In a not-so-surprising turn of events, the bearish orientation of the Bitcoin price has continued into the month of December, suggesting that the premier cryptocurrency could end the year in the red. Interestingly, recent on-chain data has offered insights into the likely direction of Bitcoin based on the integrity of an important price level.
In a December 5 post on the X platform, market analyst Burak Kesmeci shared an interesting outlook on the direction of the Bitcoin price.
The analyst disclosed that whatever happens around the $82,000 mark could make or mar Bitcoin’s trajectory in the near term. To demonstrate why this price region is so important, Kesmeci pointed out that it appears to be the convergence point of two highly influential cost bases in Bitcoin’s history.
Kesmeci revealed that the Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds have an average purchase cost of approximately $82,000. Because ETFs are one of Bitcoin’s strongest demand sources, tracking the values of their average cost-basis could serve as a good means to tell where the market stands institutionally.
The crypto pundit also referenced the Bitcoin True Market Mean metric, which monitors the cost at which active investors procured their holdings—except for mined or rarely-moved BTC. Notably, in the current market cycle, Bitcoin’s active participants mostly purchased their coins around a valuation of $82,000.
Usually, when price slips beneath any major price support, there is, in turn, an increase in overall selling pressure, as buy-side liquidity is converted to bearish momentum via losses incurred by investors. Hence, in the scenario where $82,000 fails to hold, a wave of bearish pressure is expected to ensue, as Bitcoin’s active investors try to cut their losses.
However, Kesmeci expects something even more specific to follow. According to historical data, whenever Bitcoin falls beneath its active market participant cost basis, it often falls further downwards, as though it is targeting its Realized Price.
At the moment, the Bitcoin Realized Price sits near $56,000 — a price level significantly beneath its investors’ average cost basis. Kesmeci therefore warned that a slip beneath $82,000 could precede Bitcoin’s sharp downturn towards $56,000.
This would represent an almost 40% decline from the current price point. As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at around $89,310, reflecting an over 3% dip in the past 24 hours.
According to remarks made on CNBC’s Power Lunch, Strategy’s CEO Phong Le said the company moved quickly to calm investor fears after Bitcoin fell sharply. The firm announced a $1.44 billion US dollar reserve on Monday, raised through a stock sale.
The reserve is meant to hold enough cash to cover at least 12 months of dividend payments right away, and the company says it will expand that buffer to cover 24 months over time.
Based on reports, Le said the drive was largely about stopping what he called “dividend FUD.” He added that the $1.44 billion was put together in eight and a half days and, by his count, represents about 21 months’ worth of dividend obligations.
“We’re very much are a part of the crypto and Bitcoin ecosystems. Which is why we decided a couple of weeks ago to start raising capital and putting US dollars on our balance sheet to get rid of this FUD,” Le said on Friday.
This afternoon, Phong Le, CEO of @Strategy, joined @CNBC @PowerLunch to discuss how $MSTR moves with bitcoin, how our USD reserve addresses recent FUD, the shifting Overton Window, key volatility drivers, and why bitcoin’s long-term outlook remains strong. pic.twitter.com/1t5hsfov0m
— Strategy (@Strategy) December 5, 2025
The move followed growing questions about whether Strategy could meet its payout and debt commitments if its share price plunged. Company materials also highlight a new “BTC Credit” dashboard that claims the firm now holds enough assets to service dividends for more than 70 years.
Bitcoin’s slide has been severe. Once trading above $126,000 earlier this year, BTC fell roughly 30% from that high and hit about $88,130 on Friday, after a one-day drop near 4%.
Reports tie the decline to a wave of forced liquidations and dwindling retail interest. At the same time, money has flowed into gold, silver and some large-cap stocks, leaving crypto out of the rally.
Analysts such as Stephane Ouellette of FRNT Financial say the pullback could be a normal reset after a big run, not a sign that crypto is finished.
Short Sellers, Stock Moves, And Market SignalsInvestors had been asking whether Strategy would sell Bitcoin if the stock tumbled. Le told CNBC the company would only consider selling its BTC holdings if the stock price fell below net asset value and fresh capital was unavailable.
That stance was meant to reassure holders that the firm was not planning to liquidate core assets on the first sign of trouble. Still, the recent volatility fed narratives that dividend payments and debt service might be at risk, which in turn encouraged some market participants to place bets against the company.
Company Says It Will Avoid Selling BitcoinStrategy’s public messaging emphasized access to capital as proof of strength. Raising $1.44 billion in a down cycle, the CEO said, was also designed to show the market that the company could still attract funding.
Based on reports, that was part of an effort to stop short sellers from piling into positions that bet on further declines. The company’s dashboard and the stated runway targets are clear signals aimed at easing investor anxiety.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Crypto firm Ripple recently announced its mission to be the one-stop shop for crypto infrastructure. This came as the firm highlighted the acquisitions it made this year in a bid to achieve this mission.
In a blog post, Ripple touted itself as the one-stop for crypto infrastructure. The firm noted that it had invested almost $4 billion into the crypto ecosystem through strategic investments and acquisitions. It added that 2025 marked its most ambitious year yet with four major acquisitions pointing toward one mission of being the one-stop infrastructure provider for moving value the way information moves today.
Ripple stated that some acquisitions will plug directly into Ripple payments to give its customers a unified, seamless operating environment with even more capabilities and currencies. Meanwhile, others will operate independently while benefiting from shared infrastructure. The firm noted that together, these companies will bring it closer to owning the full financial plumbing behind global value movement.
Furthermore, the company noted that businesses are operating in real time, but their financial infrastructure still isn’t. The firm believes that its unified offering gives companies the ability to bring their money management and movement up to the expectations of the digital world. It then went on to highlight how its newest acquisitions are critical to powering this change.
The firm stated that its now-closed acquisition of GTreasury marks a significant expansion into the multi-trillion-dollar corporate finance arena, a market that it noted many predict will lead the next phase of crypto adoption. The firm further remarked that through access to the global repo market via Ripple Prime and Ripple Payments’ real-time cross-border rails, corporate treasury teams can unlock idle capital, move money instantly, and open up new growth opportunities.
Ripple then highlighted its $200 million acquisition of Rail, which it stated will make the firm’s Payments the market’s most comprehensive end-to-end stablecoin payments solution. The firm said that it is compliantly connecting the best of fiat and crypto assets so that businesses can move money faster, save costs, and build to grow.
Ripple stated that its acquisition of Palisade broadens the range of customer use cases for custody, which is one of its central product strategies. It noted that Palisade’s “wallet-as-a-service” technology extends the company’s Custody’s inherent appeal to banks and financial institutions that carry out high-frequency transactions.
Lastly, the payment firm highlighted its acquisition of Hidden Road, which is now Ripple Prime. It stated that this completes the liquidity and execution layer of its one-stop shop vision. The Prime offers institutional-grade prime brokerage, clearing, and financing. This enables clients to execute OTC spot trades for major crypto assets, including XRP and RLUSD. While Palisade custodies assets and Rail moves them, Ripple noted that its brokerage business ensures that they can be traded efficiently, financed responsibly, and accessed through regulated channels.
Industry leader Tom Lee has shared how the Ethereum price could reach $12,000 within the next few months. He based his prediction on the Bitcoin price action and how ETH could match the flagship crypto on a potential run to the upside.
Speaking at the Binance Blockchain Week, Tom Lee predicted that the Ethereum price could reach $12,000 as Bitcoin rallies to $250,000 within the next few months. He explained that ETH can reach the $12,000 target if the ETH/BTC ratio returns to its eight-year average of 0.0479. Lee described this potential rally to $12,000 as a “huge move.”
Tom Lee further predicted that the Ethereum price could reach $22,000 if the ETH/BTC ratio gets to its 2021 high of 0.0873. He added that he believes Ethereum will become the future of finance and the payment rails. As such, Lee predicted that the ETH/BTC ratio could reach 0.2500, sparking an Ethereum rally to as high as $62,500. In line with this, the expert declared that ETH at $3,000 is “grossly undervalued.”
Tom Lee also remarked that the bigger the base, the bigger the breakout for the Ethereum price. He noted that ETH spent years building a similar base to its current price action before the move from $90 to its previous all-time high (ATH) of $4,866. The expert added that if the pattern plays out again, the next leg could be larger than what people expect.
It is worth noting that Tom Lee is the chairman of BitMine, which is the largest Ethereum treasury company. According to Strategic ETH Reserve data, the company currently holds 3.73 million ETH, which is just over 3% of the altcoin’s total supply. Lee remains bullish on the Ethereum price, despite his company holding an unrealized loss of $3.3 billion of their ETH investment.
Market commentator Milk Road described Tom Lee’s Ethereum price prediction of $62,000 in a few months as being ambitious. The platform stated that an ETH/BTC ratio of 0.25 has never happened. The highest it has ever gone is 0.15, and that was during the 2017 supercycle, which makes it less likely now, given that market conditions have changed.
Tom Lee had based his Ethereum prediction on Bitcoin hitting $250,000, which Milk Road also described as an issue. The market commentator noted that BTC would need to surge 177% from current prices to reach this target. The last time this happened was in 2020 when it surged from $7,000 to $19,000 during the “peak mania.” Notably, BTC didn’t record a 100% gain even when the Bitcoin ETFs launched last year.
At the time of writing, the Ethereum price is trading at around $3,000, down over 4% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
The United States State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Lebanon for Medium Tactical Vehicles and associated support, with an estimated cost of $90.5 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) formally notified Congress of the proposed sale on December 5, 2025. According to DSCA, the Government of […]The United States Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) office has announced its intent to award a sole-source contract to General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) for engineering and technical services supporting fire control systems for the nuclear‑armed, sea‑launched cruise missile (SLCM‑N) program. According to a presolicitation notice posted on December 4, the proposed agreement is being […]The United States Army is seeking potential U.S.-based producers for a next-generation 155mm artillery projectile designed to replace aging stockpiles of Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM). A sources sought notice, released by the Army Contracting Command-New Jersey on December 5, outlines the service’s effort to identify qualified manufacturers for the XM1208 Advanced Submunitions projectile. According […]The Bitcoin price has had a mixed performance over the past week, with both sides of the market divide struggling to establish dominance. In the latest battle between the bulls and bears, the premier cryptocurrency appears to be succumbing to pressure from the latter group.
As this weekend approached, the Bitcoin price retreated from its latest local high of around $94,000 to beneath the psychological $90,000 level. This latest correction has prompted questions in the crowd, with investors wondering whether it is just a brief obstacle or the end of the recovery.
In a December 5 post on the social media platform X, Alphractal CEO and founder shared insight into the latest Bitcoin price decline below $90,000. The on-chain expert revealed that losing the $89,800 level is the more relevant occurrence in the latest price downturn.
In a previous post on X, Wedson evaluated the likely trajectory of the Bitcoin price should it lose the $89,800 level. The crypto pundit revealed that losing this price mark could lead to an accumulation pattern for the bulls or a redistribution phase for the bears.
While the accumulation period for the bulls would initially coincide with lower prices, it eventually leads to a Bitcoin price return to above the latest local high. Meanwhile, a redistribution phase could see the bears push the flagship cryptocurrency to around the $70,000 mark.
According to the Alphractal CEO, the price of BTC also failed to hold the key on-chain levels, strengthening the probability of a broader price sideways phase. “Sideways action is the cause — the big pumps or dumps are just the effect,” Wedson had earlier stated in his previous X post.
Furthermore, Wedson noted that the next level to watch is $86,500, which, if lost, opens the very high possibility for the formation of a new local low around $80,500. This local low could provide a perfect spot for investors to buy the dip and enter the market.
As mentioned earlier, the past week has been one of highs and lows for the premier cryptocurrency, plummeting to as low as $84,600 on Monday, December 1. After a shaky start to the month, the Bitcoin price recovered strongly to around $94,000 on Thursday, December 4.
As of this writing, the market leader is valued at around $89,415, reflecting an over 3% price decline in the past 24 hours. According to data from CoinGecko, the price of Bitcoin has been down by nearly 10% in the past year.
A crypto analyst has made an unexpected declaration, predicting that XRP investors could become extremely rich in just a few months. This bold claim comes with a new technical analysis, suggesting that XRP is now entering a pivotal price area that previously triggered explosive rallies. Despite the cryptocurrency’s low price and recent downtrend, the analyst remains confident that XRP could mirror past trends and skyrocket to new highs.
In a recent X post, popular market analyst ‘Steph Is Crypto’ issued a dramatic warning to XRP holders, announcing that investors will become extremely rich within the next three months. The analyst’s bold prediction elicited mixed reactions from the XRP community, with some expressing optimism and others skepticism.
Steph Is Crypto shared a price chart with colored bands to support his ambitious claims, tracking XRP’s performance through multiple past bull cycles. The chart highlights a recurring pattern in which XRP enters a higher-colored zone during periods often associated with altcoin strength. In previous cycles, those moments were followed by unexpected, explosive upward price moves.
During the bull cycle in 2018, XRP skyrocketed by 100x, pushing its price up towards its current all-time high of $3.84. A similar uptrend occurred again during the 2020 to 2022 cycle, with XRP entering a prolonged bull phase that saw its price rally by 20x. According to Steph Is Crypto, the current chart setup appears similar to these past bullish phases.
His chart analysis suggests that XRP is once again approaching the same colored region that previously marked the start of strong price rallies. While the scale of the projected acceleration this time may differ from the peaks seen in the last two cycles, Steph Is Crypto remains confident that it will still be substantial enough to make holders significantly wealthy by March 2026.
Crypto market analyst ChartNerd has released a fresh technical analysis of XRP, suggesting that the cryptocurrency continues to show strong positive signals. According to him, XRP’s monthly SuperTrend remains firmly bullish. He emphasized that maintaining a price above the green SuperTrend line near $1.30 signals a long-term upward trajectory, with no red trends currently indicating the onset of a bear market.
ChartNerd shared a chart with a SuperTrend overlay where green lines represent bullish conditions and red lines highlight previous bear markets. The current monthly candles for XRP remain well above the green zone, reinforcing the belief that broader market conditions favor an upside. The analyst interprets this as confirmation that XRP’s long-term price trend is still predominantly bullish.
Historical data on the chart also indicate that past declines in XRP coincided with prolonged red SuperTrend phases. This happened before the big 2017 and 2020 breakout, with each recovery triggered once the price moved back above the green SuperTrend line.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
In remarks made on December 4, US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins expressed an optimistic outlook for the cryptocurrency industry. Atkins emphasized the SEC’s intent to modernize its rules to facilitate an on-chain market environment, leveraging distributed ledger technology and the tokenization of financial assets.
Atkins highlighted the transformative potential of these technologies for the capital markets. He stressed that enhancing these markets is essential for US firms and investors to maintain their leadership on a global scale.
The chair underscored that the advancements in blockchain technology could streamline not only trading processes but also the entire issuer-investor relationship, which would enable a more efficient and transparent financial ecosystem.
Tokenization, according to Atkins, goes beyond merely changing the mechanics of trading. He pointed out that it can foster direct connections for various important functions such as proxy voting, dividend payments, and shareholder communications, all while reducing the reliance on multiple intermediaries.
In his address, Atkins acknowledged several innovative models that deserve consideration. He noted that some companies are directly issuing equity on public distributed ledgers in the form of programmable assets.
These assets can integrate compliance features, voting rights, and governance capabilities, allowing investors to hold securities in a digital format that promotes transparency and reduces the number of intermediaries involved.
Additionally, he mentioned that third parties are engaging in the tokenization of equities by generating on-chain security entitlements that represent ownership stakes in traditional equities.
The emergence of synthetic exposures—tokenized products designed to reflect the performance of public equities—was also highlighted. While many of these offerings are currently being developed offshore, they showcase the international interest in US market exposure supported by distributed ledger technology.
However, Atkins cautioned that transitioning to on-chain capital markets entails more than just issuance. He stated that it is essential to address various stages of the securities transaction lifecycle effectively.
For instance, if tokenized shares cannot be traded competitively in liquid on-chain environments, they risk becoming little more than conceptual assets without practical utility.
The chair also criticized the previous SEC’s approach toward the crypto industry under the agency’s former chair Gary Gensler, which attempted to adapt to on-chain markets through an expansive redefinition of “exchange.”
This earlier strategy enforced a broad regulatory framework that ultimately created uncertainty and stifled innovation, Atkins stated. He said that it is vital to avoid repeating such mistakes in order to stimulate innovation, investment, and job creation in the United States.
To foster a conducive environment for growth, Atkins called for compliant pathways that can enable market participants to capitalize on the unique benefits of new technologies like crypto.
In light of this conviction, he has instructed SEC staff to explore recommendations for utilizing the agency’s exemptive authorities, permitting on-chain innovations while the Commission works toward developing long-term, effective crypto regulatory frameworks.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
The State Department has approved two major Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Denmark, authorizing the transfer of advanced U.S. air-to-air missiles and a ground-based air defense system with an estimated combined value of $3.73 billion. According to a press release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Denmark has been cleared to purchase 200 AIM-120C-8 […]BAE Systems has secured a new $198.4 million contract modification from the U.S. Army to produce an additional 240 Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs). The award is a fixed-price-incentive modification to contract W56HZV-23-C-0024, and brings the total value of the agreement to just under $2.48 billion. The Army Contracting Command at Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is managing […]The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $301 million Foreign Military Sale to Italy for advanced long-range cruise missiles and associated support, according to a release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). Italy has requested to purchase 100 AGM-158B/B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range (JASSM-ER), along with encryption equipment, software, spare […]Lockheed Martin has received a $1.14 billion contract modification from the Department of the Navy to fund long lead components for future production of F-35 fighter jets under Lots 20 and 21, the Pentagon announced. According to a release, the modification (P00005) to contract N0001925C0070 covers procurement of parts, materials, and components in support of […]The State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea for an additional batch of GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB-I) and associated equipment, with a total estimated cost of $111.8 million. According to a press release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Republic of Korea has requested to […]
The cryptocurrency market experienced another wave of liquidations on Friday, with Bitcoin (BTC) prices dipping below the critical support level of $90,000. This decline followed a brief rally that had seen its price rise approximately $3,000 above this threshold earlier in the week.
Data from CoinGlass reveals that nearly $430 million in liquidations occurred across the crypto market over the past 24 hours, predominantly affecting leveraged long positions, which accounted for about $350 million.
During this period, Bitcoin underwent a 3.5% retracement, with its price settling at just above $89,120—a stark 29% below its all-time high of over $126,000 reached in October.
Market expert OxNobler recently highlighted the role of both retail and institutional investors in this downturn. In a post on social media platform X, OxNobler detailed the reason behind Bitcoin’s decline: significant sell-offs by major players.
According to the analyst, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, sold 4,000 BTC; U.S.-based Coinbase (COIN) liquidated 5,675 BTC; and traditional finance giant Fidelity sold 3,288 BTC. Additionally, market maker Wintermute offloaded 1,793 BTC.
Notably, the analyst pointed out that Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, which is the largest public company holder of Bitcoin with over 650,000 coins, has also sold over 3,820 coins in this same time frame.
The firm’s sell-off comes on the heels of speculation regarding Strategy’s potential to liquidate some of its holdings due to the substantial losses affecting its financial performance amid declining Bitcoin prices.
When Strategy CEO Phong Le was questioned about the possibility of selling off Bitcoin, he acknowledged that while the firm’s former CEO, Michael Saylor, has consistently opposed selling, circumstances may change if the company’s stock trades below the net value of its Bitcoin holdings, which aligns with the recent actions taken by the firm.
Interestingly, while these institutional sell-offs have contributed to the current market dip, Coinbase’s institutional division has projected a potential recovery for the crypto market in December, citing improving liquidity, a 92% probability of the Federal Reserve (Fed) cutting rates, and supportive macroeconomic conditions.
Analysts have pointed out several reasons for optimism, including the recovery of liquidity, the resilience of the “AI bubble,” and the attractiveness of short US dollar trades at current levels.
However, OxNobler warned that the situation may not be so straightforward. Alongside the activities of major institutions, he noted that BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, had recently sold $130 million worth of Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH).
Furthermore, Vitalik Buterin, one of Ethereum’s co-founders, seems to have resumed selling Ethereum, with millions of ETH being moved from the foundation’s wallet through Gnosis Safe.
Ultimately, OxNobler asserts that these institutional activities may have a hand in manipulating crypto prices and preventing them from climbing to higher levels and key resistance points.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
MetaMask, the most widely used Ethereum wallet, is moving directly into the prediction market arena through a new integration with Polymarket, giving users the ability to trade event outcomes from inside their wallets.
Key Takeaways:
“You can now trade on the future outcome of real world events inside your wallet,” Consensys’ Gabriela Helfet wrote, adding that users will also earn MetaMask Rewards points for every prediction placed.
The integration creates a new on-ramp for Polymarket and introduces “one tap funding,” allowing users to deposit with any token from any EVM-compatible chain.
The move further tightens the link between everyday crypto wallets and decentralized betting platforms, positioning MetaMask as a gateway not only to Web3 apps but also to real-world event speculation.
Polymarket has surged in popularity over the past year, fueled in part by heightened attention during the 2024 US election cycle.
Former President Donald Trump’s embrace of crypto and a more relaxed regulatory climate helped push the platform back into the US market.
The company is now reportedly exploring a valuation of up to $15 billion, following a $2 billion strategic investment from Intercontinental Exchange, the parent of the NYSE.
Predicting on MetaMask only takes a few seconds.
— MetaMask.eth
We've enabled 1-click funding with any EVM token, or you can get started instantly if you have an existing @polymarket account! pic.twitter.com/zZtrQPDu3m
For MetaMask, the move comes as the wallet expands beyond its Ethereum-focused roots. In October, it launched multichain accounts that support both EVM and non-EVM networks, including Solana.
The wallet is also preparing for the rollout of a native MASK token, as parent company Consensys gears up for a potential IPO.
The move comes as Polymarket is recruiting staff for an internal market-making team that would trade against its own customers, mirroring a controversial feature already used by rival Kalshi that has drawn criticism and legal challenges.
As reported, the New York-based prediction market startup has approached traders, including sports bettors, to join the new unit, people familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity because the plans remain private.
Prediction markets have crossed $13 billion in cumulative trading volume, marking a record high even as broader crypto markets cool.
The surge has drawn in major players across tech and finance, including Fanatics, Coinbase, and MetaMask, all of which have recently launched or expanded event-trading platforms.
Against this backdrop, YZi Labs, the venture firm founded by Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, has been intensifying its involvement in the sector.
YZi-backed Opinion has emerged as one of the most surprising breakout platforms. Launched on BNB Chain in October, it recorded nearly $1.5 billion in weekly trading volume within its first month, briefly overtaking established names such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
Meanwhile, prediction markets platform Kalshi has secured a major media breakthrough after signing a partnership with CNN, making the company the network’s official prediction markets partner while closing a $1 billion funding round at an $11 billion valuation.
The post MetaMask Enters Prediction Markets With Polymarket Integration appeared first on Cryptonews.
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