: “Timelines always get extended,” and added: “I should know this by now from all that we’ve built in the past 3 years, working with partners and regulators. I’m sure Ripple and many others have felt and still feel the same way after 13.5 years. The Domino Theory still stands, Real world events will play out, and XRP will become the backbone of markets in the future.” In a series of posts spanning Dec. 27 through Jan. 1, Claver argued that “real world events will play out, and XRP will become the backbone of markets in the future.” A Jan. 1 post focused on Ripple’s non-disclosure agreements, which Claver described as a signal that large counterparties are already preparing to build with XRP. Related Reading: Expert Says XRP ‘Haters’ Miss The Bigger Picture: Here’s What It Is “Ripple signing over 1,700 non-disclosure agreements probably isn’t random,” he wrote. “These most likely cover talks with major players—governments, global banks, payment networks, big universities, and Fortune 500 firms—all laying the groundwork to use XRP. The pieces for mass adoption have been falling into place behind the scenes for quite a while.” Earlier posts pressed the same point with higher conviction. On Dec. 28, Claver claimed: “Major institutions are stacking up XRP behind the scenes while keeping the public in the dark. The current price is merely a shadow of what’s coming. When XRP transforms into the foundation of international finance, today’s hesitation will become tomorrow’s regret. In my opinion, nothing in crypto space offers this level of certainty and potential for massive returns.” Related Reading: XRP At Risk Of A Drop To $0.80? Analyst Makes The Case On Dec. 31, he described XRP “as built to upgrade the existing financial system,” while adding that “blockchain isn’t just for storing value, it can power a faster, more open financial system. For that, you need high-performance infrastructure like XRP.” As reported on Bitcoinist yesterday, Rector’s criticism has been less about making bold forecasts than about the way they are delivered. Rector argued there was “no plausible scenario” for a roughly 5,000% move in the time window implied by the $100 call, and that the messaging leaned on suggestions of privileged insight rather than probabilistic framing. Rector’s allegations also extended beyond price talk into claims about XRP-focused funds associated with Claver’s orbit. “Jake and his scheme, his business has grown so big they’ve taken in so much XRP from our community,” Rector said. “There’s a massive discrepancy from what he’s saying publicly and what investors are telling me privately.” At press time, XRP traded at $1.89. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Following a rejected governance vote, Stani Kulechov laid out a plan to expand beyond DeFi lending and reshape how tokenholders capture value.
The largest crypto exchange by trading volume announced two moves related to the FLOW token following the project's foundation updating users on a $3.9 million exploit.
Being able to strategically raise capital by having shares ready to issue was one of the secondary reasons Lee gave for the proposal.
Bitcoin traded in the $80,000s on Dec. 31 just as U.S. inflation cooled and investors priced Federal Reserve rate cuts. The lack of follow-through has left traders leaning less on macro headlines and more on a mix of real yields, money-market plumbing, and spot ETF flows. That shift is keeping price action pinned to defined […]
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XRP is facing a critical turning point as key long-term support gives way for the first time in over 400 days. After consolidating near $2, the recent break below the 200-day moving average signals mounting pressure, putting the cryptocurrency in a high-stakes zone where the next move could define its near-term trajectory. Price Stalls Below The $2 Wall As Volatility Compresses In an X post, Umair Crypto noted that XRP has faced heavy resistance near the psychological $2 level, forcing the price into a tight consolidation range between $1.85 and $1.88. Such conditions often precede a sharp move, suggesting XRP may be nearing a decisive breakout or breakdown phase. Related Reading: Expert Says XRP ‘Haters’ Miss The Bigger Picture: Here’s What It Is On the daily timeframe, XRP still displays signs of resilience despite the overhead pressure. Buyers have so far managed to defend nearby support zones, preventing a clean breakdown in structure. This defensive price action keeps the broader bullish scenario alive, especially if momentum improves and XRP reclaims higher levels with stronger volume confirmation. However, a wider view from the 3-day chart introduces caution. The current support region aligns closely with the 200-day simple moving average. XRP’s latest close below this moving average marks the first time in more than 400 days, highlighting a notable technical shift that could weigh on sentiment if not quickly reversed. This development places XRP at a critical inflection point. The chart shows a relatively thin historical structure following the explosive November 2024 rally that lifted the price from $0.50 to $3. With fewer well-defined demand zones beneath, any acceleration in selling pressure could lead to faster downside moves. Umair Crypto identified interim support levels around $1.45, $1.10, and $0.69 as potential downside targets if a confirmed breakdown unfolds. Attention remains firmly on the coming sessions, particularly as Ripple’s recent $1 billion token unlock introduces additional supply, adding another layer of pressure to an already sensitive market setup. XRP Former Ceiling Turns Into A Structural Floor According to a monthly XRP update shared by crypto analyst Chad, the asset is currently holding above a key level that previously acted as resistance and has now flipped into support. This shift suggests that buyers are still defending the structure, keeping the broader setup constructive despite recent price action hesitation. Related Reading: XRP Price Slides Under Support, Bearish Continuation Signals Emerge A clear double-top formation can be spotted on the chart. However, Chad notes that it does not have to fully play out as long as XRP continues to hold above the 0.786 logarithmic Fibonacci level. Overall, XRP appears to be in a consolidation phase rather than a decisive move. Price action is currently contained within the 0.786 to 0.886 log Fibonacci range, signaling a period of balance as the market awaits a clearer directional catalyst. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
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