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Vincent Van Code, a well-known commentator on X, has outlined a projection that XRP could undergo a major shift in its pricing structure by March 2026. 

His view is built on three trends developing for the altcoin. These are the steady decline of XRP held on centralized exchanges, rising demand from institutional-grade Spot ETF products that move large volumes of the tokens into regulated custody, and the gradual rollout of more advanced arbitrage systems that link ETF pricing with exchange markets. 

Predicting Major Development For March 2026

Van Code’s prediction of a major XRP development coming up in March 2026 is based on the observable trend of reserves on major centralized exchanges dropping to multi-month lows, a pattern verified by recent on-chain data showing exchange balances contracting significantly as institutional vehicles accumulate tokens. This reduction in liquid supply has coincided with sustained inflows into multiple Spot XRP ETFs launched in 2025, which now hold hundreds of millions of the token under management.

This has led to a highly volatile price action for the token, as we’ve seen in recent days. The interplay of this supply squeeze and growing institutional appetite feeds into Van Code’s prediction about a change in price dynamics ahead of 2026.

According to Van Code, sophisticated arbitrage should come online sometime around March 2026, and this will be the game-changer for price movement. Once that framework is in place, ETF trades and institutional flows could begin anchoring the altcoin’s price across the broader market, leading to steadier movement as more of the circulating supply sits in the hands of large, long-term holders.

This means that by March 2026, institutional ETF pricing could begin to set the benchmark for valuations across order books on crypto exchanges, rather than retail markets. 

Spot XRP ETFs In The US

Since the launch of the first US-listed spot XRP exchange-traded fund by Canary Capital on November 13, these products have attracted substantial institutional demand, feeding a growing accumulation of the altcoin into regulated custody and moving tens of millions of tokens out of the trading pool on crypto exchanges. 

Spot XRP ETFs, those from Canary Capital, Franklin Templeton, Bitwise and Grayscale, are on track to collectively exceed $1 billion in assets under management in just a few weeks, with inflows now on a streak of 18 consecutive trading sessions. According to data from SoSoValue, these ETFs have now received a cumulative inflow of $954.33 million as of December 10. 

Interestingly, a new entrant is also preparing to join this growing lineup. Asset manager 21Shares is on the verge of finalizing its own Spot XRP ETF, which has been approved by the Cboe BZX Exchange and is going to trade under the ticker TOXR.

The Federal Reserve’s latest policy move was expected to calm financial markets. Instead, it set off one of the sharpest intraday reversals the crypto sector has seen this quarter.

After delivering a widely anticipated 25-basis-point rate cut, the Fed signaled a slower path ahead, and that shift in tone was enough to send major digital assets back. What looked like a supportive macro backdrop quickly turned into a trigger for risk-off positioning across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the broader altcoin market.

Mixed Fed Messaging Fuels Market Confusion

The Federal Open Market Committee lowered the federal funds rate to a 3.5%–3.75% range, marking its third cut of the year. But internal disagreement, including two members opposing any cut and one pushing for a larger one, highlighted uncertainty within the Fed itself.

Chair Jerome Powell supported that ambiguity by saying the central bank remains “well-positioned to wait,” a phrase traders interpreted as a possible pause in January.

Economic projections added more caution. Officials expect only one additional cut in 2026, far fewer than markets had priced in. While the Fed also announced $40 billion in monthly Treasury bill purchases, seen by some as “QE-lite”, investors viewed the move more as an attempt to steady liquidity in a slowing economy.

The dollar weakened sharply after Powell ruled out a 2026 rate hike, but expectations for near-term easing also faded. Futures markets quickly shifted, showing a higher probability of no change in January.

Crypto Markets Reverse as Liquidity Concerns Rise

The crypto market reacted within minutes of the Fed’s press conference. Total market capitalization fell roughly 3% over the next 24 hours, with Bitcoin sliding below $90,000 after briefly testing highs near $94,000 earlier in the week.

Ethereum lost more than 3%, and altcoins posted deeper declines as investors moved toward lower-risk exposure.

Rising liquidations added pressure. More than $1 billion in leveraged positions were wiped out in the broader market over a 24-hour period, while Bitcoin dominance climbed to around 58%, reflecting a shift away from speculative assets.

Technical signals also turned bearish, with total crypto market cap slipping below the 200-day EMA and several major tokens failing to reclaim key resistance levels.

What Comes Next as Traders Await Fresh Data

Attention now turns to the upcoming PCE inflation report, the Fed’s preferred gauge. A stronger-than-expected reading could delay further easing and intensify volatility across risk assets. For crypto traders, key levels include Bitcoin’s support zone near $89,000 and ETF flow trends, which continue to influence market stability.

The latest Fed decision currently has left markets searching for clearer direction. Until that emerges, crypto appears set to navigate a period of tighter liquidity, cautious sentiment, and elevated sensitivity to macroeconomic signals.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview

Leading XRP wallet founder, Wietse Wind, has issued a direct warning about a fast-moving impersonation scam targeting XRP users. The alert highlights an escalating threat vector already linked to material losses, with attackers posing as official support and attempting to harvest seed phrases by framing it as wallet assistance. Their operations are expanding in scope and speed, and the XRP community is now a primary target.

Coordinated Impersonation Playbooks Are Now Targeting XRP Users

The founder’s advisory highlights an operationally disciplined scam pattern designed to exploit trust at scale. Threat actors position themselves as recovery specialists, wallet engineers or ecosystem support staff. They approach users through direct messages, E-mails, cloned profiles and polished customer-service language to create a façade of legitimacy. Once initial rapport is established, they deploy scripted escalations — often framed as urgent account recovery needs — to extract seed phrases under the guise of technical troubleshooting.

The risk exposure is significant because XRP transactions are irreversible, and wallets secured with 12- or 24-word keys become instantly compromised once those keys are shared. The scam is engineered to bypass technical safeguards by attacking the human layer, and the founder’s message underscores the scale of user losses already reported across the community. 

XRP holders can mitigate this risk by operationalizing strict key-management discipline. Seed phrases must never be disclosed under any circumstance, regardless of how convincing a support agent appears. Platform teams never request private keys, and no legitimate recovery workflow requires the user to surrender control of their wallet. Users should validate identities through official channels, avoid engaging with unsolicited inbound messages and escalate any suspicious outreach to community security hubs. Maintaining a hardened posture is now mandatory as attackers increasingly weaponize user vulnerability and real-time monitoring of social platforms.

Community Reports Confirm The Escalating Threat Environment

Broader sentiment from ecosystem leaders indicates that this is not an isolated event but part of a growing pattern. A prominent developer highlighted a wave of phishing attempts circulating on X that leveraged deceptive links and direct messages to lure users into engagement, undermining trust and exploiting those seeking help.

Moreover, community members have documented multiple incidents in which attackers consistently target users seeking support. Another well-known community member reported a doubling-down scam, where victims were approached with offers to “assist” with account issues but were instead redirected to fraudulent sites and Telegram channels requesting sensitive information. In a separate case on Reddit, a fake “recovery agent” tricked an XRP holder into granting access, resulting in the theft of tokens, while a recent incident saw an XRP user lose $3,000,000 from a compromised cold wallet.

These examples reinforce the community’s assessment that attackers are systematically monitoring public discussions about wallet concerns, impersonating official support channels, and manipulating interactions to extract credentials. Together, they illustrate the scale and sophistication of the threat environment facing XRP users.

New reports reveal that XRP exchange balances have experienced an uncharacteristic decline in recent weeks, recording a brand new low since the cryptocurrency’s launch in June 2012. While XRP’s price action has posted notable losses this year, the decline in exchange-held tokens appears to be much greater.

XRP Supply On Exchanges Falls To Historic Lows

Crypto market expert Chad Steingraber drew attention this week to fresh data from Glassnode, highlighting an unusual divergence in XRP’s market behavior. The analytics firm shared a chart tracking the amount of XRP held on crypto exchanges alongside the asset’s market price. 

According to Steingraber, the chart’s readings show that exchange balances have fallen well below the XRP’s price structure for the first time since the cryptocurrency’s inception. Glassnode highlighted XRP’s exchange supply with a green line on the chart and its price with a black line. At the start of the year, the supply on exchanges was around 3.8-4 billion XRP. However, through the middle, reserves gradually trended downward but mostly stayed within the 3.2-3.6 billion range. 

Notably, a Glassnode chart shared by crypto analyst ChartNerd reveals that XRP exchange balances dropped sharply from around 3.95 billion XRP to 2.6 billion XRP from November to December 2025. About 1.35 billion XRP was removed from public order books recently, representing a staggering 45% decrease in under 60 days. 

Usually, exchange supply and price move together without significant divergence because the former tends to influence sell-side liquidity, which, in turn, can affect market movements. When more XRP is held on these crypto platforms, traders have a larger pool of tokens to sell, which can increase market pressure. 

Conversely, when reserves shrink, it often signals that investors are withdrawing their assets, either for long-term storage or profit-taking after recent price moves. While the vast gap between XRP’s exchange balances and its price action raises concerns, whales have reportedly been selling off their holdings amid ongoing market volatility and as prices struggle to stage a meaningful rebound.

Glassnode Reports Massive Collapse In Daily XRP Fees

In addition to the collapse in XRP exchange balances, Glassnode’s data shows a steep drop in the cryptocurrency’s network activity, with average total fees falling dramatically. Since early February, the 90-day SMA of daily fees paid has decreased from about 5,900 XRP to only 650 XRP. This marks an estimated 89% drop and brings activity to its lowest point since December 2020. 

The decline in daily fees suggests a cooling in on-chain demand for XRP transactions, even as the price has remained weak amid broader market uncertainty. The cryptocurrency is currently trading around $2.00, reflecting a 7.7% weekly decline and a much larger 18% crash over the past month, according to CoinMarketCap.

Despite recent fluctuations in the price of Ethereum, accumulation seems to be holding strong, which is observed in the Spot Ethereum Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). With more ETH leaving exchanges and ETFs stacking ETH, the leading altcoin could be poised for a crucial shift in market dynamics, which may be good for its price trajectory.

Smart Money Moves Quietly Via Ethereum Spot ETFs

The broader cryptocurrency market is shifting towards a bullish state once again, and the Ethereum institutional story is subtly transitioning into a new chapter. While price action remains relatively subdued, on-chain and fund flow data show a strong undercurrent as Spot Ethereum ETFs are steadily stacking.

According to Everstake.eth, the head of the Ethereum segment at Everstake, the ETH spot ETFs have been quietly increasing, reaching unprecedented levels. This silent accumulation raises the possibility that major companies are positioning themselves well ahead of the competition, creating long-term exposure while retail attention is still dispersed.

Data shared by the expert reveals that spot Ethereum ETF on-chain holdings have now reached approximately 10.48 million ETH. Everstake added that this is one of the strongest, most consistent accumulation trends ever recorded since the launch of the funds about a year ago.

Given the substantial growth of the funds, the expert has declared that “the future is bullish, and the future is Ethereum.” As ETF holdings rise to previously unheard-of levels, the question now is not whether smart money is going in, but rather what they anticipate.

The steady growth is not observed among other metrics, like the Funding Rates. Currently, the derivatives market for ETH is starting to cool, and funding rates are clearly reflecting this change. However, this is not entirely a bad thing for the altcoin and its price trajectory.

As reported by Sina Estavi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bridge Capital, a declining ETH funding rate is not merely a sign of a cool market. Rather, it is the structure that typically appears on the chart prior to a sustained move.

When funding resets in the absence of aggressive shorting, it usually implies that leverage is not overcrowded, the rally is not overheated, and spot-driven demand can carry the price further. Should ETH register even a modest growth in demand, the market may have room to extend this bullish leg.

Institutional Demand For ETH Is Returning

Ethereum’s recent sideways price movements do not seem to have swayed institutions from acquiring the altcoin. Big firms such as Bitmine Immersion, a leading treasury company run by industry leader Tom Lee, are still scooping up ETH at a substantial rate and scale.

The report from Arkham shows that as of Tuesday, Bitmine has purchased over 138,452 ETH valued at approximately $431.97 million since last week. Following the purchase, the company’s crypto holdings now boost about $12.05 billion in ETH. Despite this massive holding of ETH, the firm still has $1 billion left to accumulate more of the altcoin.

Ripple, a crypto payments company, is edging closer to a milestone that could redefine its role and XRP’s position in the global finance industry and the US banking sector. New reports reveal that the national banking charter, which the crypto firm had applied for earlier this year, could be approved soon, potentially turning Ripple’s dream of establishing a US bank a reality.

Ripple Could Secure National Bank Charter Soon

Market expert ‘Steph is Crypto’ announced on X this Wednesday that Ripple’s long-awaited national bank license is “imminent,” implying an approval could be granted soon. The analyst described this possibility as bullish. His optimism about the banking charter raised the expectations of crypto community members under his post, most of whom also agreed that the potential approval could be bullish for XRP.

Ripple Labs first revealed plans to establish a National Trust Bank in July 2025 when CEO Brad Garlinghouse confirmed that an application had been submitted to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). If approved, the proposed bank will reportedly be headquartered in New York and operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Ripple. 

Typically, the OCC spends about 120 days reviewing a bank charter application. Based on Ripple’s submission timing, the US regulator’s decision on the crypto company’s banking license was expected around October 2025. However, the process was delayed, and an official approval or rejection has been postponed until further notice. 

At the time of writing, the OCC has not provided an official statement confirming the approval date of a Ripple banking license. Nevertheless, some members of the crypto community speculate that approval could be made by the end of this month, while others expect it within six months.  

If the OCC grants the license, Ripple would officially function as a national trust bank under direct federal oversight. This status would give the company the authority to offer custody and settlement services for both digital and traditional assets. Experts also believe it could allow the company to integrate the RLUSD stablecoin, potentially driving a significant rise in institutional use of XRP in US financial markets. 

New OCC Ruling Strengthens Ripple’s Bank Plans And XRP Utility

In a recent post on X, crypto analyst X Finance Bull highlighted a new ruling by the US OCC that clears the last major barrier keeping traditional banks hesitant to get involved in cryptocurrencies. According to the OCC’s official report, the new ruling allows US banks to use digital assets and currencies in their operations and to engage in riskless principal crypto transactions. 

This new guidance comes at a perfect time for Ripple’s regulatory plans. The company positioned itself firmly within the compliance perimeter by applying for an OCC-regulated national bank license. The ruling also makes it fully permissible for national banks to use XRP and RLUSD for settlement and payment activities. Although the OCC’s decision applies only to national banks, it represents a foundational step toward Ripple’s potential entry into the US banking system. 

The Dogecoin ETFs have continued to record low demand since they launched last month, indicating the lack of interest from institutional investors in the meme coin. Notably, DOGE has also seen the lowest demand through these ETFs among the top coins by market cap. 

Dogecoin ETFs Record Dwindling Volume And Inflows

SoSoValue data shows that the Dogecoin ETFs have continued to see their daily volume and inflows decline since they launched last month. On December 10, the Grayscale and Bitwise DOGE ETFs recorded a trading volume of $125,100. Meanwhile, these funds as a group saw a total net inflow of $171,920 on the day. 

Further data from SoSo Value shows that the Dogecoin ETFs trading volume has been on a decline since December 2, when they recorded a daily trading volume of $1.09 million. These funds have recorded only three 7-figure trading volume days out of 12 trading days since November 24, when Grayscale’s Dogecoin fund launched. 

This is relatively low and signifies little demand for the DOGE ETFs among institutional investors. For context, Grayscale’s Chainlink ETF, the only LINK fund at the moment, has outperformed the Dogecoin ETFs despite launching at the start of this month. Grayscale’s LINK ETF has a total net asset of $77.71 million, while the DOGE ETFs have total net assets of $6.01 million. 

The net flows also highlight the underperformance of these Dogecoin ETFs. Since launching, Bitwise’s DOGE fund has recorded a net outflow of $972,840. Meanwhile, Grayscale’s fund has taken in just over $3 million. The funds, as a group, have recorded net inflows on five of 12 trading days. 

Possible Reason For The Underperformance

Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas had warned before now that crypto ETFs like the Dogecoin ETFs would record fewer assets given their distance from Bitcoin in terms of market cap. “’The further away you get from BTC, the less asset there will be,’ he said. Notably, DOGE funds have the lowest net assets among the top 10 cryptos by market cap with ETF wrappers. 

The Solana and XRP ETFs, which also just launched last month, have outperformed the Dogecoin ETFs, although there are more funds offering SOL and XRP. Meanwhile, Balachunas’ theory hasn’t applied to the LINK ETF, as it has outperformed DOGE funds despite Chainlink having a lower market cap than Dogecoin. 

Furthermore, the Hedera and Litecoin ETFs also boast larger net assets than the Dogecoin ETFs, indicating that institutional investors are simply not bullish on DOGE, possibly due to its meme coin status and lack of utility. DOGE is, so far, the only meme coin with an ETF wrapper. 

At the time of writing, the DOGE price is trading at around $0.138, down over 6% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

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Bitcoin’s price is gradually picking up pace following a broader market recovery, allowing the largest cryptocurrency asset to revisit the $92,000 mark on Wednesday. Even though the price is showing strength, key investors are currently moving in the opposite direction of the trend, raising questions about the stability of the recent bounce.

Whales Slams The Brakes On Bullish Bitcoin Bets

Just as the price of Bitcoin staged a slight recovery, the derivatives market has shifted once again as investors make a sudden strategic retreat. On-chain metrics indicate that large BTC holders, also known as whale investors, are stepping back from their bullish positions, a clear sign of growing bearish sentiment.

After navigating the key Bitcoin whale vs. Retail Delta metric, Joao Wedson, an author and founder of the Alphractal analytics platform, disclosed that whales have closed their longs. This strategic pullback or shift in sentiment comes after a heavy positioning to the long side by the cohort.

While the retreat marks a notable change in market sentiment, it also suggests that large investors may be locking in profits or preparing for a potential deeper decline in BTC’s price. Wedson highlighted that while large players are currently starting to take some short positions again, retail investors are moving against them, indicating a clear disparity in sentiment between the two groups. 

Given that whale behavior has historically served as a leading indication for broader price action, this abrupt reversal raises further concerns about Bitcoin’s short-term trajectory. Following an exuberant surge, there are also concerns about whether the market is getting ready for a cooling phase.

The expert stated that the pattern of this metric against price actions looks somewhat similar to what was observed in February and April 2025. In other words, the price of BTC moving sideways longer than what most traders are anticipating is highly likely at this point.

Traders Calling For A BTC Rally

Overall, market sentiment appears to have recovered as Bitcoin traders become greedy, calling for more upward moves. According to a post from Santiment, a leading on-chain data analytics platform, BTC experienced a much-needed rebound back to the $94,600 price mark on Wednesday, which reinvigorated traders.

Interestingly, the brief bounce caused investors to Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) back in and look forward to the price of BTC going higher. Santiment’s social data, harvesting X, Reddit, Telegram, and other data, shows that calls for higher and above have increased dramatically.

High bars with blue shades indicate calls for lower or below, which is indicative of Fear Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD). It is worth noting that prices often rise as retailers offload their holdings. 

Meanwhile, high bars with red shades represent calls for higher or above, signaling FOMO. When calls for higher moves increase, prices usually correct as retailers attempt to acquire more BTC on the way up. During these kinds of occasions, it is crucial to know that markets move in the opposite direction to the behavior of small traders.

MSCI has launched a consultation on whether companies with significant cryptocurrency or Bitcoin holdings should be excluded from some of its main indices, sending waves through markets that track those indexes.

According to reports, the consultation targets firms whose balance sheets are more than 50% invested in digital assets. Phong Le, CEO of Strategy, argued in interviews that the move is “like penalizing Chevron for oil,” saying that holding an asset should not disqualify an operating company from broad market indices.

Impact Estimates Suggest Billions Could Move

Based on reports from banks and analysts, the potential impact could be large. JPMorgan estimates show that MSCI-only adjustments might trigger forced selling of about $2.8 billion, while the figure could climb to $8.8 billion if other index providers follow suit.

Stocks of companies holding Bitcoin have already felt pressure. Strategy (ticker MSTR), the largest corporate Bitcoin holder, has been in direct talks with MSCI, seeking to clarify its position and prevent removal from key indexes.

Phong Le joined @SchwabNetwork to discuss the $60T digital credit opportunity and response to MSCI. Restricting passive index investment in bitcoin today would be like restricting investment in oil and oil rigs in the 1900s, spectrum and cell towers in the 1980s, or compute and… pic.twitter.com/3VcYnF5nE4

— Strategy (@Strategy) December 10, 2025

Who Could Be Affected And Why

The review focuses on so-called “digital-asset treasury” firms — companies that might behave more like investment vehicles if a large portion of their assets sits in cryptocurrency.

According to circulated consultation documents, the 50% threshold defines the most extreme cases. Some analysts warn the cutoff is blunt and could misclassify companies that run genuine businesses while using crypto as a treasury reserve.

Industry Groups Mobilize

A coalition of bitcoin-focused companies and trade associations has publicly opposed the move. They argue that excluding these firms would force passive funds tied to MSCI indexes to sell holdings mechanically, even when they are part of operational businesses.

Reports have disclosed letters, interviews, and lobbying efforts aimed at influencing MSCI’s final decision. Market participants say the pushback highlights the tension between traditional index rules and companies with unconventional asset allocations.

Decision Timeline Could Trigger Market Moves

The consultation window is expected to close around Dec. 31, 2025, with some reports suggesting MSCI could announce a decision by mid-Jan 2026.

If the exclusions are enforced, passive funds tracking MSCI indexes may need to rebalance, which could create mechanical selling pressures for affected stocks. However, feedback during the consultation could still alter the outcome before any final rules are adopted.

Bitcoin Investors Face Key Questions

Beyond short-term market moves, investors now face questions about which listed firms cross the 50% threshold, how indices should treat non-traditional assets, and whether other index providers will adopt similar rules.

The choices MSCI makes could affect billions of dollars in flows and reshape how publicly traded companies approach holding cryptocurrency.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

On Wednesday, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) released findings that have raised alarm bells regarding crypto debanking, reigniting fears of what some are dubbing “Operation Chokepoint 2.0” within the financial sector. 

This supervisory review focused on nine of the largest national banks under OCC supervision, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Capital One, PNC Bank, TD Bank, and BMO Bank.

‘Harmful Debanking Policies’

The preliminary findings from the OCC reveal troubling trends: between 2020 and 2023, these banks appeared to make unwarranted distinctions among customers based on their legal business activities. 

Specifically, many of these institutions maintained policies that either restricted access to financial services or required heightened scrutiny and approvals for certain clients. 

The OCC identified examples where at least one bank imposed limitations on various sectors, including crypto, due to their engagement in activities considered “contrary to [the bank’s] values,” even though those activities were not illegal.

Sectors affected by these policies included oil and gas exploration, coal mining, firearms, private prisons, tobacco and e-cigarettes, adult entertainment, and notably, digital assets. 

The findings indicated that many banks placed strict limitations on crypto-related activities as well, which often stemmed from concerns about financial crime.

These practices, the OCC confirmed, were prevalent at each of the banks examined in the review. Comptroller Jonathan V. Gould expressed frustration regarding the situation, stating: 

It is unfortunate that the nation’s largest banks thought these harmful debanking policies were an appropriate use of their government-granted charter and market power. 

Gould noted that while many of these policies were publicly announced, some banks have maintained that they did not participate in debanking.

In his comments, Comptroller Gould emphasized the OCC’s commitment to eliminating practices that would “weaponize finance,” whether instigated by regulators or the banks themselves. 

National Banks To Facilitate Crypto Transactions

The agency disclosed that it is still evaluating “thousands of complaints” related to allegations of political and religious debanking, with plans to report on these findings “in due course.” The OCC aims to hold banks accountable for these actions and ensure that unlawful debanking practices do not persist. 

This follows Tuesday’s letter from the banking regulator that allows national banks to participate in “riskless principal transactions” involving cryptocurrencies. This permits national banks to buy and sell cryptocurrencies for their customers’ accounts. 

This new structure allows users to transact in crypto-assets through established national banks, resulting in a more regulated environment than exchanges that operate outside of strict oversight regulation. 

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

Dogecoin снова в центре внимания розничных трейдеров. После волатильной осени и серии резких рывков мем‑сегмент снова оживился, а $DOGE вернулся в топ обсуждений наряду с Bitcoin и Ethereum. Инвесторы задаются прямым вопросом: может ли легендарный мем‑токен в 2026 году наконец дойти до отметки $1.

Текущая картина по $DOGE сочетает устойчивый интерес рынка и осторожный оптимизм аналитиков. Цена актива в последние недели колеблется вокруг ключевых уровней, формируя базу после резких движений вверх и вниз. Объемы на спотовых и деривативных площадках остаются значительными, что говорит о продолжающейся спекулятивной активности и готовности трейдеров агрессивно отыгрывать новости.

Главный драйвер для $DOGE по‑прежнему — сочетание мем‑нарратива, поддержки со стороны известных предпринимателей и фаз связанного с Bitcoin цикла. На фоне ожиданий продолжения бычьего рынка, восстановления аппетита к риску и перетока ликвидности в более спекулятивные активы базовый сценарий остается явно позитивным. При благоприятной конъюнктуре рынок вполне способен вновь разогнать $DOGE к историческим зонам и попытаться закрепиться вблизи $1.

Однако путь к такой оценке не будет линейным. Для этого монете нужно удержать важные уровни поддержки, подтвердить интерес к деривативам без перегрева финансирования и получить свежий импульс мем‑историй. Именно поэтому часть трейдеров комбинирует ставку на «ветерана» $DOGE с агрессивными пресейлами, включая новые мем‑проекты вроде Maxi Doge, чтобы усилить потенциальную доходность портфеля в случае продолжения ралли.

КУПИТЬ MAXI DOGE

Dogecoin на пути к $1: ключевые уровни и сценарии

Техническая картина $DOGE остается типичной для зрелого мем‑актива: длительные фазы консолидации сменяются взрывными импульсами на фоне новостей и роста интереса в социальных сетях. На дневном графике важным рубежом выступают области недавних максимумов и зон, где ранее фиксировалась крупная прибыль. Сохранение выше этих уровней подтверждает бычий настрой и формирует платформу для нового захода вверх.

С точки зрения индикаторов стоит следить за индексом относительной силы (RSI) и объемами. Когда RSI поднимается в зону перекупленности при растущих объемах, это часто предвещает агрессивные пампы, но также повышает риск краткосрочных откатов на десятки процентов. Более устойчивым выглядит сценарий, при котором RSI держится в умеренной «бычьей» зоне, а объемы стабильно выше средних значений, показывая здоровый интерес без явной эйфории.

Фундаментальная история $DOGE опирается не только на мем‑культуру. Важную роль играет статус «старейшего» мем‑токена с широкой узнаваемостью и относительно глубокой ликвидностью на крупных CEX и DEX. Это облегчает вход и выход крупных игроков, снижает проскальзывание и делает крупные спекулятивные волны более реалистичными. На фоне вероятного продолжения цикла роста крипторынка это создает для Dogecoin прочную позицию для очередной попытки штурма психологических уровней.

Сценарно можно выделить три траектории. Бычий вариант предполагает удержание ключевых поддержек, рост интереса к мем‑активам и новый виток хайпа, при котором $DOGE может протестировать $1 и потенциально превысить прежний максимум. Базовый сценарий — длительный диапазон с колебаниями в пределах нескольких десятков процентов вокруг текущих уровней, когда рынок переваривает прошлые движения. Медвежий вариант срабатывает при пробое важной поддержки вниз и ухудшении общего настроения, что может вернуть цену значительно ниже локальных максимумов и отложить достижение $1 на неопределенный срок.

В ближайшие месяцы ключевым ориентиром для трейдеров останется реакция цены на важные уровни и динамика настроений в мем‑сегменте. Если поддержка устоит, а интерес к риску усилится, шансы увидеть $DOGE ближе к $1 в рамках текущего цикла останутся весомыми. Имеет смысл внимательно наблюдать за тем, как цена ведет себя при тесте этих зон, а также за активностью деривативов и социальных показателей.

Maxi Doge как ставка на Dogecoin

На фоне оживления интереса к Dogecoin часть розничных трейдеров обращает внимание на более агрессивные мем‑токены. Один из таких проектов — Maxi Doge ($MAXI) с культурой максимального плеча и соревновательным трейдингом. Идея проста: дать мелким участникам рынка инструмент и сообщество, нацеленные на гипердоходные стратегии в бычьем цикле.

Максимальным спросом у таких проектов традиционно пользуются ранние раунды. По данным команды, на этапе предварительной продажи уже собрано около $4,3 млн, а цена токена составляет $0,0002725. Для розничных инвесторов это создает ощущение «доступного входа» с потенциалом крупного многократного роста, если мем‑нарратив и торговая активность продолжат усиливаться.

Отдельно стоит отметить интерес крупных участников. Два адреса приобрели токены на общую сумму около $503 тыс., причем крупнейшая сделка достигла $252 тыс. Такая концентрация капитала на раннем этапе обычно рассматривается сторонниками проекта как сигнал доверия к его потенциалу в предстоящем бычьем рынке.

С точки зрения функционала Maxi Doge делает ставку на культуру высоких плеч и постоянного «прокачивания» результата. Токен $MAXI работает в сети Ethereum как стандартный ERC‑20, а смарт‑контракт управляет предложением и распределением, включая фонд Maxi Fund для ликвидности и партнерств. Для держателей предусмотрены стейкинг‑вознаграждения с динамическим APY за счет отдельного пула распределения на срок до одного года, а также турниры по доходности с таблицами лидеров и призами. Все это нацелено на создание «тренажерного зала» для агрессивных трейдеров в рамках одного сообщества.

Однако такой подход означает и повышенные риски. Любой пресейл‑токен несет в себе неопределенность регуляторной среды, возможную волатильность в первые недели листинга и зависимость от активности сообщества. В отличие от Dogecoin, уже доказавшего устойчивость к нескольким рыночным циклам, $MAXI остается спекулятивной ставкой ранней стадии. Поэтому разумный подход для агрессивных инвесторов — рассматривать Maxi Doge как высокорискованную добавку к портфелю, а не замену более ликвидным активам вроде $DOGE. Перед участием важно самостоятельно изучить проект, его токеномику и смарт‑контракт.

Финальный взгляд на связку Dogecoin и Maxi Doge выглядит так: $DOGE остается флагманом мем‑сегмента с реальными шансами вновь приблизиться к $1, если бычий цикл продолжится. На его фоне Maxi Doge выступает как потенциальный ускоритель для тех, кто готов принять больший риск ради сверхдоходности. Такой подход — сочетание проверенного актива и спекулятивного пресейла — и выбирают многие участники рынка в ожидании следующей волны роста.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has hailed the launch of Midnight and its native token NIGHT as the strongest in the network’s history, arguing that it proves Cardano can now host and distribute multi-billion-dollar assets at scale.

NIGHT Token Plunges After Midnight Launch

In his December 10 livestream “Midnight Launch AAR,” Hoskinson opened with the volatile price action that dominated social media. NIGHT initially spiked to what he called an “insane” level: “It launched at almost a $150, which is just insane […] it just went way, way, way up.” Once trading opened on Binance Alpha, the move reversed violently. “As soon as it got on Binance Alpha – oh god, why, why, oh why – all the way down to two cents. They dumped on us. That’s what they do. That’s what the DGENs over in that market do.”

He framed this as typical exchange-distribution dynamics, not a structural failure: recipients with no real connection to the ecosystem “regardless of the price, they just dump the token. They probably didn’t even know what NIGHT was.”

According to Hoskinson, such launches usually endure 48–72 hours of “high volatility” before a stable range emerges. He reiterated that he had expected NIGHT to trade in a “5 cents to 15 cents” band and said it was sitting around 6–6.5 cents with a fully diluted valuation of roughly $1.5 billion and around $150 million in trading volume. For a brand-new Cardano-native asset in current conditions, he called that “a really solid launch.”

What made the debut historically significant in his view was the combination of tier-one listings and on-chain metrics. “This is the first time in history that Cardano right out the gate can launch a $1.5 billion product, be listed on Binance Alpha and Kraken and OKX and everybody else at the start,” he said, stressing that much of the required infrastructure “wasn’t there” and had to be built during the run-up.

Cardano’s Best Launch Ever

On Cardano itself, he highlighted that Midnight immediately became the dominant token by trading activity. Citing TapTools, he said NIGHT was “sitting [at] an overwhelming level of volume, and it’s actually greater than the volume of every other Cardano native token combined,” adding that its FDV is “worth more than all the other CNTs combined as well.”

For the first time, he argued, DEXs such as Minswap and SundaeSwap carried a “meaningful percentage of trading volume […] with respect to large exchanges,” helping “prime the pump on Cardano DEXes” and pull more stablecoins into the ecosystem.

Distribution was another focal point. Hoskinson praised the Glacier Drop mechanism and its gradual “thawing,” saying it creates “a nice steady emission and a nice steady flow for the system as opposed to a jagged thing where the insiders all dump.”

He contrasted Midnight’s retail-heavy, exchange-plus-airdrop distribution with VC-led launches elsewhere: “This is the first time since Bitcoin that a launch has been done the way that Midnight did it. It was complete retail, completely fair, and none of those damn VCs got their grubby hands on it. Instead, it went right to you, the people.”

He tied that to a broader “return to first principles,” arguing that 2026 should reward projects with fair launches and fixed-supply, deflationary monetary policies: “There’s a fixed supply NIGHT, by the way […] it’s going to be a good year for everybody who’s betting on you, the consumer, and not betting on the banks.”

Looking forward, Hoskinson positioned Midnight as Cardano’s first “partner chain” and the “tip of the spear” for a hybrid DApp model spanning multiple ecosystems: “You talk about Midnight Cardano, Midnight Ethereum, Midnight Solana, Midnight Avalanche, Midnight Binance.” He said that after the first four phases of the roadmap, “every two months a new ecosystem gets activated,” with recurring feature drops “every six to eight weeks.”

He also cast Midnight as a competitive wedge for Cardano DApps. With tier-one integrations and privacy-preserving capabilities, he argued, “we have privacy before [Ethereum and Solana] do,” giving Cardano–Midnight hybrid apps a differentiator that can help grow TVL, MAU and transaction volume.

Hoskinson insisted that the launch pressure-tested and validated the base protocol: “Cardano network handled it. The exchanges handled it. And Midnight is here to stay.” The ambition from here is explicit. “We’re going to march Midnight up as an ecosystem to that $10 billion mark. That’s the goal. Let’s keep going. Let’s get her done,” he said, adding that “these are the best numbers we’ve ever seen in the history of Cardano” – and, in his view, only the beginning.

At press time, ADA traded at $0.4325.

Data shows Bitcoin treasury companies have seen an explosive growth trajectory since 2023, gaining relevance as an important pillar of the market.

Public & Private Companies Now Hold More Than A Million Bitcoin

In a new post on X, on-chain analytics firm Glassnode has talked about the trend in the Bitcoin treasuries held by public and private companies. Below is the chart shared by Glassnode that shows changes in both the holdings of the various companies as well as their combined balance.

As is visible in the graph, Bitcoin treasuries held by companies saw slow, but steady growth during 2023 and most of 2024, but in late 2024, the growth became much more rapid.

This sharp trajectory continued into 2025 and so far, with the year’s end approaching, the uptrend hasn’t faded. This would suggest that corporates have been accumulating BTC at a significant pace for a year now.

In January 2023, the size of the Bitcoin holdings that private and public firms held stood at 197,000 BTC. Today, that figure has grown to 1.08 million BTC, implying a massive jump of about 448%.

Today, there are about 19.96 million tokens in circulation, so more than 5.4% of the cryptocurrency’s supply is sitting in the treasuries of public and private companies. “Corporate balance sheets are becoming an increasingly significant pillar of demand for BTC,” noted the analytics firm.

A major force behind the increase in Bitcoin corporate holdings is naturally Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy). The Michael Saylor-led firm has been a regular presence in the market for some time now, participating in buying almost every week and making no sales since December 2022.

Strategy currently owns about 660,624 BTC, which means that the treasury company alone accounts for over 61% of all BTC holdings attached to public and private firms.

While Strategy has been a big factor behind the surge in corporate holdings, it hasn’t been the only one. 2025 has seen the rise of treasuries like Metaplanet, which have also contributed to growth in BTC treasuries.

The year has also witnessed a treasury movement related to altcoins, with both Ethereum and Solana seeing a significant amount of accumulation. ETH treasuries went through some sharp growth in mid-2025, but during the recent phase of price decline, buying has slowed down.

That said, it hasn’t hit a complete pause, as institutional DeFi solutions provider Sentora has pointed out in an X post that Ethereum treasuries added a significant amount during November.

As displayed in the above chart, Ethereum treasuries added 309,000 ETH during November, and so far in December, they have accumulated another 100,000 ETH.

BTC Price

Bitcoin surged to $94,500 on Tuesday, but the cryptocurrency has since faced a drawdown as it’s now back at $92,200.

South Korea’s government has reportedly missed the deadline to submit its highly anticipated stablecoin legislation, risking a delay of the second phase of the country’s regulatory efforts to align with global standards and foster innovation.

FSC Misses Key Deadline Amid BOK Disagreement

On Wednesday, local media outlets affirmed that the South Korean government failed to submit the long-awaited bill for the Second Phase of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, which is expected to address the issuance and distribution of won-denominated stablecoins.

Chosun Biz reported that the Financial Services Commission (FSC) did not meet the National Assembly’s submission deadline for the government’s legislation. On December 1, authorities set December 10 as the deadline to submit the bill to the National Policy Committee.

According to political circles cited by the report, the government bill was delayed because the FSC and the Bank of Korea (BOK) failed to resolve their differences over the issuance of won-pegged stablecoins.

As reported by Bitcoinist, local outlets stated in late November that South Korea’s stablecoin legislation risked being delayed due to a disagreement between financial authorities and the central bank over the extent of banks’ role.

The BOK and FSC seemingly agreed that the financial institutions must be involved in the issuance of won-pegged tokens. However, the central bank has been pushing for a consortium of banks owning at least 51% of any stablecoin issuer seeking regulatory approval in the country.

Meanwhile, the FSC was willing to involve diverse players in the process, expressing concern that giving a majority stake to banks could reduce participation from tech firms and limit the market’s innovation.

The November report noted that the regulatory standoff appeared to leave the market in limbo, with some tech companies actively preparing to get approval and others taking a cautious approach due to the unclear regulatory direction.

Stablecoin Legislation Risks ‘Prolonged Deliberation Process’

Chosun Biz noted that the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) initially intended to advance the second phase of its virtual asset bill by reviewing the government bill. Nonetheless, if the government draft continues to be delayed, the bills previously introduced by lawmakers could be reviewed first.

Since June, multiple bills related to the issuance and distribution of won-pegged stablecoins have been introduced in the National Assembly. Min Byung-deok, a member of the National Assembly’s Government Committee, introduced the “Digital Assets Basic Act, proposing enabling the issuance of won-pegged stablecoins and establishing a Digital Asset Committee under the direct authority of the president.

In July, South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties proposed rival bills to establish the highly anticipated regulatory framework. Notably, Ahn Do-gil, a member of the Planning and Finance Committee from the Democratic Party, introduced the “Act on the Issuance and Distribution of Value-Stable Digital Assets.”

Similarly, Kim Eun-hye, a member of the Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Committee from the People Power Party (PPP), proposed the “Act on Payment Innovation Using Value-Fixed Digital Assets.”

The two bills shared similarities, like the assignment of stablecoin oversight to the FSC. However, they differed over the issue of interest payments, with the PPP’s bill allowing interest payments and the DPK’s bill completely banning them to prevent market disruption.

It’s worth noting that the FSC chairman, Lee Eun-won, recently affirmed that the regulatory agency will “fundamentally prohibit the payment of interest on stablecoins as a principle,” adopting the same principle as the US framework, the GENIUS Act, which prohibits interest payments on the holding or use of payment-purpose stablecoins.

Following the Wednesday delay, a member of the National Policy Committee from the Democratic Party affirmed that, “for now, it looks difficult to narrow the differences between the FSC and the BOK.”

“If the government bill continues not to be submitted, the deliberation process could be prolonged, so we should at least review the bills introduced by lawmakers first,” they concluded.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has formally added its voice to the growing opposition against the proposed crypto market structure bill, urging the Senate Banking Committee to reconsider the legislation. 

In a letter obtained by CNBC, AFT President Randi Weingarten described the bill as “as irresponsible as it is reckless,” citing the alleged dangers it poses to working families’ pensions and the overall economy.

AFT Calls Out Loopholes In Crypto Legislation

In her correspondence with Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, who is known for her consistent skepticism toward digital assets, Weingarten expressed significant concern about the implications of the proposed legislation. 

She stated that the current draft gives the AFT “deep concern” over the risks posed to retirement plans, including the union’s own pensions. Weingarten argued that advancing the crypto legislation could open the door to “widespread fraud” and “unethical practices” within retirement schemes.

Weingarten alleged that the bill “misleadingly” portrays cryptocurrencies as stable and mainstream, despite their volatility. She argued that rather than providing necessary safeguards. “If passed, it will undercut the safety of many assets and cause problems across retirement investments,” she noted.

Among the specific concerns raised by the AFT was a provision allowing non-crypto companies to issue their stock on the blockchain, thus evading existing regulatory frameworks for securities. 

Weingarten warned that this loophole and the corresponding erosion of traditional securities laws could have “disastrous outcomes.” She noted that pensions and 401(k) plans may end up invested in unsafe assets, even when they are nominally traditional securities. 

Additionally, she criticized the legislation for inadequately addressing the fraud and illegal activities that Weingarten believes remain prevalent in crypto markets, labeling it “irresponsible” and “reckless.”

Delays And Heightened Concerns

In the letter, Weingarten also stressed that if the bill were to become law, it could potentially set the stage for the next financial crisis. The AFT’s stance aligns with concerns previously expressed by the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest labor union, which also opposed a draft of the crypto bill in October.

In line with Weingarten’s opposition, Democratic senators, including Warren, have raised concerns regarding the balance of regulatory oversight between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin reiterated these concerns in a letter, highlighting that the proposed legislation could exclude significant portions of the financial industry from state oversight, creating risks for millions of savers.

Progress on the Senate’s version of the crypto market structure bill has faced delays, partly attributed to the recent lengthiest government shutdown in US history. 

Senator Lummis recently provided insight into potential timelines, indicating that her goal is to share a new draft by the end of the week. She plans to allow both the crypto industry and lawmakers from both parties to review the draft before moving forward with markup next week.

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

Strive, the bitcoin-focused issuer backed by Vivek Ramaswamy, launched an at-the-market plan to sell up to $500 million of its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock.

Reports have disclosed the offering was filed on December 9, 2025 and that net proceeds may be used for general corporate purposes, including buying Bitcoin and Bitcoin-related products.

Strive Launches $500M Program

The public asset manager signed a sales agreement that names Cantor Fitzgerald, Barclays and Clear Street as placement agents for the program.

Based on reports, the ATM structure lets Strive sell SATA shares into the open market over time rather than in a single block. The prospectus supplement tied to the program makes clear how the offering fits into Strive’s capital toolbox.

Strive’s Announcement In Context

Strive has been steadily adding Bitcoin to its balance sheet this year. Reports show the firm bought about 1,567 BTC between October 28 and November 9 at an average price near $103,315 per coin, bringing total holdings to roughly 7,525 BTC as of early November.

These figures place Strive among the larger public corporate holders of Bitcoin and help explain why it is tapping preferred equity rather than other funding routes.

Bitcoin Holdings And Recent Buys

Based on reports, Strive’s stated goal is to increase Bitcoin per share over time. The company has framed preferred equity products like SATA as a way to fund future crypto buys while offering investors a different payout structure than common stock.

That mix — treasury Bitcoin plus income assets — is what Strive has pitched to shareholders in recent filings and investor updates.

Semler Deal And Earlier Purchase Plan

Reports have also tied Strive’s acquisition strategy to an earlier announcement to buy hundreds more coins as part of a corporate deal.

Reuters reported that in September Strive said it would buy 5,816 BTC for $675 million as part of its planned Semler acquisition, a move that would push combined holdings above 10,900 BTC if completed.

That disclosure underscores how the ATM program could fit into a broader plan to grow Bitcoin reserves.

Market Response

Stocks tied to Strive moved on the news. Some market pages recorded modest upticks in SATA and in Strive’s Class A common shares after the filing went public.

Investors and analysts will watch execution closely: an ATM sale can be gradual, and timing matters when buying a volatile asset like Bitcoin.

The preferred-stock route also has payout and conversion features that investors will weigh against dilution and cost of capital.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Newly-appointed Binance Co-CEO Yi He has seen her WeChat account hacked, with the attacker using it to promote a litte-known memecoin.

Hacker Shilled Memecoin Mubarakah Using Binance Co-CEO’s WeChat

Binance‘s new co-CEO Yi He fell prey to a social media hack Tuesday night, as founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has shared in an X post. “Someone hacked @heyibinance’s WeChat account,” said CZ. “Do not buy meme coins from the hackers posts.”

The entity who gained control of Yi He’s account used it to promote a small memecoin called Mubarakah (MUBARA). Like is usually the pattern with hacks like these, investors bought into the token, believing the endorsement to be coming from a well-known industry figure. This sent the memecoin soaring.

On-chain sleuth Lookonchain has revealed how the hacker timed their moves. First, the attacker made two wallets hours in advance, spending 19,479 USDT to buy 21.16 million in Mubarakah.

“After the pump, the hacker has already sold 11.95M $Mubarakah for 43,520 $USDT and still holds 9.21M $Mubarakah($31K), for a total profit of $55K,” explained Lookonchain. The pattern is a clear example of a classic pump-and-dump scheme.

Yi He posted on X that the phone number tied to her WeChat account was taken over, locking her out of the account. A few hours later, she shared that she was able to regain control of the account.

Zhao took the moment to throw a jab at legacy internet systems, saying, “Web 2 social media security is not that strong.” Web 2.0 refers to the traditional online ecosystems most apps still run on, as opposed to the newer, blockchain-powered Web 3.0.

The hack has come just a week after Yi He, who is also a co-founder, was appointed as Binance co-CEO. Previously, she served as chief customer service officer for the cryptocurrency exchange.

In some other news, Binance has become the first digital asset exchange in the world to receive a license from UAE’s ADGM this week, as announced in a press release.

ADGM, standing for Abu Dhabi Global Market, is the international financial center of UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi. ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) has given the exchange full authorization to operate its platform in the region.

Due to ADGM’s regulatory requirements, Binance will run its operations through three distinct entities, with each responsible for a separate function: an exchange, a clearing house, and a broker-dealer.

Binance co-CEO Richard Teng noted:

ADGM is one of the most respected financial regulators globally, and holding an FSRA license under their gold standard framework shows that Binance meets the highest international standards for compliance, governance, risk management, and consumer protection.

Bitcoin Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $91,900, down 1% over the last week.

Bitcoin is holding firm above the $92,000 level after rebounding from a brief dip to $90,000, but market sentiment remains decisively bearish. Despite the crypto market stabilization, confidence is fragile as traders brace for heightened volatility ahead of the December FOMC meeting. Bulls are attempting to regain momentum, yet the broader market continues to position defensively.

According to a detailed report by XWIN Research Japan, crypto hedge funds and large institutional players are shifting into clear risk-off mode. On-chain data reveals a notable divergence: BTC balances on centralized exchanges are falling, while USDT and USDC reserves are steadily climbing.

This behavior indicates that professional investors are reducing direct crypto market exposure and instead building up stablecoin liquidity on exchanges—capital that can be deployed rapidly depending on the FOMC outcome.

This rise in Stablecoin Exchange Reserves is a textbook sign of event-driven hedging. Institutions are preparing for volatility rather than betting outright on a directional move. Historically, such positioning emerges when markets expect meaningful policy decisions that could reshape short-term liquidity conditions.

Funding Rates Reveal the Market’s True Positioning

According to the XWIN Research Japan report, Funding Rates make the current crypto market structure even clearer. During the August–October 2025 period, funding surged as short-term traders aggressively loaded into long positions ahead of the FOMC decision, only to collapse sharply once the announcement was released.

Bitcoin’s price followed the same pattern: a strong pre-event rally driven by expectations, followed by a swift reversal as leveraged traders were forced to unwind. This fits the historical sequence of rate-cut expectations followed by a temporary rally, and a post-announcement deleveraging and decline.

The report highlights that today’s crypto market is showing similar behaviors. CME futures open interest has stalled, signaling that institutional traders are avoiding high-conviction directional bets. Whale spot holdings remain flat, suggesting that major players are positioned defensively rather than accumulating. At the same time, stablecoin inflows are accelerating, a hallmark of event-driven hedging as capital waits on the sidelines for clarity.

As XWIN Research Japan notes, whether the Fed cuts rates or not, one pattern remains consistent: volatility expands sharply during FOMC week. The danger lies in chasing the pre-meeting bounce without respecting the historical tendency for post-announcement shakeouts. In this environment, risk management—not prediction—is the winning strategy.

Total Crypto Market Cap Holds Key Support But Lacks Momentum

The Total Crypto Market Cap chart shows the market stabilizing around the $3.1 trillion level after a sharp multi-week decline. This area sits just above the 100-week moving average, a historically important dynamic support zone that often defines whether the broader cycle maintains bullish structure or shifts into deeper corrective territory. For now, buyers have stepped in to defend this region, preventing a breakdown that could have opened the door to a retest of the $2.7T–$2.8T area.

Despite the bounce, the structure remains fragile. The market is still trading below the 50-week moving average, which has now begun to bend downward—a sign that momentum has weakened across major assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and key altcoins. Volume has not shown a strong surge on the rebound either, suggesting that institutional conviction remains cautious ahead of the FOMC meeting and macro uncertainty.

A decisive reclaim of the $3.3T–$3.4T zone would shift momentum back in favor of bulls, opening room for a broader recovery. However, failure to break above this cluster of resistance could reinforce the idea that the recent bounce is only corrective. For now, the total market cap hovers at a crossroads, with macro events likely to determine the next major move.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

Ethereum (ETH) is under a pivotal week as traders weigh a mix of macroeconomic expectations, institutional developments, and strengthening technical signals.

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With the Federal Reserve set to deliver its next rate decision, market participants are watching how Ethereum’s recent momentum interacts with a broader risk-on environment.

The second largest cap cryptocurrency has already staged a notable rebound, breaking key resistance levels and drawing renewed interest from both retail and institutional investors.

Fed Expectations Drive Ethereum Position Repricing

Ethereum surged past $3,300 and briefly approached $3,400 after recording a 6% jump over the past 24 hours.

The rally comes as traders price in a high probability, close to 90%, that the Federal Reserve will announce a 25-basis-point rate cut. Lower interest rates tend to improve liquidity conditions, a factor that has historically supported digital assets.

Bitcoin’s recovery above $94,000 added further confidence to the market, though Ethereum outperformed on a relative basis. The ETH/BTC ratio reached its strongest point since late October, indicating a shift of capital from Bitcoin to Ethereum.

Spot Ethereum ETFs also saw $177.7 million in inflows on December 9, surpassing Bitcoin’s inflows on the same day.

Institutional Moves Add to Bullish Sentiment

One major catalyst behind this shift has been BlackRock’s filing for the iShares Ethereum Staking Trust ETF. The fund would offer exposure not only to ETH’s price but also to staking rewards, expanding access to yield-bearing strategies.

Analysts note that such products could increase liquidity inflows into Ethereum, especially as institutional portfolios diversify beyond Bitcoin. This filing arrives at a time when the amount of ETH held on centralized exchanges has fallen to its lowest level since 2015, roughly 8.7% of the total supply.

Large buyers, including Bitmine Immersion, have accumulated billions of dollars’ worth of ETH in recent months. Combined, these developments indicate a tightening of supply conditions.

Technical Breakouts Reinforce the Trend

Chart analysts highlight that Ethereum has broken above a downward trendline that previously capped rallies for nearly two months.

Momentum indicators, including MACD and RSI, show increasing buyer strength despite approaching overbought territory. Ethereum’s break above the $3,300 zone has shifted focus toward the next resistance level at $3,500, with wave-pattern analysis suggesting potential upside toward $3,600.

Related Reading: Bitwise Rolls Out New ETF For Broad Crypto Exposure, Including BTC, XRP, And ADA

Analysts such as Captain Faibik argue that a confirmed breakout could support a rally of up to 30%, targeting the $4,200–$4,300 region if bullish conditions persist. However, the Fed’s upcoming decision remains a key variable in determining whether momentum continues or cools.

Cover image from ChatGPT, ETHUSD chart from Tradingview