The past two months of downside may have been a correction, not a collapse, with Zcash price predictions pointing to its 1000% bull run as just the beginning.
The altcoin has moved to the sidelines with the wider market downturn, falling 45% as attention shifted from the privacy coins narrative to macro and geopolitical headlines.
But the past week has seen a key technical shift: the breakout from the descending channel that has guided its decline.
But the past week has seen a key technical shift: the breakout from the descending channel that has guided its decline. A retest of all-time highs could now be in motion.
The privacy coins narrative found new relevance in this institution-led market cycle: Institutional use-cases need rails that offer privacy, yet are compliant with selective disclosure.
And with crypto gaining deeper exposure in TradFi markets through products like the Grayscale Zcash Trust and a potential ETF, there are grounds that Zcash has not yet realized the full depth of its demand.
Zcash Price Prediction: How High Could the Bull Run Go?
The setup could fuel an emerging bullish pennant continuation pattern, ruling out the lapse as a consolidation within a wider upwards move.
The breakout marked a higher high after retesting the pennant’s lower support, setting focus on its upper resistance in a potentially much larger breakout setup.
Momentum indicators support the move. The RSI teeters on a cross above the 50 neutral line, while the MACD hinges on a golden cross above the signal line. Both suggest buyers are now driving the trend.
The key threshold for a confirmed breakout sits around all-time highs $745, opening the doors to new price discovery and a push to the pennant target at $4,750, another 1000% gain.
However, this target likely hinges on Zcash realising its part to play in the transition from Web-2 to Web-3 through TradFi adoption and inclusion on mainstream balance sheets.
SUBBD: The Web3 Solution to an $85 Billion Industry
As regulation brings narratives based in real-world utility like privacy coins to the forefront, platforms like SUBBD ($SUBBD) are gaining traction.
Positioned as an AI-powered content platform, SUBBD is redefining the $85 billion subscriber economy by giving creators true ownership and fans genuine access.
Never miss a sale again.
As a top creator, your audience is global. It's just not possible to cater to everyone – you can't be online 24/7
That's where your personal AI Assistant comes in, to handle requests and secure payments. Sleep peacefully knowing you're making money… pic.twitter.com/ju9VjLBmea
By cutting out the middlemen, $SUBDD puts control back in the hands of those who create real value. Creators can monetize directly, while fans gain access to exclusive content, early releases, and meaningful interactions through token-gated perks.
The project has already raised almost $1.3 million in presale, and post-launch, even a small share of the industry could push its valuation significantly higher.
With SUBBD, both sides of the community win — creators earn more, and fans get closer while embracing the decentralization use cases crypto was built for.
This sale has now raised just over $2.3 million, with the total rising more quickly in the past few days, after PEPENODE announced that it would end in 30 days.
The PEPENODE presale is live.
Buy Nodes. Build Your Server Room. Combine Nodes For Huge Bonuses.
The reason for the popularity of its sale is that it’s planning to launch a unique mining platform, one that will make mining more accessible to more cryptocurrency investors.
Instead of requiring expensive mining machines, PEPENODE lets you build a virtual mining rig, one you can operate yourself in order to earn rewards in external coins (such as Pepe and Fartcoin).
To build a mining rig, users simply need to spend PEPENODE tokens on more virtual nodes, which they can upgrade and combine in different ways.
By adding more nodes and upgrading them, users can earn greater rewards, something which should motivate more engagement and more demand for PEPENODE.
The token also currently offers a staking yield of 560% APY, making it one of the more rewarding staking tokens in the market right now.
Another attractive feature is that PEPENODE gives you the option of selling your nodes on once you no longer require, enabling users to exit and re-enter its ecosystem at will.
PEPENODE’s Launch Could Be Big: How to Buy Early
Taken together, PEPENODE’s features make it one of the more interesting coins to have had a presale this year.
As mentioned above, its sale will end soon, with the countdown currently at 29 days.
Time is therefore running out, but you can still join the sale by going to the official PEPENODE website and connecting a compatible wallet (e.g., Best Wallet).
The token is currently available at a price of $0.0011873, which is its final presale price.
Of course, the early success and popularity of PEPENODE give it a very good chance of rallying beyond this price once it lists in a month’s time.
This is why it’s arguably the best altcoin to buy now under $0.01, since it has the potential to earn investors above-average gains.
And because the market looks ready to enter a new bullish phase, its launch could be big.
The market is recovering as one of the worst months for crypto comes to an end. Heading into Christmas, we asked leading Perplexity AI for his predictions for XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin toward the end of 2025, and he delivered a dramatic outlook.
2025 has been a negative year for Bitcoin. At the time of writing, year-to-date performance shows BTC down more than 7%, starting the year near 99K and now looking likely to finish below that level.
Even so, the bigger picture stays constructive. Analysts still expect durable altcoins such as XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin to perform well over the long term. Once market conditions settle, each project could regain upward momentum, and below is how Perplexity AI expects it to play out.
Ripple (XRP): Perplexity AI Predicts 2-4x Gains For XRP
Perplexity AI Bullish projection suggests XRP bulls could see a 2-4x gain from the current level of $2.07 as we head into the new year.
This is mainly because of the accelerated adoption and the rapidly rising institutional interest as more ETFs continue to launch.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse also highlighted a major milestone, noting that the XRP ETF became the fastest to reach one billion dollars in assets under management in the United States since the ETH ETFs.
Chart analysts expect the range XRP is currently moving through to be an accumulation zone, and price is due for a breakout if it holds above the $2.00 support level, as shown in scenario 1. The next price resistances are at $2.30 and then $2.50.
Solana (SOL): Perplexity AI Predicts a Push Toward $400
Solana remains one of the best coins this cycle and one of the assets that has shown some of the greatest improvements across the board. Perplexity AI predicts a push toward the 400 dollar price mark.
This would require network activity and DeFi TVL to keep expanding, supported by a broader crypto risk environment and renewed institutional interest in high-throughput chains.
Solana has failed to break the wall at $144 multiple times in November and again in December. As the market recovers, it seems ready for another attempt. If it manages to push through, the next resistance level sits near $160.
It is important for price to hold the demand zone shown on the chart in order to keep the bullish scenario intact. If that zone fails, the setup can be invalidated.
Dogecoin (DOGE): Perplexity AI Predicts Memecoin Comeback With 200% Surge For Dogecoin
The low interest in memecoins and risk assets is clear, as Monday’s total value traded for U.S. spot DOGE ETFs dropped to $142,000, the lowest figure since the products launched. SoSoValue data shows the decline from late November, when daily trading occasionally exceeded $3.23 million.
Despite that, Perplexity predicts Dogecoin is due to come back as the flagship memecoin and put a price target of 0.25 – 0.35 by 2026.
Doge is currently showing strength by holding the $0.13 to $0.14 support zone, which has historically triggered many rallies.
A break and close above the $0.18 to $0.20 resistance range would confirm this strength and could open the path toward $0.24 to $0.26, as Perplexity expects.
Maxi Doge: Perplexity Best Choice To Buy In December
With Perplexity AI forecasting a major revival in Dogecoin and calling for a broader memecoin comeback, early investors are already searching for the next big winner.
Maxi Doge is quickly emerging as the strongest contender, capturing attention as a high-energy meme token with real community momentum and early-stage upside.
Maxi Doge brings a modern twist to classic Dogecoin culture, built around a jacked, high-leverage obsessed Doge that fits perfectly with today’s crypto humor.
There is no fake utility narrative. The project keeps the meme identity front and center while offering real features like staking, contests, and long-term engagement mechanics to keep the community active.
The presale has already raised millions, with steady growth as investors rotate back into meme assets, showing early signs of recovery.
Roughly 40% of the entire token supply was allocated directly to the public with no insider or private rounds. That structure massively reduces the risk of large early dumps once the token lists on exchanges.
Maxi Doge also offers a strong staking program, giving presale buyers the ability to earn rewards before launch. With Dogecoin holding a key support zone and Perplexity projecting a 200% surge into 2026, the meme charts are aligning for a new rotation. Maxi Doge could be one of the biggest beneficiaries once liquidity returns to the sector.
If the memecoin comeback plays out the way Perplexity expects, early MAXI holders may secure one of the best entries of the entire cycle. You can join the presale using ETH, USDT, BNB, or a credit card on the official Maxi Doge website.
Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood says Bitcoin’s well-known four-year cycle may no longer define the asset’s long-term behavior, arguing that institutional adoption is reshaping everything from volatility to how deep future drawdowns might be.
Speaking with Fox Business on Tuesday, Wood said Bitcoin’s sharp crashes, often 75% to 90% in earlier years, are becoming less common as large financial players accumulate the asset.
“The volatility’s going down,” she said, adding that institutions “are going to prevent much more of a decline.” Wood suggested that “we may have seen the low a couple of weeks ago.”
The most recent halving on April 20, 2024, cut the mining reward to 3.125 BTC, historically a trigger for supply squeezes and strong rallies.
However, Wood argues that the market’s behavior has shifted, as Bitcoin trades more like a risk-on asset, moving in line with equities and real estate rather than acting as a hedge.
“Now, gold is more of a risk-off asset,” she said, noting that investors use it to protect against geopolitical shocks.
Ark has continued adding crypto exposure, recently buying more shares of Coinbase, Circle, and its own Ark 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB).
A Growing Debate: Is the Four-Year Cycle Finished?
Wood’s comments land in the middle of a wider industry debate. Analysts across major institutions say Bitcoin no longer responds to halving cycles the way it once did.
Earlier this week, Standard Chartered said ETF buying has reduced the halving’s influence as a price driver.
Analyst Geoffrey Kendrick wrote that the pattern of prices peaking 18 months after each halving is “no longer valid,” lowering the bank’s 2025 price target from $200,000 to $100,000.
Standard Chartered analyst Geoffrey Kendrick says Bitcoin's dip below $100,000 may represent the last buying opportunity at these levels.#Bitcoin#Diphttps://t.co/ovUdBhe9bg
But this time, after hitting $122,000 in July, analysts say Bitcoin’s behavior looks different, slower, steadier, and less tied to retail speculation.
Sentora executive Patrick Heusser pointed to the Bitcoin Power Law model, which views price growth as part of a long-term curve influenced by time rather than strict four-year windows.
Halvings still matter, he said, but only as interruptions within a broader trend.
“Daily supply reduced by only 450 BTC,” he noted, calling it marginal compared to Bitcoin’s trillions in market value and the billions flowing into spot ETFs.
Institutional accumulation, from ETFs, corporate treasuries, and new regulated products, is widely seen as the biggest driver reshaping the market. These buyers rarely exit positions quickly, locking up supply in a way that smooths out volatility.
Bitcoin’s Market Structure Still Mirrors Past Cycles, Glassnode Argues
Still, some firms say the cycle remains intact. In August, Glassnode published data showing that the current cycle’s structure mirrors earlier ones, including long-term holder behavior and late-cycle demand softening.
Despite institutional involvement, Glassnode argued that Bitcoin’s timing still aligns closely with past multi-year peaks.
As experts debate whether the cycle is broken or simply evolving, most agree that investors should expect a market defined by longer trends instead of dramatic, fast swings.
Analysts say crashes may be shallower, closer to 30% to 50% instead of the deep drawdowns of past years, but rallies may also stretch over longer periods.
Strategies built around precise halving timing may no longer work with the same accuracy.
Crypto is bouncing nicely with BTC reclaiming 92K, which is a solid bullish signal as we head into the usual pre-FOMC chop until Wednesday. These are the conditions where altcoins usually suffer the most.
Many analysts see these dips as potential buying opportunities, especially for coins that have proven themselves throughout this cycle. XRP, PEPE, and Shiba Inu are all sitting on clean pullbacks and have been accumulating in steady price ranges for a while. Their moment might be coming next.
XRP Could Lead The Altcoins To New Highs In 2026
XRP has entered a familiar technical pattern, the same one that triggered its explosive 7,452 percent breakout in 2017, and it is catching the attention of many traders.
Unlike in 2017, XRP now benefits from expanded partnerships, rising institutional adoption, and a stronger regulatory environment. While it is unlikely to repeat a pump of that scale, it could still lead the altcoin market with a potential five to ten times move.
If XRP manages to hold the $2.00 support level, a new all-time high could form by 2026, just as CZ predicted when he said we may see a supercycle.
Memecoins Supercycle Could Be Led By PEPE And Shiba Inu
PEPE was the undisputed king of this cycle, but it just hit a new yearly low, meaning it has lost 80% of its value over the past year.
However, many analysts see this could already be the low for memecoins in 2025. The sector has started to recover, jumping from a $38 billion market cap to more than $42 billion in the past few days.
As shown in the chart, whenever PEPE created a wide dispersion from its 21 EMA on the 3D timeframe and then returned to test it, the low was already in.
The same goes for Shiba Inu, which has lost over 70% of its value in the year-to-date period. These values tell you a lot about how affected the memecoins market was in 2025.
Shiba Inu price is slowly rising after hitting its yearly low in November. The next target is the resistance at 0.00000910. If Shiba manages to break above it, it could be a clear sign of a positive shift and new bullish momentum forming.
Bitcoin Hyper: The Layer 2 Project Poised to Outshine Altcoins in the Next Supercycle
As traders focus on XRP’s breakout setup and memecoins like PEPE and Shiba Inu try to recover from massive yearly losses, one project is quietly capturing early momentum for 2026.
Bitcoin Hyper is quickly emerging as a top contender for the next major narrative, blending meme culture with real infrastructure designed to expand Bitcoin’s utility far beyond its current limits.
Bitcoin Hyper is built on the Solana Virtual Machine, giving it high-speed throughput, ultra-low fees, and full smart contract support while still connecting directly to Bitcoin’s settlement layer.
It also features decentralized governance and a Canonical Bridge that enables smooth movement of BTC across chains, something traders have been demanding for years.
Its presale has already raised more than $29.2 million, signaling strong confidence from early adopters.
Analysts such as Borch Crypto expect the token could rally as much as one hundred times once HYPER lists, while a recent Coinsult audit reported zero contract vulnerabilities, further boosting trust in the project.
HYPER tokens power staking, governance, and network fees, and presale buyers can earn up to 40% APY. With the full platform launch set for 2026, the project gives early investors a chance to position themselves before Bitcoin’s next wave of utility-driven growth.
Prediction markets tied to crypto rails now function like shadow polls that update in real time, with prices that embed money-backed views on elections, technology milestones, and macro data.
Traders who once scanned polling averages and pundit columns increasingly check market odds first, because order flow reacts within minutes to new information and compresses competing narratives into a single number that moves with conviction.
Media desks and professional bettors have folded these indicators into their workflow precisely because liquidity concentrates attention, while order books reveal when conviction is thin. Prices that shift before poll releases or commentary give forewarning that sentiment has just turned, and the speed advantage often appears during weekends, holidays, or late nights when traditional coverage slows.
Prediction Market Liquidity and Signal Quality
Liquidity and fee structures shape how useful these markets can be, because tighter spreads and deeper books reduce noise and let prices carry more information. Where order books fill quickly, small traders cannot shove prices around with shallow size, and that dynamic improves the odds that an observed move is a genuine shift rather than an echo of thin volume.
Calibration against final outcomes remains the test that matters, so traders track how often pre-event odds sat near the realized probability.
Misses still occur and sometimes cluster during polling errors, yet the markets tend to pull back toward neutrality faster once contradictory evidence appears, since stale views cost money when the other side steps in.
The platforms that standardize wording, enforce clear resolution sources, and police ambiguous markets give participants more confidence that the edge will not evaporate at settlement.
Regulation, Media Adoption, and the Next Test
Policy treatment determines how far these markets can scale in the United States, and rulemaking over event contracts now sits at the center of that path.
Against all odds.
Polymarket’s U.S app is now being rolled out to those on the waitlist.
Clearer distinctions between illegal gambling and permissible information markets would channel demand into supervised venues, enable stronger surveillance, and support broader participation without forcing activity offshore.
Newsrooms and research shops now publish charts that track market odds alongside polling, because readers want to see what money thinks at the very moment a headline breaks.
That feedback loop can turn prices into part of the story, yet it also raises the bar for verification, since a fast price move still needs context on who is trading, how much size hit the book, and whether liquidity conditions magnified the jump.
Crypto rails changed the mechanics by removing banking friction for small stakes, enabling near-instant deposits, and keeping markets open through the night, which means odds now update during periods when legacy venues sit idle.
The next test arrives during policy-heavy weeks when central-bank decisions, court rulings, or election filings hit in quick succession, because stacked catalysts expose whether markets digest information or simply amplify noise.
If depth holds, spreads stay tight, and prices step rather than lurch, the signal strengthens, and more desks will treat these odds not as a sideshow but as a baseline input that earns a permanent slot on the dashboard.
Spot SOL ETFs have seen a clear unwind of accumulation over the past two trading weeks, with bullish Solana price predictions awaiting a U.S. interest rate cut decision as confirmation.
The altcoin is functioning under a fraction of the inflows seen from recent weeks as the rate cut narrative builds, but an $16.5 million uptick today could signal early positioning.
And Solana is a standout beneficiary as the proven institutional play of choice after a 22-day inflow streak during crypto’s second-worst month of the year. TradFi markets bought the dip on SOL as most other ETF offerings bled.
Solana Price Prediction: Are Institutions About to Spark a Rally?
A 50 basis point rate cut could give Solana the fuel it needs to fully realise a double bottom pattern, now approaching its breakout threshold.
The $145 level is the last barrier to the strong reversal structure, and momentum indicators continue to reflect building buy pressure.
The RSI is building pressure towards a bullish shift with continued higher lows and rejections from the 50 neutral line. The MACD also continues to maintain a wide lead above the signal line, suggesting that an uptrend with real staying power has taken root.
The double bottom targets $210, setting up a retest of a year-long descending-triangle and a potential breakout scenario targeting levels near $500 for a potential 260% gain.
And with dovish speech from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, further interest rate cuts could be expected going into 2026. Solana could have the fuel for a much greater $1,000, 630% run.
Still, a curveball interest rate hold could trigger a rejection at $145, putting the triangle and double bottom lower support at $120 back under pressure.
New Crypto Project is Bringing Solana’s Tech to Bitcoin
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) merges Bitcoin’s unmatched security with Solana’s lightning-fast speed, creating a powerful new Layer 2 network that brings smart contracts, DeFi, and real utility to the Bitcoin ecosystem.
With over $30 million already raised in presale, the project is gaining serious momentum.
Once live, even a small slice of Bitcoin’s enormous trading activity flowing into Hyper’s ecosystem could drive massive upside for $HYPER.
The project is built around the Hyper Bridge, which lets BTC holders safely move funds onto the Hyper L2.
Once transferred, users instantly receive a 1:1 amount on the L2 network with near-instant finality.
This opens the door to a fast-growing ecosystem where BTC users can finally access staking, payments, and high-yield opportunities.
Japan is preparing its most sweeping overhaul of crypto oversight in almost a decade, setting the stage for a system that would treat digital assets far more like traditional investment products.
The move follows months of government deliberations and a series of regulatory proposals that have emerged steadily across 2024 and 2025.
Together, they show a decisive shift in how the country intends to manage trading activity, exchange operations, and investor protection.
FSA Pushes for Stricter Token Disclosure to Address Speculation and Risk
The latest step came this week after the Financial Services Agency released a detailed report from the Financial System Council’s Working Group.
The document lays out a plan to move crypto regulation away from the Payment Services Act, which has governed the sector since 2016, and into the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.
This change would place cryptocurrencies under the same legal umbrella used for securities trading, disclosures, and market conduct rules. Regulators said the shift reflects how the market has changed, noting that most users now engage with crypto as an investment.
Government data shows more than 86% of domestic users trade with an expectation of long-term price gains, while deposits across registered platforms have surpassed five trillion yen.
The Working Group concluded that the current framework no longer matches the risks posed by a sector dominated by speculative trading, large investor inflows, and complex token issuance schemes.
By placing crypto inside the securities rulebook, authorities intend to impose stricter disclosure requirements, particularly for token sales conducted by exchanges.
The report singles out initial exchange offerings, stressing the need for pre-sale information, independent code audits, and clearer descriptions of who controls a project.
Even fully decentralized assets would come under closer scrutiny, with exchanges responsible for giving users neutral risk assessments based on verifiable data.
These provisions would apply to exchange employees, token developers, and other related parties who may access undisclosed information.
The approach mirrors ongoing reforms in Europe and South Korea, where authorities have already introduced insider-trading standards for the digital asset sector.
Japan Opens Door for Financial Giants’ Subsidiaries Under the New Rule
Exchanges operating in Japan would face standards similar to brokers dealing in securities. They would be required to assess users’ risk tolerance before permitting complex or highly volatile trading.
The plan also introduces investment limits for token offerings that have not completed financial audits, an effort to prevent retail users from being exposed to sudden selling pressure once trading begins.
Traditional financial institutions are expected to play a greater role as well. While banks and insurers will remain barred from running exchanges directly, regulators intend to let their subsidiaries offer crypto trading through highly supervised channels.
The planned transition comes alongside a series of related policies that have unfolded over recent months.
In November, the FSA proposed a registration system for custody providers and outsourced trading software firms after last year’s DMM Bitcoin breach exposed weaknesses in third-party systems.
Japan intends to require crypto exchanges to hold reserves to cover customer losses, tightening safeguards against hacks and operational failures.#Japan#CryptoRegulationshttps://t.co/g9rmxG2kbw
Tax reform is also advancing. The government is preparing to replace the current progressive tax rate, which can rise to 55%, with a flat 20% levy on crypto gains beginning in 2026.
PNC Bank, the sixth-largest commercial bank in the United States, has launched direct spot Bitcoin trading for eligible private bank clients, becoming the first major U.S. bank to offer native Bitcoin exposure.
Crypto analysts say the domino effect of this direct custody could positively impact the trajectory of the Bitcoin price prediction.
U.S Banks Break Down Barriers to Bitcoin Access
The new PNC bank service enables qualified private banking clients to purchase, hold, and sell Bitcoin without relying on external cryptocurrency exchanges.
Today marks a major milestone for institutional crypto adoption.@Coinbase’s Crypto-as-a-Service platform is now powering @PNCBank’s launch of direct bitcoin trading for PNC Private Bank clients – the first to market with such an offering among the major U.S. banks. pic.twitter.com/wwuOIRuBfK
This development follows a crucial regulatory milestone from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which recently confirmed that national banks may conduct riskless principal crypto-asset transactions.
The decision permits U.S. banks to function as intermediaries in crypto trades by simultaneously buying from one customer and selling to another without maintaining inventory.
Last week, Bank of America authorized its 15,000 wealth management advisers to recommend 1%–4% crypto allocations for client portfolios, signaling a broader institutional embrace of mainstream Bitcoin exposure.
In October, Citibank announced plans to launch crypto custody services in 2026, after developing the infrastructure over two to three years.
Meanwhile, Cryptonews reported in September that BNY Mellon is advancing toward offering custody services for Bitcoin and Ethereum, specifically targeting exchange-traded product clients.
If other major banks replicate PNC’s approach, BTC could establish stronger support levels in the coming months and position itself for a further push toward the $100,000–$130,000 range heading into 2026.
Bitcoin is attempting to escape a multi-week descending channel after defending critical support near $83,000.
The recent bounce pushed the price back above the 9-day simple moving average, demonstrating early momentum, though it remains near the channel’s upper boundary.
The RSI has climbed out of oversold territory and is now approaching the mid-50s, indicating recovering bullish momentum following a prolonged downtrend.
Source: TradingView
If Bitcoin closes decisively above the descending channel and maintains support above $90,000–$92,000, charts suggest upside continuation toward resistance clusters at $105,000, $110,000, and potentially $120,000.
However, failure to sustain this breakout zone risks a retest of $83,000 support.
This New Meme Coin Raised $4.3M Fast – Is It the Next Dogecoin?
As Bitcoin gears up for its next major move, early-stage projects like Maxi Doge ($MAXI) are quickly gaining traction among investors looking for high-upside plays.
Inspired by Dogecoin’s explosive 1,000x rally, $MAXI is building a high-energy community where traders sharealpha, early setups, and hidden gems before they go mainstream.
Since launching only a few months ago, the presale has already pulled in over $4.3 million, with strong momentum.
This could be one of the cycle’s most relatable, community-first opportunities, and early backers still have time to get in before the next price increase kicks in.
XRP whales have dumped a significant volume of tokens ahead of today’s FOMC meeting and may have delayed the token’s recovery. However, long-term holders are still not selling and continue to show the kind of commitment that favors a bullish XRP price prediction.
According to data from Santiment, whale wallets holding between 100 million and 1 billion XRP have sold nearly $600 million worth of tokens since December 5.
Meanwhile, since December 7, whales dumped over $100 million, showing that deep-pocketed investors are still selling even though the price has recovered.
This explains why XRP has struggled to move past the $2 mark. The token has accumulated a 5% in the past 7 days as the Federal Reserve prepares to make a decision on interest rates today.
Meanwhile, trading volumes have jumped by 60% in the past 24 hours, reaching nearly $4 billion. This accounts for 3% of the token’s circulating market cap and reflects a spike in trading activity ahead of the Fed’s interest rate decision.
XRP Price Prediction: XRP Could Fully Recover If It Breaks This Key Resistance
XRP needs to clear the $2.20 level to reverse its downtrend. The FOMC meeting could provide the necessary catalyst for this to happen, as traders will be reassured about what the future holds once Powell speaks.
Such a bullish breakout would also push XRP above its 200-day exponential moving average (EMA).
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) needs to rise past the mid-line and above the 14-day moving average as well. This is typically interpreted as confirmation that bullish momentum is accelerating.
If XRP breaks through its current resistance, the $3 level could be the first major target, backed by strong psychological significance and historical price action.
This new Layer 2 solution uses Solana’s cutting-edge technology to fix Bitcoin’s biggest limitations, unlocking fast transactions, low fees, and full support for DeFi, meme coins, NFTs, and more.
The project is built around the Hyper Bridge, which lets BTC holders safely move funds onto the Hyper L2.
Once transferred, users instantly receive a 1:1 amount on the L2 network with near-instant finality.
This opens the door to a fast-growing ecosystem where BTC users can finally access staking, payments, and high-yield opportunities.
Bitcoin Hyper has already raised nearly $30 million from early investors who believe this will be the breakthrough that finally brings smart contracts to Bitcoin at scale.
As more top wallets and platforms integrate with Hyper L2, demand for its native token, $HYPER, is expected to surge.
Bitcoin’s market dynamics have shifted sharply in recent weeks, offering signs of short-term resilience as selling pressure eases and investors reduce deposits to exchanges ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy meeting.
According to the latest research report from CryptoQuant, after briefly falling to $80,000 on November 21, Bitcoin has rebounded to a one-month high of $94,000, supported by declining exchange inflows and reduced selling activity from large holders.
Exchange Deposits Fall, Easing Price Pressure
A major driver behind Bitcoin’s recent price stabilization is the sharp decline in BTC transferred to exchanges. Deposits have fallen to 21,000 BTC today, compared with 88,000 BTC on November 21, marking a 76% decrease in sell-side supply over the past three weeks, according to CryptoQuant.
This decrease indicates that holders, especially short-term traders, are less inclined to sell immediately into the market. Lower exchange inflows traditionally reduce downward pressure, creating more opportunity for price recovery in the near term.
Large Holders Pull Back: Lower Deposits, Smaller Transfers
Institutional-scale investors and whales have played a major role in the shifting environment. The share of exchange deposits linked to large holders dropped from 47% in mid-November to 21% today, while the average transfer size fell 36%, from 1.1 BTC to 0.7 BTC.
These patterns suggest that major players are stepping back rather than accelerating sell-offs. Large holders tend to dictate market direction during periods of volatility, and their reduced activity typically supports more orderly price behavior.
Loss Realization Peaks, Reducing Future Sell-Side Pressure
Bitcoin’s recent rebound also comes after a wave of realized losses, often a turning point in market psychology. On November 13, as Bitcoin broke below $100,000, whales and short-term holders realized $646 million in losses, the highest since July.
Across the last several weeks, that figure has climbed to $3.2 billion in net losses, likely flushing out weaker hands and reducing forced selling. Loss realization can fuel capitulation in bear phases, but once completed, it can set a foundation for more stable price action.
Key Levels to Watch: $99K, $102K, and $112K
If selling remains muted, analysts say Bitcoin could advance toward $99,000, marking the lower band of the Trader On-chain Realized Price indicator, typically a major resistance during market drawdowns. Beyond that, major resistance levels stand near $102,000 (one-year moving average) and $112,000 (Trader On-chain Realized Price) reports CryptoQuant.
Market uncertainty remains, particularly ahead of the Federal Reserve’s decision, but Bitcoin’s latest trend suggests a market catching its breath—the calm before the next wave of volatility.
BTC neared $94K and ETH hit $3,250 early December, driven by MSTR’s buy and Fusaka anticipation, per Laser Digital.#Bitcoin#Cryptohttps://t.co/pMYuzVS329
Talks over how the United States should tax digital assets are moving into a new phase, as Rep. Max Miller, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, told attendees at the Blockchain Association’s policy summit on Tuesday that he believes the bill can move before the August 2026 recess.
He said the draft has already been circulated among several committee members and that he hopes to announce a lead Democratic co-sponsor soon.
Miller’s timeline marks the most concrete sign yet that Congress is preparing to revisit an issue that has lingered for nearly a decade, dating back to the IRS’s 2014 declaration that cryptocurrencies are taxed as property.
The decision created a system where every sale, swap, or payment counts as a taxable event.
Congress Moves Toward Long-Awaited Update to Crypto Tax Code
Miller and his Democratic counterpart, Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, say they are working on language to simplify reporting and give taxpayers clearer rules.
Miller said the 43-day government shutdown earlier in the fall wiped out nearly two months of legislative time, making it impossible to push the proposal before year-end.
He added that the Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees, which held hearings in July and October, will use the first half of 2026 to firm up the framework.
A Republican on the Finance Committee, Sen. Steve Daines, echoed the timeline, noting that a draft should be ready by next August.
He also warned that ongoing uncertainty in the tax code is slowing down U.S. competitiveness, as digital-asset firms are hesitant to expand without statutory clarity.
Push for Small-Transaction Crypto Tax Relief Intensifies
Lawmakers are debating whether crypto should remain fully classified as property or if small everyday transactions could be treated more like currency.
Industry groups have long advocated for a de minimis rule, which would let people use crypto for small purchases without calculating capital gains.
Other technical issues under review include how exchanges should report cost basis, how foreign platforms should share data with the IRS, and whether staking rewards should be taxed when received or when sold.
The IRS currently treats staking rewards as ordinary income upon receipt, but the industry wants taxation deferred until disposition.
Stablecoin payments, business receipts over $10,000, and new international reporting standards under the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) are also part of the negotiations.
The surge resembles earlier crackdowns in 2020 and 2021, when the agency secured transaction records from major exchanges.
With new third-party reporting requirements taking effect on January 1, 2026, centralized exchanges will issue 1099-DA forms for the first time, giving the government the clearest view yet of trading activity.
Congress is also juggling broader crypto policy efforts. Negotiations over a separate market-structure bill have slowed in recent weeks, with Sen. Bernie Moreno describing talks as “frustrating” and saying he will not support a weak compromise.
Sen. Moreno warns U.S. lawmakers: “No deal is better than a bad deal.” U.S. crypto legislation may be delayed
Lawmakers are still debating how to divide oversight between the SEC and CFTC, how to define non-security tokens, and how to regulate decentralized finance.
Sentiment across the market shows a mild improvement today, with the Fear and Greed Index rising to 30 after spending much of the past two weeks in the lower twenties and briefly touching extreme fear levels that had pushed many participants into defensive positioning.
Bitcoin is trading near $92,000 after a stretch of uneven activity that began in late November, and the steadier tone around the largest asset has created a backdrop in which a small group of altcoins can advance without relying on abrupt, flow-driven bursts.
Bitcoin Price (Source: CoinMarketCap)
Ethereum sits at the center of that shift as its performance often sets expectations for how much risk the market is willing to take.
Ethereum Extends Its Climb On Firmer Market Structure
Ethereum (ETH) is currently trading around $3,330, up by about 7% over 24 hours, and the increase is supported by an improvement in both spot and derivatives participation, with deeper books and steadier bidding in ranges that had previously struggled to hold during last week’s retreat.
Activity across major venues indicates that traders who had reduced exposure during the November drawdown are gradually re-entering positions, not because sentiment has shifted dramatically, but because the asset’s day-to-day usage and continued demand for block space provide a degree of stability even when the wider environment remains cautious.
This pattern allows Ethereum to function as an early gauge of whether the current relief has staying power, since its liquidity and scale often give it the ability to recover before smaller assets regain enough confidence to follow.
Monero Gains As Privacy Demand Holds Steady
Monero (XMR) is trading near $404, up by roughly 12% in 24 hours, and the climb aligns with periods in which privacy-oriented tokens receive renewed attention from communities that maintain consistent usage regardless of broader sentiment shifts.
The MAGIC Monero Fund has started a second fundraiser to further increase Monero's fuzzing harnesses!
'The goal of this proposal is to continue working with AdaLogics to improve the overall code coverage of Monero in general.' https://t.co/8QMBp9XeVm
Depth across several exchanges shows more orderly conditions than last week, with a distribution of bids that implies steady interest rather than isolated buying, which is notable because privacy assets often strengthen when markets search for tokens with established user bases and reliability rather than speculative catalysts.
Mantle Tracks Layer 2 Engagement As Liquidity Improves
Mantle (MNT) is trading near $1.20, up by about 7% in 24 hours, supported by consistent throughput and engagement across the Layer 2 ecosystem that underpins its value.
The token has climbed back above ranges that came under pressure during last week’s downturn, and turnover now sits noticeably higher than the levels seen during the most severe portion of the recent selloff.
This behavior aligns with the tendency for infrastructure and scaling tokens to recover earlier than many smaller assets when sentiment begins to ease, because they rely on live activity and measurable network growth rather than short-term narrative swings.
Altcoin Season Still Out Of Reach Despite Signs Of Relief
The rise in the market sentiment and today’s scattered gains among Ethereum, Monero, and Mantle demonstrate that the market is willing to experiment with selective positioning, yet the structure of flows suggests that a broad altcoin season remains distant.
Bitcoin continues to anchor sentiment near $92,000, and most major tokens remain confined to narrow ranges while participants wait for clearer macro signals, steadier global liquidity conditions, and confirmation that the recent improvement does not fade with the next shift in funding or equities.
For now, the recovery resembles the early-stage attempt to stabilize rather than the altcoin season ready for wide rotation, although the presence of consistent activity in a few established networks shows that the market has not fully retreated from altcoin exposure even as caution remains the prevailing influence.
Strategy Inc., the world’s largest Bitcoin treasury company, has submitted a detailed response to MSCI’s consultation on how to classify Digital Asset Treasury Companies (DATs).
Strategy has submitted its response to MSCI’s consultation on digital asset treasury companies. Index standards should be neutral, consistent, and reflective of global market evolution. Read our letter and share your support: https://t.co/QVmKAkwRCP
MSCI has proposed excluding from its Global Investable Market Indexes any company whose digital asset holdings represent 50% or more of total assets.
In a letter dated December 10, sent by Executive Chairman Michael Saylor and CEO Phong Le, Strategy argues the move is “misguided” and would have “profoundly harmful consequences” for capital markets, innovation, and U.S. leadership in digital assets.
“DATs Are Operating Companies, Not Investment Funds”
The core of Strategy’s argument is that DATs like itself are operating businesses, not passive investment funds. Strategy stresses that it does not simply sit on a Bitcoin hoard; instead, it runs a Bitcoin-backed corporate treasury and capital markets program, issuing a range of equity and fixed-income instruments that provide investors with varying degrees of Bitcoin exposure.
It compares this model to banks and insurers that capture a spread between financing costs and returns on underlying assets.
The company notes that many traditional firms—such as oil majors, REITs, timber companies, and media groups—are also heavily concentrated in a single asset type, yet are not treated as funds or excluded from indices. Singling out digital-asset-heavy balance sheets, it says, would be discriminatory and inconsistent.
Strategy Warns of Index Instability and Policy Bias
Strategy contends that MSCI’s proposed 50% digital asset threshold is both arbitrary and unworkable. Given crypto price volatility and divergent accounting standards (GAAP vs. IFRS), companies could “whipsaw on and off” MSCI indices as market values fluctuate, undermining index stability and investor confidence.
The letter also accuses MSCI of improperly injecting policy judgments into index construction, departing from its stated role as a neutral provider of “exhaustive” benchmarks that reflect market evolution rather than deeming certain business models “good or bad.”
Excluding DATs, Strategy argues, would structurally under-represent a fast-growing segment of the economy and call into question the neutrality of MSCI’s indices.
Conflict with U.S. Digital Asset Strategy and Call for Extended Review
Strategy further argues that the proposal conflicts with the current U.S. administration’s pro-innovation digital asset agenda, including initiatives like a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and efforts to expand access to digital assets in retirement plans.
Excluding DATs from major benchmarks, the company says, would choke off access to passive capital, chill innovation, and weaken U.S. competitiveness in a strategically important sector.
Concluding, Strategy urges MSCI to reject the proposal outright or, at a minimum, extend the consultation and undertake a longer, more deliberate review as digital asset treasury models continue to mature. “The wiser course,” the letter states, “is for MSCI to remain neutral and let the markets decide the course of DATs.”
Singapore has taken the top position in Bybit’s World Crypto Rankings 2025, strengthening its status as one of the most active and structured digital-asset markets.
The new index, produced in conjunction with DL Research, evaluates countries across user activity, institutional readiness, and cultural engagement.
It positions Singapore ahead of the United States and Lithuania, two countries that continue to shape the direction of global crypto markets in distinct ways.
Report Reveals Two Distinct Global Crypto Adoption Models
The report shows how Singapore reached a score of 7.5 out of 10, driven by high user penetration and strong cultural engagement around digital assets.
Its licensing regime, high digital literacy, and active institutional sector have helped create one of the strongest pipelines between retail users and regulated financial entities.
The United States follows closely with a score of 7.3. Its ranking is supported by trading volumes, custody activity, and a growing base of tokenization projects involving major banks and asset managers.
Lithuania, which secured third place with a score of 6.3, continues to be a preferred regulatory base for fintech and exchange firms.
The top ten also includes Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.
The data shows two clear adoption models. Countries such as Singapore, the U.S., Switzerland, Lithuania, and the UAE reflect an institution-driven pattern shaped by regulation and financial infrastructure.
In contrast, Vietnam, Nigeria, Ukraine, and the Philippines rely on crypto for everyday functions such as remittances, payments, and savings during currency pressure or banking restrictions.
Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia continue to lead when measured against population size.
Global RWA Market Climbs 63% as Institutions Accelerate Adoption
The report also highlights how quickly real-world asset tokenization has expanded. The market for tokenized RWAs, excluding stablecoins, has risen more than 63% since January 2024, reaching $25.7 billion in early 2025.
Notably, private credit and U.S. Treasuries dominate the sector, holding 15.6 billion and 6.7 billion dollars, respectively.
The United States maintains the strongest institutional readiness with a perfect score, supported by regulatory clarity and deep Wall Street engagement.
BlackRock’s BUIDL fund remains one of the fastest-expanding tokenized portfolios, reaching between 1.8 billion and 2.28 billion dollars across several blockchains.
Major banks like JPMorgan, Citi, and Goldman Sachs have expanded tokenized settlement and internal trading programs.
Canada now ranks second in institutional readiness with a score of 0.93, supported by new rules for banks and insurers that will take effect in 2026.
The Philippines is also gaining momentum, becoming a regional example for Southeast Asia as it sets guidelines designed for remittance-heavy markets.
Global Data Shows Surging Stablecoin Use as Singapore Leads Tokenization Push
Singapore’s broader role in tokenized finance has grown as well. In November, the Monetary Authority of Singapore confirmed plans to pilot tokenized MAS bills settled using a central bank digital currency.
Local banks have already tested interbank lending using a wholesale CBDC, reinforcing the shift from experimentation to real operational use.
MAS officials say asset-backed tokens have clearly moved beyond the laboratory stage.
The report also pointed out that stablecoins remain the most consistent asset type across all income groups.
Ukraine records the highest stablecoin flow relative to GDP at 3.6%, followed by Nigeria, Georgia, Vietnam, and Armenia.
These flows underline how digital dollars have become a financial tool in both developed and emerging regions.
Separate research in March showed strong momentum in the Gulf region. The UAE recorded a 210% surge in adoption, the highest of any country in 2025, supported by high ownership levels and strong search activity.
Singapore and the United States followed, with adoption growth of 150% and 220%, respectively.
Stripe’s rollout of stablecoin payment processing has ignited fierce debate after the payments giant announced it would charge businesses 1.5% to transfer digital dollars that cost fractions of a cent on blockchain networks.
The company now supports USD-settled stablecoin payments across Ethereum, Base, and Polygon, with USDC, USDP, and USDG available through its platform, marking a significant expansion of its crypto infrastructure following its $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge earlier this year.
Critics immediately highlighted the stark disparity between Stripe’s fees and the actual costs of blockchain transactions.
Sterling Crispin, a software developer, started the debate, arguing that sending $200 USDC on Base cost him just $0.000193 in transaction fees, 0.00009% of the transfer amount, while Stripe would charge $3 for the same transaction.
Incredible innovation, @stripe is charging 1.5% to transfer USDC.
I recently sent $200 of USDC on @base and my transaction fee was 0.00009% , or $0.000193.
The tx fee would have been the same for $1 or $100M USDC
“Charging 1.5% simply to send USDC is ludicrously unreasonable,” Crispin wrote, calculating that Stripe would have extracted $24,818 in fees for a $1.65 million transfer that cost the sender $0.000412 on-chain.
Defenders Cite Value Beyond Transaction Costs
Industry observers defending Stripe’s pricing argue the fee reflects services beyond raw blockchain transactions.
Matt Silvestri noted that Stripe custodies USDC, converts it to USD, and deposits fiat into merchants’ bank accounts, an infrastructure that traditional bank accounts cannot handle directly.
“While I agree it sounds high, this fee is for abstracting all complexity away from accepting USDC,” Silvestri explained, adding that 1.5% remains substantially lower than the 3% plus 30 cents per transaction charged by credit card processors.
Stablecoin payments are coming to @stripe and some people are upset that they are charging 1.5%. Stripe users are not crypto degens willing to download wallets with private keys to send USDC by themselves and go through all the operational hassle attached to it.
Youngsun Shin, Head of Product at Flipster, also commented that Stripe users are “not crypto degens willing to download wallets with private keys to send USDC by themselves.”
He argued that merchants will “gladly pay the processing fees” to avoid operational complexity, noting that Stripe’s stablecoin integration brings “massive amounts of money on-chain” while benefiting networks like Polygon, Base, and Solana.
Liz Bazurto, Director of BD at Consensys, echoed this perspective, noting that merchants have paid 2.5% to 4% on card transactions for decades while dealing with issues such as incorrect amounts, accounting requirements, and USD payroll needs.
Strategic Implications for Crypto Adoption
Haseeb Qureshi of Dragonfly Capital also stepped in, characterizing Stripe’s pricing as evidence of an incumbent “clinging to their old business model,” comparing it to telecoms offering discounted VoIP rates while Skype provided free calling.
“This is so bullish for all the crypto companies,” Qureshi wrote, predicting that merchants will easily switch to lower-cost stablecoin APIs once they achieve feature parity with Stripe’s offering.
He warned that stakeholders should “be scared when the incumbents drop the fees to ~0.“
You don't understand–this is actually great. It's exactly what you want to see.
This is the incumbent clinging to their old business model. This is your telco offering VoIP calling for 50% discounted long-distance rates, while Skype was free.
Similarly, Bette Chen of Gluon described Stripe’s approach as “the classic walled-garden tax,” where fintech companies build elegant user experiences “but on old rails with old economics.”
She envisions an inversion in which platforms offer “Web2 on the outside, crypto rails on the inside,” enabling users to experience instant, global, and nearly free transactions without realizing they’re using crypto infrastructure.
Mikko Ohtamaa of Trading Strategy also suggested that stablecoin adoption could dramatically impact low-margin international e-commerce businesses, noting that eliminating Stripe’s 1.5% fee could increase profit margins by approximately 20% for companies operating with an 8% inventory markup.
Banks Face Mounting Competitive Pressure
The controversy emerges amid broader structural shifts in financial infrastructure documented in recent industry analysis.
According to StablecoinInsider, eight of the ten largest neobanks now use stablecoin rails internally for treasury settlement and cross-border payments, with platforms like Revolut and Wise routing internal liquidity through stablecoins without branding it as crypto.
Revolut isn't telling you this.
8 of the 10 largest neobanks now use stablecoin rails internally for treasury settlement and cross-border payments.
When you send an "instant transfer" through their app, the backend is settling on public blockchain networks in under a second… pic.twitter.com/ahmd8F8cZh
— James | Ethereum Foundation ⟠ | Snapcrackle.eth (@Snapcrackle) December 9, 2025
Traditional wire transfers costing $45 with three-to-five-day settlement periods face competition from stablecoin rails charging $0.50 with 30-second finality.
“Cheap deposits are great, but being so consumer-hostile feels to me like a losing position,” Collison stated, predicting that depositors will demand “something closer to a market return on their capital” as stablecoin alternatives proliferate.
The American Federation of Teachers is urging Senate leaders to halt work on the chamber’s crypto market structure bill, warning that the proposal could expose public-sector pensions to unsafe assets and strip protections that have long governed traditional securities.
In a letter sent Monday to Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, AFT President Randi Weingarten said the Responsible Financial Innovation Act would replace existing safeguards with a framework that leaves retirement plans more vulnerable than they are today.
AFT said Crypto Market Bill Endangers Working Families’ Pensions
Weingarten wrote that the bill “poses profound risks to the pensions of working families,” arguing it would not provide the regulation or “commonsense guardrails” needed around crypto assets and stablecoins.
She said most pension systems do not hold crypto because of its volatility and unclear legal status and warned that the legislation treats digital assets as if they were established and stable financial products when they are not.
The union represents more than 1.8 million workers in education, healthcare, and public services, including many whose retirement income depends on state and local pension plans.
Its letter warned that the bill would allow companies with no connection to crypto to place their stock on a blockchain and avoid the registration, reporting, and oversight requirements that apply today.
According to the union, the shift would let issuers bypass registration rules and remove oversight of intermediaries that move assets between buyers and sellers.
Weingarten said such a move would leave state and federal regulators with fewer tools to hold bad actors accountable, warning that pensions and 401(k) plans could end up holding assets that appear traditional but are not subject to the same standards.
Senate Rekindles Push to Define Crypto Regulatory Boundaries
The Responsible Financial Innovation Act is the Senate’s main effort to define which crypto assets fall under the jurisdiction of the CFTC and which belong under the SEC. It also aims to set federal rules for exchanges, brokers, custodians, and token issuers.
Supporters say the bill is needed to clarify a growing patchwork of crypto oversight, while critics argue it could break apart existing securities protections without replacing them with something equal in strength.
The debate comes as policymakers attempt to determine whether tokenized versions of traditional instruments can be traded under a revised federal structure and what that means for investors who rely on the security of established markets.
Senate Staff Races to Finalize Draft as Holiday Deadline Nears
Several senators have said a new version could emerge before the year ends, though the timeline remains uncertain.
The political environment surrounding the bill has become increasingly tense. Senator Cory Booker warned this week that the legislation’s prospects were weakened after signs that the Supreme Court may soon allow President Trump to fire SEC and CFTC commissioners at will.
With no Democrats currently seated at either agency, and none expected until at least January, Booker said the absence of minority commissioners complicates any bill that depends on those regulators to implement its framework.
The CFTC is currently led by Acting Chair Caroline Pham, who has held the position since January after Rostin Behnam stepped down.
President Trump has nominated Michael Selig, a senior SEC attorney focused on cryptocurrency policy, to serve as the permanent chairman, though his confirmation remains pending before the Senate.
Despite the uncertainty, Senator Cynthia Lummis said she wants the Senate Banking Committee to move ahead with a markup of the market structure bill as early as next week.
She described staff across both parties as “exhausted” after multiple rounds of revisions and said she hopes to circulate a final draft before Congress leaves for the holidays.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s 2:30 PM ET press conference is where Bitcoin traders will get answers on the Fed’s 2025 easing path. Markets already know the December decision; the real question is whether Powell signals two or four more cuts next year.
Bitcoin is holding $92,000 heading into the presser, with traders watching for any hawkish language about “patience” or “data-dependent” policy that could dampen aggressive easing expectations.
The updated dot plot, released at 2pm, will show where Fed officials see rates ending in 2025, but Powell’s tone and forward guidance will determine whether crypto interprets today’s likely 25-basis-point cut as dovish or hawkish.
The key risk for Bitcoin is a “hawkish cut” scenario where Powell emphasizes labor market strength (191K jobless claims, 7.7M job openings) as justification for slowing the pace of easing despite improving core inflation (2.8%).
Any mention of skipping the January meeting or reducing 2025 cuts from four to two would be bearish for risk assets.
Conversely, if Powell stresses that inflation is moving toward the target and the Fed remains committed to normalizing rates, Bitcoin could break above $92,000 resistance.
Bitcoin’s technical setup shows resistance at $92,000 and support at $88,000-$90,000, with the descending trendline since mid-November still intact.
Traders will parse every word from Powell for clues on the January 28-29 FOMC meeting and the overall 2025 trajectory.
The Fed’s credibility is on the line after ending QT and cutting rates twice—backing away from easing now would signal either policy error or genuine concern about sticky inflation.
Powell speaks at 2:30 pm ET, and crypto volatility is expected to spike immediately after.
Powell Press Conference: 2025 Guidance is the Real Story
The Federal Reserve announces its December interest rate decision at 2:00 PM ET today, with Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference following at 2:30 PM ET.
Bitcoin is trading around $92,000 as markets price in an 89% chance of a rate cut that would lower the federal funds rate to 3.50%-3.75%.
The decision comes after a week of conflicting economic signals, including shockingly strong jobless claims (191K vs 219K expected, lowest since 2022), cooling core PCE inflation (2.8% from 2.9%), and yesterday’s JOLTS data showing job openings unchanged at 7.7 million with quits declining 276,000 year-over-year.
The combination of labor market stability and improving inflation supports the case for easing, but some Fed officials have expressed concern about cutting too aggressively, with employment still resilient.
This marks the Fed’s third policy meeting since beginning its easing cycle with a 50 basis point cut in September, followed by another 25 basis point reduction in October.
The central bank officially ended quantitative tightening on December 1, freezing its balance sheet at $6.57 trillion after draining $2.39 trillion from markets since June 2022.
Markets are focused not just on today’s decision but also on Powell’s guidance for 2025. The updated dot-plot projections could signal whether the Fed sees two, three, or four more cuts next year.
Any hawkish shift suggesting fewer cuts in 2025 would likely pressure Bitcoin and risk assets, while dovish guidance reinforcing the easing cycle could provide the catalyst for Bitcoin to break above $92,000 resistance.
Bitcoin’s technical setup shows critical resistance at $92,000 and the descending trendline that’s capped rallies since mid-November, with support holding at $88,000-$90,000. Total crypto market cap sits at $3.23 trillion.
Source: TradingView
The key risk for crypto is a “hawkish cut”—where the Fed reduces rates 25 basis points today but signals a slower pace of easing in 2025 due to sticky inflation or resilient employment.
Powell’s 2:30 PM press conference will be scrutinized for any hints about the January meeting and the overall trajectory of policy.
With the Fed’s liquidity pivot complete (QT ended) and inflation moving in the right direction, the path of least resistance for Bitcoin is higher—but only if Powell doesn’t pour cold water on aggressive 2025 easing expectations.
Fed Decision Day: Markets Brace for Rate Cut or Hawkish Surprise
The crypto market is up today, with the cryptocurrency market capitalisation increasing by 2.6% to $3.25 trillion. 92 of the top 100 coins have gone up over the past 24 hours. At the same time, the total crypto trading volume is at $147 billion.
TLDR:
Crypto market cap increased by 2.6% on Wednesday morning (UTC);
92 of the top 100 coins and 9 of the top 10 coins have gone up today;
BTC increased by 2.3% to $92,694, and ETH is up by 6.6% to $3,331;
The $90,000 level looks like the bottom for now;
A consolidation period between $90,000 and $95,000 over the coming weeks is likely;
Investors await the US Fed rate cut decision today;
Changpeng Zhao argued that BTC could see a major rally in 2026;
Investors should monitor the effects of the news flows on dollar dynamics and safe-haven demand;
The US allowed national banks to act as intermediaries in crypto trades;
US BTC and ETH spot ETFs saw inflows on Tuesday of $151.74M and $177.64M, respectively;
Strive Asset Management plans to acquire more BTC;
Crypto market sentiment posted a notable increase within the fear zone.
Crypto Winners & Losers
At the time of writing, 9 of the top 10 coins per market capitalization have seen their prices increase over the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin (BTC) is up by 2.3% since this time yesterday, currently trading at $92,694.
Bitcoin (BTC)
24h7d30d1yAll time
Ethereum (ETH) is up by 6.6%, now changing hands at $3,331. This is the category’s highest increase today.
The second-highest rise is Solana (SOL)’s 4.4%, trading at $139.
Traders are focused on the US Federal Reserve’s decision on the interest rate cut expected to be announced today. However, many argue that the cut is already priced in.
Koinly CEO Robin Singh commented that BTC’s recent uptick to almost $93,000 ahead of the US Federal Reserve rate cut decision “clearly signals that bulls are firmly defending the $90,000 level, which is now looking like the bottom, at least, for now.”
According to Singh,
“From here, a period of consolidation between $90,000 and $95,000 over the coming weeks is a ‘probably outcome’, as the market waits for a new catalyst capable of driving the next leg higher.”
However, that kind of pause should not be seen as a negative, he argues. Much of 2024 was defined by consolidation, but a major macro catalyst – in that case, the outcome of the US presidential election – triggered a sharp rally across markets.
He continues: “Periods like this often signal maturation rather than weakness, with Bitcoin holding its ground even in the absence of immediate drivers for fresh momentum.”
Moreover, Bitunix analysts noted that geopolitical uncertainty is rising, so the crypto market sentiment remains cautious.
Notably, “within the negotiation framework, the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe remain locked in a three-way tug-of-war. If ongoing negotiation headlines continue to fuel safe-haven demand, volatility may be driven by a combination of macro sentiment and liquidity positioning,” the analysts said.
For now, BTC is watching resistance at $93,200, with support at $90,000–$91,000.
They advise investors to monitor the effects of the news flows on dollar dynamics and safe-haven demand, and to assess whether geopolitical noise may spill over into broader risk-asset volatility.
Levels & Events to Watch Next
At the time of writing on Wednesday morning, BTC stood at $92,694. The prise recorded a clear jump from the intraday low of $90,040 to the intraday high of $94,489.
However, the charts turned red in the 7-day period. BTC is now down 0.3%, but such a small move also means that it’s largely unchanged in this timeframe.
If the coin reclaims the $98,000–$100,000 range, it could push forward to $105,000 and $110,000. However, if it drops below $90,000, it could pull back to the $82,000–$85,000 zone.
Bitcoin Price Chart. Source: TradingView
Ethereum is currently changing hands at $3,122. Like BTC, it saw a significant jump earlier in the day, climbing from the day’s low of $3,099 to the high of $3,388.
That said, unlike BTC, ETH remains green in the 7-day timeframe, appreciating 8.6%.
ETH supply has hit a 10-year low, a setup for major rallies. The price could proceed towards $3,400, followed by the $3,500-$3,600 range. Should it pull back, the price may fall to the $2,900 level.
Ethereum (ETH)
24h7d30d1yAll time
Meanwhile, the crypto market posted a notable increase on Wednesday morning, even if it still remains in the fear territory. The crypto fear and greed index rose to 30 today from 25 yesterday.
It seems that market participants remain highly cautious while experiencing a mild increase in optimism.
Even though many argue that the US rate cut is already priced in, today’s news could still affect the sentiment.
ETFs Go Green Again
Following a day of outflows, the US BTC spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded $151.74 million in inflows. The total net inflow now stands at $57.71 billion.
Of the twelve BTC ETFs, a whopping eight recorded inflows, and one saw outflows. BlackRock accounts for the entirety of the negative flows: $28.76 million.
At the same time, Fidelity saw the highest amount of inflows of $198.85 million, followed by Grayscale’s $33.79 million and Bitwise’s $16.22 million.
Moreover, the US ETH ETFs posted another day of positive flows on 9 December, with $177.64 million in inflows. This is the highest amount since late October. The total net inflow now stands at $13.09 billion.
Of the nine funds, seven recorded inflows, and none saw outflows. Fidelity took in the most on Tuesday: $51.47 million.
It’s followed by Grayscale’s $45.19 million and BlackRock’s $35.29 million.
Meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy’s Strive Asset Management has announced a $500 million preferred stock offering, aiming to acquire more BTC. It currently holds 7,525 BTC, worth some $695.93 million.
OCC Interpretive Letter 1188 confirms that a national bank may engage in riskless principal crypto-asset transactions as part of the business of banking. https://t.co/gXirMExhCipic.twitter.com/uPRFGqb2NZ
The crypto market recorded an increase over the past 24 hours, and the US stock market closed mixed during its previous session. By the closing time on Tuesday, 9 December, the S&P 500 was down by 0.088%, the Nasdaq-100 increased by 0.16%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.38%. Investors expect the US Federal Reserve to lower their policy rate by a quarter percentage point today.
Is this rally sustainable?
The market is expected to continue moving in this tight range we’ve been observing for the past month, though major macroeconomic prompts could push it outside that range – in either direction.