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Data shows the 30-day ETF netflow is still negative for both Bitcoin and Ethereum, suggesting capital has been flowing away from the digital assets.

Bitcoin & Ethereum ETF Netflows Have Been Negative Recently

As explained by CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn in a new post on X, Bitcoin and Ethereum spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have faced a negative netflow over the past month.

Spot ETFs are investment vehicles that allow investors to gain indirect exposure to an underlying asset’s price movements. In the context of cryptocurrencies, this means that an ETF investor never has to interact on-chain; the fund buys and custodies the tokens on their behalf.

US spot ETFs are a relatively new phenomenon in the digital asset sector, only getting approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in January 2024 for Bitcoin and July 2024 for Ethereum.

Spot ETFs can look like a convenient mode of investing for traders unfamiliar with cryptocurrency wallets and exchanges. Institutional entities, in particular, prefer to gain exposure through them.

Since their arrival, these investment vehicles have quickly gained popularity by tapping into this demand from the traditional investors and established themselves as one of the cornerstones of the sector.

Below is a chart that shows how the 30-day netflows related to the Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs have changed during their existence so far.

As is visible in the graph, the 30-day spot ETF netflow has been negative for both Bitcoin and Ethereum since a while now, suggesting that the funds have been witnessing sustained net outflows.

The situation has improved a bit most recently, but the indicator is still red for both assets, sitting at -$656 million for BTC and -$422 million for ETH. The weak demand in the market is similar to the phase of outflows from the first half of 2025.

Back then, demand eventually made an explosive return, with Bitcoin and Ethereum witnessing sharp price rallies. It now remains to be seen whether a comeback will happen this time or if the slowdown in demand is here to stay for now.

Another relatively recent source of demand in the market is digital asset treasuries. As highlighted by institutional DeFi solutions provider Sentora in a new X post, holdings of cryptocurrency treasuries now exceed $185 billion across 368 entities.

Out of this amount, 73% of the digital asset treasuries are controlled by companies, while the rest is in the hands of governments.

BTC Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $88,100, unchanged from last week.

The submission of South Korea’s long-awaited crypto bill continues to face hurdles due to the ongoing disagreements between the main regulatory agencies over policies related to stablecoin issuers.

South Korea’s Digital Assets Act Delayed

On Tuesday, local news outlets reported that South Korea’s Second Phase of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act will be delayed until next year as financial authorities continue to clash over stablecoin issuance-related legislation.

According to Yonhap News Agency, financial circles and the National Assembly shared on December 30 that the main policies of the crypto framework have been largely decided.

Notably, the Financial Services Commission (FSC)’s draft is expected to include investor protection measures such as no-fault liability for crypto asset operators and isolation of bankruptcy risks for stablecoin issuers.

As part of investor protection measures, stablecoin issuers will likely be required to manage reserve assets in deposits and government bonds. In addition, they will be required to deposit or entrust at least 100% of the issuance amount with custodians such as banks.

The bill could also require crypto asset operators to comply with disclosure obligations as well as terms and conditions. Moreover, it may “impose strict liability for damages on digital asset operators in accordance with the Electronic Financial Transactions Act in cases of hacking or computer system failures.”

It will seemingly address allowing the sale of domestic crypto assets, subject to sufficient disclosure of information. Despite this, the key issues remain unresolved, suggesting that the final submission deadline will likely be pushed to the start of 2026.

Stablecoin Issuance Dispute Continues

As reported by Bitcoinist, the Financial Services Commission failed to submit the highly anticipated Digital Assets Act, which is expected to address the issuance and distribution of Korean won (KRW)-pegged stablecoins.

The financial regulator did not meet the December 10 deadline set by the South Korean ruling party to submit the government’s legislation to the National Policy Committee.

The bill was delayed after the FSC and the Bank of Korea (BOK) were unable to resolve their differences over the issuance of won-denominated stablecoins nearly three weeks ago.

The financial authorities have been debating this issue for months, with reports in November suggesting that the long-awaited legislation, which was expected to be approved at the end of this year, risked being delayed.

The FSC and the BOK disagree on the extent of banks’ role despite agreeing that financial institutions must be involved in the issuance of won-pegged tokens. The central bank has pushed for a consortium of banks owning at least 51% of any stablecoin issuer seeking approval in the country.

Meanwhile, the FSC has shared concerns that giving a majority stake to banks could reduce participation from tech firms and limit the market’s innovation.

Yonhap News Agency highlighted that the financial authorities also face other disagreements, including the initial capital requirements for stablecoin issuers, with opinions ranging from 500 million to 25 billion won, and whether to separate the stablecoin issuance and distribution functions of exchanges.

An FSC official reportedly asserted that they are “currently in the process of gradually narrowing the differences in positions with the relevant agencies,” while “discussing all possibilities with an open mind.”

The report also noted that the ruling party’s Digital Asset Task Force (TF) is allegedly preparing its own version of the bill, based on the legislative proposals submitted by lawmakers.

Notably, recent reports affirmed that the government’s proposal should be announced by early next month at the latest, as the integrated bill must be submitted in January 2026.

Based on reports, Russia’s Ministry of Justice has proposed criminal penalties for people who mine digital currency without registering. The draft would add a new criminal article and set fines, forced labor and prison terms tied to how big the operation is and how much money it made. The move follows a law that made mining legal under strict rules last year.

Russia: New Criminal Article Proposed

According to the draft amendments posted on a regulatory portal, a new Article 171.6 titled “Illegal Mining Of Digital Currency And Activities Of A Mining Infrastructure Operator” would be added to the Criminal Code.

Under the proposal, an unregistered miner could face a fine of up to 1.5 million rubles, compulsory labor for up to 480 hours, or forced labor for up to two years. The draft draws a line at income thresholds: if mining generated large-scale income of 3.5 million rubles, liability applies.

For operations that are part of an organized group or that produced especially large income of 13.5 million rubles, penalties rise sharply — fine ranges from 500,000 to 2.5 million rubles, forced labor of up to five years, or imprisonment for up to five years combined with additional financial penalties.

Total crypto market cap currently at $2.97 trillion. Chart: TradingView

Registries And Monthly Reporting

Reports have disclosed that Russia legalized mining on November first, 2024, and on that date the Federal Tax Service opened special registries. All legal entities and individual entrepreneurs involved in mining must register, and operators of mining infrastructure are included.

Registered miners are required to report mined digital currency every month through a section in their personal accounts on the Federal Tax Service website. Based on the agency’s figures, there were more than 1,000 participants listed in the registries by the end of May 2025.

Visibility And Control Through Registration

The draft law appears aimed at forcing visibility into a sector that has often operated in the shadows. By tying criminal penalties to failure to join the registry, authorities gain tools to pursue operators who avoid paying taxes, use subsidized power, or run large-scale farms without oversight. Smaller, informal miners are left most exposed because they may lack the paperwork or know-how to comply with reporting rules.

Timing And Enforcement Signals

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has said the government plans to introduce criminal liability for illegal mining and illegal lending in 2026.

That comment, combined with the publication of the draft amendments, suggests phased steps: rules and registries are already in place, while tougher criminal measures could follow next year.

Some language in the draft also allows courts to impose fines equal to a convicted person’s salary or income for set periods, which would target earnings from mining operations.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has recently raised alarms about the increasing number of cryptocurrency scams, particularly those involving Bitcoin ATMs. 

Crypto Requests Now Top Choice For Criminals

According to a report from ABC News, the latest statistics from the FBI indicate a “clear and constant rise” in fraudulent transactions connected to cryptocurrency kiosks, a trend the bureau notes is “not slowing down.” 

In 2024, scammers perpetrated approximately $250 million in losses, which was more than double the amount reported in the previous year. By November 2025, that number had surged to $333.5 million.

There are over 45,000 Bitcoin ATMs across the US allowing users to convert cash into crypto and send it to wallets globally. However, once the money is sent, experts warn that recovery is nearly impossible, making the machines appealing tools for fraudsters.

“Requesting crypto is now the No. 1 preferred method of criminals,” stated Amy Nofziger, director of fraud victim support at AARP (formerly American Association of Retired Persons), in an October interview with ABC News. “It is a huge problem.”

Law enforcement has taken notice of the escalating fraud. In September, the attorney general’s office in Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against Athena Bitcoin, a major provider of Bitcoin ATMs in the country.

The suit alleges the company pocketed “hundreds of thousands of dollars in undisclosed fees on the backs of scam victims.” 93% of the transactions made through Athena’s machines in the district were allegedly linked to outright fraud, with victims often being older individuals, the median age being 71.

Athena Bitcoin has strongly refuted these allegations, stating that it implements robust safeguards against fraud, including clear instructions and consumer education. The company also remarked, “Just as a bank isn’t held responsible if someone willingly sends funds to someone else, Athena does not control users’ decisions.”

17 States Move To Regulate Or Ban Bitcoin ATMs 

In response to the rising tide of scams, AARP has called for stricter regulations on Bitcoin ATMs, suggesting measures such as daily deposit caps to protect consumers. 

At least 17 states have enacted legislation in recent years to regulate these Bitcoin ATM machines in the country, while some local governments have moved toward banning them entirely.

New Jersey state Senator Paul Moriarty, who sponsored a bill to prohibit Bitcoin ATMs in the state, expressed strong concerns regarding their impact. 

“These machines are nothing more than conduits for fraud and criminal activity. Period,” he stated. “There’s no other use for them, because if you wanted to buy cryptocurrency you could buy it somewhere else for less.”

In defense of their operations, companies like Bitcoin Depot have stated that while scams do occur, they represent only a small portion of overall transactions.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at $88,613, marking a slight gain of 1.5% in the past 24 hours and 2% in the past seven days. However, it is still unable to surpass and consolidate above the key $90,000 mark, which is acting as the most important resistance wall in the near term. 

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Kim Byung-kee, the floor leader of South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party, is under fresh scrutiny after reports linked his family ties to a major crypto exchange with his recent parliamentary actions.

Based on reports, his son took an internship at Bithumb and, not long after, Kim publicly raised sharp questions about Upbit, the country’s largest exchange.

Allegations Of Favoritism

A former aide has said that Kim met with Bithumb executives in November 2024, shortly before his son joined the firm, and that the lawmaker personally pushed his son’s resume to companies in the sector.

The same source says aides were later instructed to press lawmakers to raise monopoly concerns about Upbit during committee sessions. Reports also say some Bithumb staff who handled government relations received bonuses reported as high as seven times their base pay.

Market Share And Motive

Reports have disclosed why the matter drew attention: Upbit controls a dominant share of South Korea’s crypto trading market, with figures cited at roughly 72% in recent coverage.

That dominance has made any public criticism of Upbit politically sensitive, and opponents have argued the timing of Kim’s comments and his son’s hiring looks problematic.

Responses And Denials

Kim has denied any improper link between his legislative work and his son’s employment, saying his comments were driven by policy concerns about market concentration rather than private gain.

Bithumb has said its recruitment processes were open and fair. Independent outlets that first reported the story have sought comment from both the exchange and Kim’s office as pressure has mounted.

Crypto & Political Fallout

The controversy has prompted calls for accountability from opposition parties and some within Kim’s own camp.

Several lawmakers demanded he step down from leadership duties while the claims are investigated, and one major news outlet reported that he resigned his floor leader post amid the outcry. Authorities and ethics panels may now review whether rules on conflicts of interest were breached.

Investigators and party officials say they will examine meeting records, personnel files and internal messages to establish a clear timeline.

Kim is expected to address the issue publicly, and lawmakers say they will press for full disclosure if evidence shows undue influence.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin continues to trade below the $90,000 level, struggling to regain bullish momentum as market sentiment deteriorates. A growing number of analysts are now openly calling for a broader bear market, pointing to persistent weakness, failed breakouts, and declining risk appetite across crypto. Despite this gloomy backdrop, not all market participants are convinced that Bitcoin’s next major move will be lower.

Some investors remain focused on 2026, arguing that structural conditions could begin to shift in the coming months. One of the key debates centers on long-term holders (LTHs). While social media narratives increasingly claim that LTHs are distributing Bitcoin at record levels, on-chain data suggests a more nuanced reality.

According to a report by analyst Darkfost, much of the perceived LTH selling has been distorted by large, isolated movements—particularly nearly 800,000 BTC transferred from Coinbase—which skewed traditional LTH metrics.

After adjusting the data to exclude this anomaly, a clear change in supply dynamics emerges. Rather than accelerating distribution, the adjusted chart shows signs that long-term holder supply is stabilizing, and in some cases beginning to recover. This challenges the dominant bearish narrative and suggests that selling pressure from seasoned holders may be fading.

As Bitcoin consolidates below key resistance, the divergence between price weakness and shifting on-chain behavior sets the stage for a critical inflection point ahead.

Long-Term Holders Reduce Selling Pressure

Darkfost adds important context to the evolving Bitcoin narrative by focusing on long-term holder (LTH) supply dynamics. According to his analysis, the monthly LTH supply change—measured as a 30-day rolling sum—had remained firmly locked in a distribution phase since July 16.

For several months, this metric consistently showed negative readings, confirming that long-term holders were gradually reducing their exposure and releasing supply into the market.

That trend has now shifted. The latest data shows the metric moving back into positive territory, with approximately 10,700 BTC transitioning into long-term held coins. While this figure is still relatively small in absolute terms, it marks a clear inflection from sustained distribution to early re-accumulation.

In practical terms, it suggests that LTHs have slowed their selling activity to the point where their aggregate supply is beginning to grow again.

This shift is particularly notable because it is occurring while short-term holders (STHs) continue to hold their positions rather than aggressively selling. The combination points to a cooling of sell-side pressure from both cohorts, even as price remains under pressure.

Historically, similar transitions in LTH supply behavior have often preceded periods of sideways consolidation or, in more constructive cases, the early stages of bullish recoveries.

While this signal alone does not guarantee an upside move, it does suggest that the market may be moving away from forced distribution and toward a more balanced phase, depending on how broader macro and price trends develop.

Bitcoin Consolidates Above Long-Term Support

Bitcoin’s price action continues to reflect a market caught between structural support and lingering downside pressure. After failing to hold above the $100K–$105K region earlier in the quarter, BTC entered a sharp corrective phase that accelerated into November. That move pushed price decisively below the 50-day and 100-day moving averages, confirming a short-term trend shift from expansion to contraction.

At present, Bitcoin is consolidating around the $88K zone, hovering just above the rising 200-day moving average, which sits slightly lower and continues to act as a critical long-term support.

This area has become a key battleground: repeated downside wicks suggest buyers are defending the level, but upside follow-through remains limited. The declining slope of the shorter moving averages reinforces the idea that bullish momentum has not yet returned.

Volume dynamics also support a consolidation narrative rather than active accumulation. Selling pressure has eased compared to the November breakdown, but demand has not expanded meaningfully enough to reclaim prior resistance. Structurally, the market appears to be transitioning from a high-volatility selloff into a compression phase.

As long as BTC holds above the 200-day moving average, the broader bullish structure from earlier in the cycle remains technically intact. However, a failure to defend this level would expose the $80K–$75K region as the next major support.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Japanese Bitcoin treasury company Metaplanet has just announced that it accumulated 4,279 BTC during the fourth quarter of 2025.

Metaplanet Spent $451 Million On Bitcoin In Q4 2025

As revealed by Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich in a new X post, the Bitcoin treasury company participated in some fresh accumulation over Q4 2025. In total, the firm added 4,279 BTC at an average buying price of $105,412 during this period. The latest announcement has followed three months of no new purchases from Metaplanet. The last time that the Japanese company added more BTC was in September, with two big buys involving more than 5,000 tokens each occurring in the second half of that month.

About a week or so after the second of those purchases, Bitcoin formed a high above $126,000, which has acted as the top of the bull market so far. The firm has not been making announcements since then, which may be due to the fact that the asset has witnessed a notable drawdown.

Nonetheless, the new announcement suggests that Metaplanet was silently buying tokens in the background, with the company only choosing to unveil it as 2025 approaches an end. As a result of this accumulation, Metaplanet’s holdings have grown significantly. Before the Q4 2025 buying spree, the firm held 30,823 BTC. Now, that figure has risen to 35,102 BTC.

The Q4 2025 treasury expansion cost the company a total of $451.06 million, but due to the decline in the cryptocurrency’s price recently, the value of the tokens is down to $376.26 million today.

The new accumulation isn’t the only portion of the Bitcoin treasury that has gone underwater; the firm’s entire holdings are in fact currently in a state of loss. With a cost basis of $107,606 per token, Metaplanet’s 35,102 BTC holdings cost $3.78 billion to assemble. Today, these coins are worth just $3.08 billion.

Metaplanet is currently the fourth largest corporate holder of BTC in the world, as rankings from BitcoinTreasuries.net show.

Even with its Q4 2025 buying, Metaplanet is still more than 8,000 BTC behind Twenty One Capital, which holds 43,514 BTC. Thus, Simon’s company will need a couple more purchases of this size to close in the gap.

In the table, it’s apparent that Strategy, the OG treasury firm, is in a different stratosphere from the rest of the names on the list, with its total Bitcoin holdings standing at 672,497 BTC right now.

Unlike Metaplanet, the Michael Saylor-led company continued to make regular purchase announcements even as BTC went through its bearish shift. The latest of these came up this Monday, with the firm loading up on 1,229 BTC.

BTC Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $88,000, unchanged from one week ago.

Ethereum is once again struggling to regain the $3,000 level, highlighting the fragile state of the market as selling pressure continues to weigh on price action. After multiple failed attempts to push higher, ETH remains locked below key resistance, reflecting broad uncertainty and a lack of conviction among both traders and long-term investors.

Market sentiment has deteriorated sharply, with apathy and fear dominating positioning as participants remain hesitant to deploy fresh capital. Rather than aggressive capitulation, the current environment points to exhaustion and indecision, a common feature of late-cycle corrective phases.

According to a recent report by XWIN Research Japan on CryptoQuant, Ethereum is now in a late-stage bearish phase that appears to be transitioning into a more range-bound structure. While bearish pressure still dominates the broader trend, the nature of selling activity is changing.

Instead of sharp, panic-driven sell-offs, the market is experiencing slower, more methodical distribution, suggesting that many weak hands may have already exited. This shift often marks a critical inflection point, where volatility compresses, and price stabilizes within a defined range.

The report notes that such phases typically reflect a market searching for equilibrium. Although this does not guarantee an immediate recovery, it does indicate that downside momentum may be weakening. For Ethereum, the coming weeks will be decisive in determining whether this range evolves into a base for recovery or resolves into another leg lower. Ethereum’s On-Chain Structure Improves As Price Weakness Persists

While Ethereum continues to struggle below key resistance levels, on-chain indicators suggest that the underlying market structure may be gradually improving. Data shows ETH leaving exchanges at the fastest pace of this cycle, a move increasingly associated with self-custody, staking, and long-term holding rather than short-term trading activity.

This shift is reinforced by validator queue dynamics: for the first time in six months, the entry queue has surpassed the exit queue, with roughly 745,000 ETH waiting to be staked versus around 360,000 ETH queued for withdrawal. The imbalance points to renewed staking participation and a tightening medium- to long-term supply profile.

Additional context comes from the 90-day Spot Taker CVD, which indicates a transition away from strongly sell-dominant conditions toward neutral to mildly positive pressure. Although this does not imply an immediate price rebound, it suggests that aggressive selling is beginning to lose intensity.

That said, Ethereum ETF flows remain negative on both daily and weekly timeframes, signaling that institutional demand via financial products continues to weigh on price action.

Beyond market flows, Ethereum’s network activity remains resilient. Deployed smart contracts reached a record 8.7 million in Q4 2025, while on-chain real-world asset value expanded to approximately $19 billion, led by Ethereum. These trends indicate that usage-driven demand remains intact despite weak sentiment.

The data support a scenario of ongoing price pressure alongside gradual structural improvement. This assessment would weaken if exchange balances rise again or sell-side flows regain dominance.

Price Remains Below Key Moving Averages

Ethereum continues to trade in a tight consolidation near the $2,900–$3,000 zone, reflecting persistent indecision after the sharp correction from the $4,800 cycle peak. The chart shows ETH struggling to reclaim the 50-day and 100-day moving averages, which are now acting as dynamic resistance around the $3,200–$3,600 region. Each attempt to push higher has been met with selling pressure, reinforcing the broader bearish structure that has been in place since November.

From a trend perspective, price remains below the declining short-term moving average, while the 200-day moving average near the $3,500 area continues to slope downward. This configuration signals that Ethereum is still trading in a corrective phase rather than a confirmed recovery.

However, downside momentum appears to be weakening. The recent series of higher lows around $2,750–$2,800 suggests that buyers are defending this range as a short-term demand zone.

Volume has also compressed during the latest consolidation, a sign that aggressive selling may be losing intensity. This aligns with the broader narrative of exhaustion rather than renewed capitulation. Still, without a decisive reclaim of $3,200 and a move back above the 50-day average, any upside attempts remain vulnerable.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

A technical analysis shared by EGRAG CRYPTO outlines a specific fractal structure that he believes is still guiding XRP’s broader price behavior. The model does not frame the move as inevitable, and it leaves room for uncertainty. 

Instead, it outlines a conditional roadmap based on how XRP continues to move within a white fractal that the analyst says is tracking with roughly 82% accuracy and, if maintained, points to a possible advance to as high as $27.

What The White Fractal Is Showing Right Now

The focus of the analysis is what EGRAG refers to as the White Fractal, which is the most realistic version of the different fractals he is currently tracking. Unlike earlier fractal iterations, this one is treated as an evolving structure that must continue to align with price action to keep being valid. 

According to the analyst, the current setup is about 82% aligned with XRP’s price action this year, based on similarities in accumulation behavior, breakout formation, and interaction with exponential moving averages. 

EGRAG was careful to note that this version has not yet earned a full upgrade to his higher-confidence blue or green fractals, keeping expectations grounded in what the structure is actually delivering so far.

How The Fractal Projects XRP Price Targets

The prediction for XRP’s price outlook is a sequence of price zones, each tied to a declining probability as price action moves higher. According to the projection, the most statistically favored outcome is around the $3.20 level, which EGRAG assigns a 75% probability if the fractal structure continues to play out. 

From there, the roadmap allows for a continuation to $8, although the probability drops to about 65% due to the additional momentum and participation required for XRP to sustain that move.

After $8, the fractal begins to enter more speculative price territories. The next price target zone is around $15 to $16, and EGRAG places the probability here at around 55%. The final and most ambitious zone sits between $20 and $27, which he assigns a 50% probability. 

This upper range represents the peak end of the fractal projection and corresponds with the final expansion phase shown in the chart above. EGRAG estimates that, if the structure is valid, the expansion phase would most likely unfold between June 2026 and October 2026. 

 However, he was careful to note that these projections are not guarantees. A sustained break below $1.60 would reduce the probability of XRP’s price action following projections by the fractal. A deeper move below $1.30 would mean that XRP’s current cycle has diverged too far from the fractal being referenced, which invalidates the model entirely.

The ETH price could be gearing up for a major recovery from downtrends as the Ethereum network shows renewed signs of strength. On-chain data shows that validator deposits have once again outpaced exits, even after months of higher withdrawal activity, reflecting improved sentiment among holders. Notably, the change is being closely watched as a potential catalyst that could tighten supply and support a move towards or above the $4,000 level. 

Ethereum Staking Deposits Overtake Withdrawals

Ethereum is seeing a notable shift in staking activity as validator deposits have surpassed withdrawals for the first time in six months. Validator entry queues have surged to more than twice the size of exit queues, pointing to renewed demand for staking and growing confidence among institutional partners and ETH long-term holders. 

Data from ValidatorQueue shows that Ethereum’s validator entry queue has climbed to roughly 788,310 ETH, at the time of writing. At current prices, this represents about $2.3 billion in value and comes with an estimated wait time of 13 days and 16 hours to activate new validators. By contrast, ETH’s validator exit queue remains significantly smaller, standing at around 312,091, valued at approximately $916,923, as of writing. 

Notably, the current level represents the highest ETH volume queued for staking since late November. A surge in staking inflows above withdrawals has also been frequently associated with bullish price action for Ethereum.  

Meanwhile, treasury buyers have played a significant role in this increase in validator entry queues, with Ethereum-focused firm Bitmine leading the way. Data from LookOnChain reveals that the crypto company staked 342,560 ETH on December 28, valued at roughly $1 billion. Bitmine’s staking activity comes as it prepares to launch its Made in America Validator Network (MAVAN) in 2026. Such large-scale staking by treasury firms typically reduces ETH’s liquid supply, which, in turn, can support higher prices. 

Beyond treasury companies, Ethereum’s broader network participation is also rising. ValidatorQueue reports that there are now more than 983,060 active validators on the blockchain, representing approximately 29.29% of the total supply, or around 35.5 million ETH, currently staked. Moreover, the Ethereum Pectra upgrade has improved users’ staking experience and raised maximum validator limits, making restating easier for large balances. 

How This Could Push ETH Price Past $4,000

Historically, periods when the Ethereum validator entry queue exceeds the exit queue have often preceded major ETH price rallies. Analysts note that the last time staking deposits surpassed withdrawals, in June 2025, Ethereum’s price had doubled over a short span. 

If history repeats itself, the cryptocurrency could experience another sharp rally in 2026. From its current price of above $2,930, a continuation of trends could push it well above $4,000. Analysts also confirm that ETH is currently testing the $3,000 level, and a strong bounce from this zone could open the path toward $4,000. 

A crypto analyst is pushing back against growing narratives around the Bitcoin supercycle, arguing that BTC’s biggest breakout is yet to arrive. He has revealed when the real supercycle will begin, centering his bullish thesis on a generational shift in capital, where BTC potentially overtakes traditional safe-haven assets like Gold as the preferred long-term store of value.

The “Real” Timeline For The Bitcoin Supercycle

On December 27, crypto market expert Killa shared a new long-term thesis on X that challenges the popular bullish expectations for BTC this cycle. He argues that countless traders have prematurely declared the start of the Bitcoin supercycle without understanding what truly triggers one. 

According to Killa, the real supercycle does not begin simply because Bitcoin rises in price or outperforms short-term expectations. Instead, he explained that a genuine supercycle starts only when capital structurally rotates away from precious metals and into BTC. 

The analyst emphasized that Gold must first enter a sustained multi-year downtrend while Bitcoin simultaneously absorbs flows and breaks into new highs driven by “absolute scarcity.” In his view, this moment represents a decisive shift in which older capital remains parked in Gold while newer-generation capital moves into a fresh asset class. 

Supporting his bullish thesis, Killa compared Gold in 1972 to where Bitcoin may be heading into 2027. The analyst presented a chart showing Gold consolidating after a strong advance, then pulling back into key retracement zones before launching into an explosive multi-year rally that grossly outperformed other major asset classes. 

Killa noted that Bitcoin’s structure is almost identical to Gold’s historical setup from this time, with price trending inside a rising channel and recently pulling back from the upper boundary. The chart highlights similar retracement levels that suggest consolidation rather than trend failure, reinforcing the analyst’s belief that Bitcoin may end up outpacing every asset class in the next cycle. 

Also, the analyst placed strong emphasis on market capitalization to frame BTC’s upside potential. He pointed out that even if Bitcoin were to climb to $200,000, its market cap would still be roughly six times smaller than Gold’s. With Gold valued at approximately $31.7 trillion and Bitcoin at around $1.83 trillion, the disparity leaves more room for BTC’s price to grow in the future. 

BTC’s Next Surge Could Begin Amid Rising Fear

In the same post, Killa warned that new market fears have emerged, shaking investor confidence. He has stated that quantum computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are the latest concerns, following previous worries about regulation, energy use, and market volatility.

The analyst expects this fear to push many participants out of the market just before Bitcoin’s major move begins. He believes this cycle may be the last opportunity to accumulate BTC below $100,000, signaling a potential end to prolonged bear market conditions. Despite the risks of a continued downtrend, Killa has revealed that he plans to continue buying BTC, predicting a decisive upward trend soon.

Galaxy Digital has set an ambitious target of $250,000 for Bitcoin (BTC) by 2027, while cautioning that the outlook for 2026 appears “too chaotic” to make accurate predictions. 

In its recent predictions report, the firm acknowledges the possibility of Bitcoin reaching new all-time highs next year, but emphasizes the considerable uncertainty surrounding near-term price movements.

Factors Influencing BTC’s Future

Options markets are pricing an equal chance for Bitcoin to land at either $70,000 or $130,000 by the end of June 2026. Similarly, the odds for the year-end target range from $50,000 to $250,000, indicating a significant degree of volatility and unpredictability ahead. 

Currently, the broader cryptocurrency market is in a deep bear phase. Bitcoin is struggling to regain its previous bullish momentum and has retraced by 30%, reaching a current trading price of just above $88,000. 

Galaxy Digital suggests that until the market’s leading cryptocurrency can firmly establish itself above the $100,000 to $105,000 mark, the risks may remain tilted toward the downside.

The firm identifies several factors influencing uncertainty in financial markets, including the pace of artificial intelligence (AI) capital expenditure, monetary policy conditions, and the upcoming US midterm elections in November. 

Uneventful 2026 For Bitcoin

Galaxy Digital also predicted that 2026 could be relatively uneventful for BTC, with prices potentially fluctuating between $70,000 and $150,000. Nevertheless, the firm’s bullish sentiment for the long-term horizon continues to strengthen.

Contributing to this optimism is the expanding institutional access to Bitcoin, alongside an easing of monetary policy and a market striving for alternatives to dollar-denominated assets. 

Galaxy Digital posits that BTC could follow a trajectory similar to gold, evolving into a widely accepted hedge against monetary debasement over the next two years.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

On Monday, Bitcoin set its course to reach the $90,000 price mark once again, but this move was brief as the flagship asset quickly lost the level and experienced a pullback. Despite the fluctuating price action, selling pressure seems to have reduced, and accumulation is gradually gaining traction.

Selling Pressure From Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Eases

Even with ongoing heightened volatility hampering the Bitcoin price movement, bullish sentiment is returning among veteran investors or long-term holders. These key investors seem to be shifting gears again a report shows that selling pressure from the group has noticeably dropped.

This report from Darkfost, a market expert and CryptoQuant’s author, challenges the ongoing notion that long-term BTC holders are selling their coins more than ever. “While we still see many posts claiming that LTHs are selling more than ever, the reality is quite different,” the expert stated.

Bitcoin long-term holders here indicate wallet addresses that have held the coin for more than 6 months. Meanwhile, wallet addresses holding for less than 6 months are considered short-term holders.

Darkfost conducted the research by adjusting the chart to isolate the movement of nearly 800,000 BTC from Coinbase, which was distorting long-term holder data. As viewed in the LTH Supply Change 30d Sum (Coinbase Fix) metric, the chart shows a clear shift in supply change.

According to the data, the supply change in the monthly time frame has been firmly anchored in a distribution phase since July 16, until recently. In other words, the share of supply held by long-term holders had been in a steady decline for several months.

The shift suggests that these investors are now more likely to stick with their positions, indicating a resurgence of conviction in the larger trend of Bitcoin. Furthermore, it comes at a critical juncture for the market, which provides new insight about emotion, supply dynamics, and potential future price action.

A Small But Important Change In Supply

After a period of downside movement, the chart has now moved back into positive territory, as over 10,700 BTC were observed transitioning into long-term held coins. While this is still a very modest change in the action of investors, it is not insignificant.

Meanwhile, with this change, long-term holders appear to have reduced their selling pressure to the point where their supply is beginning to exhibit an increase again. At the same time, short-term holders continue to hold their BTC.

In the past, Darkfost stated that these kinds of changes have frequently preceded the emergence of bullish recoveries or consolidation stages. However, this trend depends on how the broader trend evolves.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is hovering near the $87,300 level. However, within just a few hours on Monday, the price of BTC witnessed an increase of $3,000. According to Darkfost, this slight pump is mainly triggered by activity in the derivatives market as its Open Interest surged by $2 billion over the same period.

When this kind of move occurs, it is often short-lived. This is because leveraged positions tend to be temporary, which commonly prevents the market from forming a healthy base for a sustained bullish reversal.

According to reports, China will let commercial banks pay interest on balances held in digital yuan wallets starting January first, 2026.

The People’s Bank of China has laid out a new framework that moves the e-CNY from a cash-like tool to something closer to a bank deposit. Lu Lei of the PBOC is named in official notices about the change.

Banks To Pay Interest On e-CNY

Based on reports, holders of merchant or personal digital wallets will earn interest calculated by the banks that run those wallets.

The move requires banks to treat digital yuan holdings more like deposits, and it brings those balances under China’s deposit insurance protections. Reports say non-bank payment firms that operate wallets must keep 100% reserves for the e-CNY they manage.

Adoption Numbers And Rules

According to official figures cited in media coverage, by November 2025 there were about 3.48 billion e-CNY transactions with a combined value near ¥16.7 trillion — roughly $2.37 trillion.

The new policy links interest payments to existing deposit rate arrangements, which means interest rates on e-CNY will be set in line with how banks price other deposit accounts.

Observers have pointed out that the change could shift where consumers keep money, since insured, interest-bearing e-CNY becomes more attractive for storing funds.

Reports have disclosed that digital yuan wallets will be subject to rules similar to those for regular bank accounts. Deposit insurance will apply, and reserve and reporting requirements will be tightened for third-party payment providers.

The PBOC framework also sets clearer rules for cross-border testing that was already under way with partners such as Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Banking And Policy Impact

Banks will need to adapt systems for interest calculation and for clearing e-CNY transactions at scale, which could increase operational costs in the short term. That said, some costs may be offset if more money flows into e-CNY wallets and fewer funds stay in nonbank payment platforms.

Monetary authorities will watch how these flows interact with the broader money supply and lending operations, because shifts in where deposits sit can affect credit channels.

For everyday users, the most direct change is that holding e-CNY could earn interest and enjoy the same insurance protection as deposits. For businesses, payment settlement may become cheaper or faster depending on how banks price services.

Reports suggest regulators aim to keep the system safe by demanding full reserves from third-party operators and clearer oversight by banks.

Based on reports and official statements, the change takes effect on January 1, 2026, and it marks a major step in China’s long running e-CNY program. Regulators, banks and users will all be watching how interest rules are applied and whether the shift leads to wider use of the digital currency.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Crypto pundit SMQKE has shared a document highlighting why XRP’s utility will drive price appreciation in the new year. This follows a debate sparked by another pundit, Lewis Jackson, who argued that the altcoin’s payment utility doesn’t translate to higher prices. 

How XRP’s Utility Will Drive Future Price Appreciation

In an X post, SMQKE shared a document that highlighted XRP’s utility through Ripple’s payment system. In line with this, he noted that this is further evidence that the token’s utility will drive future price appreciation. The pundit further remarked that XRP is designed to operate within the global payment infrastructure, a move that could widely boost its adoption. 

SMQKE also noted that Ripple integrates with existing systems to improve speed, cost, and settlement efficiency. As such, as financial institutions adopt the XRP Ledger (XRPL), the pundit stated that XRP will be used directly in payment flows. He then alluded to the document, which, from a payments perspective, he said, demonstrates how institutional settlement activity creates sustained demand for XRP. The pundit added that price appreciation is supported through real transaction flow. 

The document noted that when Ripple processes a transaction, 0.00001 XRP is removed from circulation. As such, they expect the altcoin’s circulating supply to decline over time and its price to rise in the process due to a potential supply shock. On the other hand, Lewis Jackson claims that XRP is simply recycled whenever institutions use Ripple’s payment system for cross-border transactions. 

He declared that XRP’s utility is unlikely to drive higher prices, as these institutions, including banks, do not need to hold a significant amount of XRP to process transactions on Ripple’s payment system. This has sparked debate in the XRP community with another pundit, Apex Crypto, describing these statements as “dangerous junk” that could mislead people, especially new community members.

XRP Still At Risk Of Dropping Below $1

Crypto analyst Ali Martinez has warned that the XRP price is still at risk of dropping to as low as $0.80 amid debate over how the token’s utility will drive price appreciation. He outlined reasons why this massive price decline is a possibility, including that the XRP Ledger’s activity has cooled significantly. Martinez noted that daily active addresses have fallen to around 38,500, indicating fading participation and interest. 

Furthermore, the analyst stated that XRP whales have turned into sellers, offloading over 40 million coins in recent days. He added that if the selling pressure continues, the altcoin risks losing the $1.77 support level, with a breakdown opening the door to the next major support near $0.80. 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.85, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Ethereum’s price is experiencing a notable uptick in certain key areas following the slight bounce above the $3,000 mark on Monday. Even though ETH has lost the pivotal price level due to a broader market pullback, a certain group of investors is now starting to show heightened demand for the leading altcoin.

Big Ethereum Wallets Re-Entering The Market

The Ethereum market appears to be shifting once again into a period of demand and accumulation. ETH’s holder behavior is undergoing a decisive shift as observed among major investors or whales, who have returned to accumulation mode.

After several weeks of relative caution, Mlik Road, a crypto and macro researcher, outlined that large ETH holders have been steadily increasing their holdings in the past few days. This steady accumulation is being carried out by wallet addresses holding more than 1,000 ETH, signaling renewed confidence in the altcoin’s long-term prospects.

Data from the Ethereum Retail and Large Investor Holdings metric shows that whale holders have acquired over 120,000 ETH valued at approximately $350 million since December 26. With the price of ETH facing volatility, this action indicates that smart money investors might be preparing themselves ahead of a major upward move, even if the price movement is still measured.

As a result of the massive accumulation, wallet addresses containing 1,000+ ETH currently control roughly 70% of the entire supply in circulation. A look at the chart shows that this share held by the cohort has been on a steady increase since late 2024, reflecting the unwavering resilience of the investors despite multiple sideways movements.

Should this behavior continue, Milk Road highlighted that the market may not fully be pricing in where the smart money anticipates ETH to head next. 

Institutions Are Doubling Down on ETH

ETH accumulation has also experienced a significant uptick at the institutional level as many large corporations double down on the leading altcoin. Lookonchain, a on-chain platform, reported that Trend Research, an investment firm specialized in secondary markets, is still stacking up USDT to purchase more ETH. 

After a period of steady acquisition, Trend Research has now amassed over 601,074 ETH worth a whopping $1.83 billion. This action demonstrates the company’s robust conviction in Ethereum and its expanding ecosystem. 

Based on the on-chain ETH withdrawal prices from Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, the average purchase price of the company’s stash is $3,265 per coin. The firm has also borrowed a total of $958 million in stablecoins from the Aave blockchain to buy ETH.

Bitmine Immersion, a leading public company led by Tom Lee, has also resumed its ETH accumulation. Lookonchain highlighted that the company purchased another 44,463 ETH valued at $130 million last week. As a result, the firm now boasts of over 4,110,525 ETH worth a staggering $12 billion.

Shiba Inu lead developer Kaal Dhairya published a year-end letter on Dec. 29 describing what he called the most difficult period in the project’s history, outlining post-hack recovery steps, law-enforcement engagement, and a proposed on-chain claims system meant to track repayment to affected users.

Shiba Inu’s Team Year-End Letter

“This year — especially the last few months — has been the hardest period in Shiba Inu’s history,” Dhairya wrote. “The hack happened. The leadership that was supposed to be here and help us through this difficult time — isn’t. They left, without accountability, and without looking back. I stayed.”

Dhairya said he is not writing as Shiba Inu’s “official ‘leader,’” but argued the community deserves a direct update on what has been done, what is still unresolved, and what changes internally. He described the team working “around the clock — all-nighters, weekends, holidays,” and positioned the letter as an accountability-driven reset focused on repayment and core infrastructure.

Addressing claims that the team failed to file official complaints, Dhairya said a formal process is underway and pushed back on demands for public proof. “I have personally been interviewed by not one, not two, but three federal agents,” he wrote. “I passed on everything I have — all the information, all the OSINT, all the details we gathered during and after the incident. The official process is happening. It has been happening.”

He declined to share a complaint ID and said he would not continue “defending” the response to opportunistic critics, arguing some are “looking to sell their snake oil and keep extracting from you.”

Dhairya said “the technical recovery is largely complete,” detailing changes made after the hack. He wrote that the Plasma Bridge is back online with new safeguards, including “blacklisting, 7-day withdrawal delays, and hardened contracts,” and said more than 100 critical contracts have been moved to hardware custody. Hexens reviewed “every major change,” he added, and the checkpoint system is functioning again.

He also flagged a longer-term architecture change: “We’re also decoupling the bridge from the validators,” describing it as foundational work intended to enable decentralization of Shibarium. Even with that, he cautioned that malicious validators remain a risk and decentralizing the chain “won’t be easy.” Dhairya drew a hard distinction between restoring infrastructure and repaying users. “But technical recovery is not the same as making people whole,” he wrote.

SOU: ‘Shib Owes You’ Claims Via NFT

To address repayment, Dhairya introduced SOU (“Shib Owes You”), a system he stressed is “not live yet” and likely to attract scammers pretending otherwise. Under the proposal, every affected user receives an “SOU NFT” that records what the ecosystem owes them as an on-chain claim on Ethereum.

“This isn’t a promise in a database somewhere,” Dhairya wrote. “It’s cryptographic proof that you own a claim, recorded permanently on the Ethereum blockchain where no one can manipulate it or make it disappear.”

Each SOU tracks a principal amount that declines as payouts occur or donations are applied, with progress visible “in real time” and verifiable. Dhairya said SOUs can be “merged, split, or transferred,” including the option to sell a claim for liquidity on supported marketplaces. He added that the system’s components—“minting, payouts, donations, transfers”—have been audited by Hexens.

Dhairya argued the system only works if cash flow is routed into it, and said that should be treated as an obligation for ecosystem participants, particularly those controlling official distribution channels. “For SOU to function — for affected users to actually get made whole — revenue has to flow into the system,” he wrote. “That means everyone who benefits from the Shiba Inu ecosystem needs to contribute back. Not optionally. As an obligation.”

He said he will pause or sunset projects that are not generating revenue or reaching break-even, and prioritize initiatives that can fund repayment. “Revenue flows to SOU. SOU pays back affected users. If a project doesn’t fit that chain, it waits,” Dhairya wrote. He also previewed potentially contentious changes, including revisiting tokenomics and restructuring or merging systems to redirect value “back to the network and to the users who were affected.”

In closing, Dhairya said he has personally committed significant time and funds to keep the ecosystem running, but cannot do so indefinitely. “I cannot keep doing this forever,” he wrote, calling for others to step up if they believe Shib should be “a decentralized network” rather than “a meme” or “a pump.”

“The year ahead won’t be about hype,” Dhairya added. “It will be about repair, focus, and building something that can actually last.”

At press time, Shiba Inu traded at $0.00000721.

Dragonfly partner Haseeb Qureshi published a category-by-category set of 2026 crypto predictions on X late Monday, arguing next year will “surprise, both to the upside and to the downside” even if “the trend lines mostly continue.”

Bitcoin And Crypto Predictions For 2026

His headline macro call pairs a bullish bitcoin target with a broader market rebound. “BTC is > $150K by year-end, but BTC dominance decreases in 2026,” Qureshi wrote. But he rejected the idea that this automatically implies a blow-off alt cycle: “I don’t think it will be wild enough to call it alt season. I think alts will rebound nevertheless, just not to crazy highs.”

Moreover, Qureshi said “the recent crop of fintech chains” will not meet expectations on usage and value flow. “Despite the excitement around the recent crop of fintech chains, their metrics will underwhelm,” he wrote, pointing to “daily active addresses, stablecoin flows, and RWAs.” He named Tempo, Arc, and Robinhood Chain as likely laggards, while adding that “Ethereum and Solana will overdeliver” and that “best developers will continue to build on neutral infra chains.”

On enterprise rails, he expects more large companies to launch networks, skewing toward regulated incumbents. “Many more Fortune 100s launch blockchains, although increasingly concentrated among banking and fintech players,” he wrote, adding: “Expect Avalanche to be a standout here, alongside OP stack, Orbit, and ZK Stack.”

Qureshi also predicted a major distribution move from consumer tech: “A big tech company (Google, Facebook, Apple, etc.) launches or acquires a crypto wallet in 2026.” And he offered a contrarian timing call on Monad: “Monad gets written off as dead by CT, but metrics take off in the latter part of the year after analysts have already forgotten about it.”

On infrastructure, he said DoubleZero adoption broadens: “At least 3 other chains connect to DoubleZero to improve their latency & throughput metrics. DoubleZero hits 80%+ stake on Solana.”

DeFi And Stablecoins

Qureshi forecass a more concentrated perpetuals market structure. “Perp DEX market share consolidates to something like 3 big venues a la HBO (market share something like 40 / 30 / 20), followed by a long tail of smaller players who compete over the leftovers (last 10%),” he wrote.

He also expects product expansion into equities. “Equity perps take off, becoming >20% of total DeFi perp volume by EOY,” he wrote, alongside “significant growth in RFQ compared to CLOBs/AMMs, both on spot and perps.” He added a reputational tail risk: “Some DeFi-related insider trading scandal hits mainstream media.”

Qureshi predicts a large expansion in stablecoin supply while remaining overwhelmingly dollar-based. “Stablecoin supply expands by ~60% in 2026, and USD remains 99%+,” he wrote. He expects Tether to cede some share: “USDT dominance declines moderately to ~55%.”

His strongest distribution claim centered on payments. “Stablecoin-backed cards grow 1,000% in 2026—insanely fast growth,” Qureshi wrote. “Becomes the dominant way that stablecoins land and expand in emerging markets. Rain is the biggest winner here.”

Regulation And Prediction Markets

Qureshi predicted a US legislative deal next year, but with caveats on what the industry gets. “Clarity Act gets signed into law in 2026 after some significant markups and horse trading,” he wrote. “A bit of buyer’s remorse from crypto insiders.”

He also forecast political scrutiny if Democrats take the House. “Dems win the house, and there is a parade of hearings about anything in crypto that touched TRUMP / WLFI,” Qureshi wrote.

“The underlying deals get subpoenaed.” In his scenario, Trump distances himself: “Trump insists he was never involved and didn’t know anything about it (and thus these deals are not protected by executive privilege). Anyone who signed a stupid deal gets publicly embarrassed.”

Qureshi expects prediction markets to expand rapidly amid unresolved US legal fights. “Prediction markets grow like crazy,” he wrote, citing “big legal fights over sportsbetting regulation and federal pre-emption,” but adding that “nothing major gets resolved next year, so status quo continues through 2026.”

He argued Polymarket extends its cultural edge and distribution. “Meanwhile Polymarket continues to steamroll the culture,” Qureshi wrote. “Prediction markets are perceived as cool and smart, and so are allowed to throw up odds everywhere.” He added that as domestic expansion ramps, “it starts winning more and more domestic market share from Robinhood and sportsbooks.”

Most competitors, in his view, will not matter. “The explosion of other platforms tacking on prediction markets mostly flop,” he wrote. “90% of prediction market offerings are totally ignored and then wind down by EOY.”

Qureshi said “B2B partnership-driven distribution underperforms, direct-to-consumer outperforms,” with demand concentrated in “Polymarket, Robinhood, and Kalshi frontends (plus traditional sportsbooks).”

AI And Privacy

Qureshi argued crypto’s practical AI use remains narrow. “Primary AI use cases in crypto remain within software engineering and security. Everything else remains a prototype,” he wrote. “Wallet automation remains minimal.” He added: “AI agents will still not be ‘paying each other’ or spending any meaningful money in 2026.”

On spam and identity, he dismissed the near-term feasibility of a Worldcoin-style gate despite theoretical promise. “Worldcoin has verified 17 million identities—that’s 1 in 500 people,” Qureshi wrote. “Being at 1/500 distribution is way too small of an identity base for any service to transition to using Worldcoin as an identity gate.” He suggested an alternative path: “ZK Passports are probably more likely in the short-medium term, because much more of the world’s population as an NFC-enabled passport and can scan it with their phones.”

Asked about privacy as a major theme, Qureshi demurred. “I think privacy is going to be a laggard,” he wrote. “Zcash will likely do well because people want to believe, and there will be some adoption of private transactions on Arc, Tempo, etc.” Still, he returned to his overarching frame: “I predict mostly people will keep doing things in 2026 the way they’ve already been doing them.”

At press time, the total crypto market cap stood at $2.93 trillion.

On Monday, December 29, 2025, Michael Saylor’s Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) announced its latest Bitcoin purchase. The company had acquired over $100 million worth of the digital asset again, keeping in line with its consistent buying over the years. While Strategy’s large Bitcoin buys have often been a cause for celebration in the crypto community, not everyone believes that this is a good strategy. Mainly, world-renowned economist Peter Schiff has blasted the move, highlighting its profits so far as subpar.

Strategy’s Bitcoin Move Would Have Been Better With Any Other Asset

Schiff’s comments come hot on the heels of the Strategy announcement, showing a total of 1,229 BTC was bought at approximately $109 million. The average purchase price for the coins came out to around $88,568 once the purchase was done, adding to the already considerable Bitcoin holdings of the publicly-held company.

Less than 30 minutes after Strategy’s announcement, Peter Schiff took to the X (formerly Twitter) platform to share his thoughts on the move. Mainly, the economist is not impressed with how the company’s Bitcoin bet has played out so far, despite sinking over $50 billion into the digital asset.

Schiff points out that despite aggressively buying BTC over the last five years, Strategy’s profits sit at only 16%. Breaking this down over the number of years that the company has been buying Bitcoin, it averages out to around a 3% annual profit on the investment.

Given this, the economist believes that the company would’ve been better off if it had accumulated any other asset besides Bitcoin. Interestingly, the prices of other assets such as gold and silver have hit new all-time highs this year, while BTC has continued to struggle.

Breaking Down Strategy’s BTC Holdings

Presently, Strategy retains its title as the publicly-traded company with the highest amount of Bitcoin holdings. According to data from the data aggregation website, CoinGecko, Strategy currently holds 672,497 BTC, which accounts for 3.202% of the total Bitcoin supply.

The entire stack has cost the company a whopping $50.44 billion to accumulate, with an average price of $74,997 at the time of the last purchase. At a 16% profit margin so far, Strategy is currently sitting on over $8 billion in unrealized profits, down from its all-time high of $22 billion in profits when the Bitcoin price crossed $126,000 back in October.

Joseph Chalom, the CEO of Sharplink, has outlined an optimistic forecast for Ethereum’s (ETH) future, emphasizing a significant increase in the total value locked (TVL) within the network in the coming year. 

Stablecoin Expansion And Institutional Interest

According to a report from CoinMarketCap, Chalom anticipates that the stablecoin market will soar to $500 billion by December 2026. Currently, the total market capitalization for stablecoins stands at approximately $308.46 billion, suggesting a 62% growth from current figures. 

Given that Ethereum is responsible for processing over half of all stablecoin transactions across various blockchain networks, the projected expansion in stablecoin  issuance and transaction volume is set to significantly elevate the network’s TVL.

Chalom further predicts that the market for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) will also witness substantial growth, potentially reaching a total value of $300 billion next year. 

This is expected to move beyond tokenizing individual securities and funds to encompass complete fund complexes, thereby increasing Ethereum’s relevance in the financial ecosystem.

Key to this expected growth is the increasing involvement of major financial institutions from traditional finance such as BlackRock, which has shown heightened interest in blockchain technologies over the past year. Chalom predicts that it could serve as a catalyst for moving significant assets onto Ethereum’s infrastructure.

Can Ethereum Overcome Price Challenges?

The rise in total value locked usually indicates increased network utilization, which can bolster market sentiment and may influence Ethereum price dynamics. Currently, data shows ETH’s TVL at approximately $68.20 billion.

Crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen recently expressed skepticism about Ethereum reaching new price highs in 2026, particularly in light of Bitcoin’s (BTC) market conditions. 

However, Chalom anticipates that sovereign wealth fund holdings and tokenization efforts on Ethereum could grow five- to tenfold in the coming year. 

This potential increase is attributed to competitive pressures that may encourage institutional investors, who have previously been hesitant about cryptocurrency exposure, to reconsider their strategies as peer adoption accelerates.

Moreover, Chalom believes that the integration of on-chain artificial intelligence (AI) agents and prediction markets will gain mainstream traction in 2026, further driving activity and adding value to the Ethereum ecosystem. 

Ultimately, Sharplink’s CEO stressed that the convergence of institutional interest from traditional finance firms, expanded applications, and the involvement of sovereign funds could significantly position Ethereum for impressive TVL growth in the near future.

Currently, Ethereum is trading at around $2,930, marking a 13% year-to-date decline for the leading altcoin. Compared to its all-time high of $4,964 reached earlier this year, the cryptocurrency is currently trading 40% below this level. 

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com