Large on-chain movements involving Bitcoin whales have a way of putting the market on edge, especially when they involve transfers to centralized exchanges. A new transaction involving 5,152 BTC moving into Binance has now raised questions around potential sell pressure at a time when Bitcoin’s price action is fragile, highly reactive, and struggling to get a hold of bullish momentum.

Bitcoin Whale Moves 5,152 BTC Worth $445 Million To Binance

On-chain data identified by whale transaction tracker Lookonchain has revealed that a long-term Bitcoin holder deposited 5,152 BTC, valued at approximately $444.73 million, into Binance. The data, sourced from Arkham Intelligence, shows the wallet belongs to an entity tagged as Bitcoin OG (1011short), a trader known to hold a massive combined long position estimated at around $695 million across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

The size and destination of the transfer immediately drew attention, as coins sent to exchanges are typically interpreted as becoming available for trading activity. Moving such a large amount of BTC onto Binance increases immediate sell-side liquidity and shows that the whale address is in preparation for selling. This follows the recent trend of whale addresses selling their Bitcoin holdings and a general lack of buying pressure for the cryptocurrency.

Interestingly, Lookonchain data shows that the same Bitcoin OG (1011short) wallet recently added another 12,406 ETH to its long exposure, pushing its current holdings to 203,341 ETH worth about $577.5 million, alongside 1,000 BTC valued near $87 million and 250,000 SOL worth roughly $30.7 million. Despite increasing exposure, the wallet is now down more than $70 million, having seen profits fall from over $120 million to less than $30 million at the time of writing.

Bearish Whale Behavior Is Not Isolated

This Binance deposit is not occurring in isolation. Lookonchain also noted activity from another whale address, 0x94d3, which has taken explicitly bearish action over the past several hours. According to the data, the whale sold 255 BTC worth approximately $21.77 million at an average price of $85,378 before opening a 10x leveraged short position on 876.27 BTC, valued at about $76.3 million. The same wallet also initiated a leveraged short on 372.78 ETH worth roughly $1.1 million.

Bitcoin’s recent price action makes these whale moves especially impactful. The leading cryptocurrency has failed to hold above $90,000 again and recently fell to a 24-hour low of $84,581. This movement has seen Bitcoin trading in a volatile range, repeatedly revisiting support zones around the mid-$80,000 region. Upside follow-through above $90,000 has been limited, and this has left the cryptocurrency vulnerable.

Interestingly, a careful look at on-chain data shows that any movement that looks like accumulation in recent days is not organic buying but only reshuffling among wallets.

XRP holders could be facing another prolonged stretch of downside pressure as the cryptocurrency continues to lose ground in a weakening market. XRP’s performance this period has been underwhelming enough that analysts have seemingly given up hope of the price challenging higher resistance levels in the near term. They revealed that XRP has slipped below key support zones, leaving few technical barriers to slow further declines. 

XRP Faces Further Decline As All Support Fails

A crypto market analyst who goes by the name ‘Guy on the Earth’ on X has shared a rather bleak outlook on XRP’s near-term prospects. In his post on Thursday, the analyst revealed that XRP looks set for more pain as the market structure continues to deteriorate. He noted that price action is now threatening to lose its Descending Channel, signaling overall weakness rather than stabilization. 

According to the expert, the probability of XRP reclaiming the $1.95 level by the weekly close is incredibly low. However, losing this consolidation range that has contained price since November 2024 opens the door to a technical downside target near $0.90. He also pointed out that a confirmation from the monthly timeframe aligns with the two-week chart, which is fast approaching its close in just a few days. 

Guy on the Earth stated there was little optimism left in the current price setup. He emphasized that no meaningful support levels are holding, and the market demand appears thin, leaving XRP vulnerable to continued selling pressure and potential declines. The analyst’s review of the cryptocurrency’s performance was blunt, suggesting that the market “is what it is” at this stage. 

Looking at the chart shared alongside the analysis, XRP is clearly trading within a well-defined downward channel that has guided price lower for several months now. Each bounce attempt has been capped by descending resistance, reinforcing the cryptocurrency’s bearish trend. Recent candles also show price drifting toward the lower boundary of the Descending Channel, increasing the risk of a correction. 

Momentum indicators at the bottom of the chart also reflect ongoing pressure. XRP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) sits near the lower end of its range, showing persistent weakness as price fails to recover.

Analyst Weighs Short-Term Hope For XRP

When asked by a crypto community member if a daily close back inside the Descending Channel could temporarily save XRP from an extended downturn, Guy on the Earth acknowledged the possibility. He stated that such a move could help in the short term but described it as a “trivial” development compared to larger structural levels.

The crypto analyst’s focus remains on the $1.95 level on the two-week close, highlighting it as the most critical area to watch. He pointed out that this structure has remained intact for the past 13 months, making it a defining support zone for XRP. While bouncing back to the channel would not erase the broader bearish trend, the expert revealed that it would at least suggest that XRP still has a chance to grow. 

Ripple’s push to advance XRP’s institutional relevance took a concrete step forward following a post published by Doppler Finance confirming its partnership with SBI Ripple Asia. The announcement marks a strategic shift from retail-driven narratives to regulated, institution-ready financial infrastructure on the XRP Ledger. The collaboration positions XRP as part of a framework centered on yield generation, compliant custody, and real-world financial integration.

Doppler Finance And SBI Ripple Asia To Expand XRP’s Role Beyond Payments

The partnership between Doppler Finance and SBI Ripple Asia represents a major evolution in XRP’s role in finance. While XRP has long been valued for fast, low-cost cross-border payments, it has lacked infrastructure for institutional investors to earn a regulated yield. This collaboration aims to change that by developing XRP-based yield products designed specifically for compliance-conscious institutions, creating a pathway for professional investors to use XRP as a productive financial asset.

Unlike experimental DeFi initiatives, this effort prioritizes regulated access, risk management, and compliance. SBI Ripple Asia—a joint venture between SBI Holdings and Ripple—anchors the project within an established financial ecosystem, lending credibility and operational rigor. Notably, this is the first time SBI Ripple Asia has partnered with an XRP Ledger-native protocol, signaling that the focus is on building durable, scalable financial infrastructure rather than marketing hype.

Custody and security are central to making these yield products viable for institutional participants. SBI Digital Markets will provide segregated custody for all assets, meeting the strict standards required by asset managers, corporate treasuries, and funds. For traders and institutional users, this means they can access XRP-based yield opportunities without assuming self-custody responsibilities or exposure to smart-contract risks typical in retail DeFi. 

The framework transforms XRP from a token primarily used for payments into a balance-sheet-compatible asset that can generate regulated returns, opening new avenues for institutional adoption, portfolio diversification, and professional-grade risk management.

Strategic Implications For XRP And Ripple In The Broader Market

The partnership strengthens XRP’s role in real-world asset tokenization. Doppler Finance and SBI Ripple Asia plan to leverage the XRP Ledger to support regulated financial products tied to tangible value, positioning XRPL as infrastructure for institutional-grade applications beyond digital payments. This approach lays the groundwork for a structured rollout of XRP-based solutions.

Formalized as a memorandum of understanding, the collaboration signals phased implementation rather than immediate launches. While timelines and yield structures remain undisclosed, the framework reflects clear strategic intent, creating conditions for XRP to expand its role in institutional finance.

For XRP, the impact is structural. Combining yield generation, compliant custody, and real-world asset integration broadens its utility in capital markets and reinforces Ripple’s institutional narrative in Asia, where regulatory clarity typically precedes retail adoption.

Ultimately, the Doppler Finance–SBI partnership redefines XRP’s value proposition. The asset moves from a transaction medium to becoming an integral part of institutional financial architecture. If executed as intended, XRP’s role in global finance could shift from speed-focused transactions to long-term, durable adoption.

A bold claim circulating within the crypto community opens up questions about the long-term positioning of XRP relative to Ethereum. The discussion was due to a post on the social media platform X from YoungHoon Kim, who publicly stated that XRP could surpass Ethereum in market capitalization by 2026. 

The prediction was presented as a personal opinion rather than financial advice, but it quickly gained traction due to Kim’s growing visibility in crypto discussions and his recent shift in tone to XRP. The timing of the statement, combined with a series of increasingly bullish remarks about the token, brings attention to whether such a scenario could realistically unfold.

XRP Flipping Ethereum By 2026: The Core Prediction

At the base of the conversation is Kim’s assertion that XRP could overtake Ethereum’s market cap within the next year. In his post, he directly compared the two assets, stating that XRP could surpass ETH by 2026.

According to MarketCapOf, in order for XRP to flip the current market cap of Ethereum, it would require not only a substantial price increase but also a push to new all-time highs at $5.64. This would require a sustained change in capital allocation across the broader market. 

XRP With The Market Cap Of ETH. Source: MarketCapOf

The possibility of XRP’s expanding institutional usage is a factor that could compress the valuation gap to Ethereum over time. Although the claim is speculative, the 2026 timeframe gives investors a clear timeframe through which XRP can meaningfully challenge Ethereum’s altcoin dominance.

From Bitcoin Advocacy To Direct XRP Accumulation

Kim, who claims to possess the world’s highest recorded IQ of 276, has frequently highlighted this distinction in his public profile. This is a detail that has added to the attention surrounding his recent statements on XRP. Furthermore, his recent comments have been a change from weeks of near-exclusive Bitcoin commentary to a pivot into XRP. In a previous post on December 12, Young Hoon Kim noted that he is only buying XRP from now on. Shortly before that, he also suggested that XRP has a strong chance of reaching a new all-time high before the end of the year.

In a separate post, he stated that XRP could reach $100 within the next five years. Although this statement is secondary to the Ethereum comparison, it adds important context to Kim’s broader thesis. A $100 XRP would likely require deep institutional adoption and XRP playing a central role in large-scale financial infrastructure. 

Some critics view price prediction and the claim of XRP’s market cap overtaking that of Ethereum in 2026 as too optimistic, even some of the most popular XRP analysts. One of the replies came from an X user known as BD, who claims to be the world’s most bullish XRP holder. He warned Kim to be careful of what he is saying. “If you are wrong, you will be the guy with the lowest IQ,” he said.

Bitcoin (BTC) has entered an extreme oversold phase, with momentum indicators dropping to levels that historically signal market exhaustion and a trend reversal. Researchers tracking macro conditions and long-term price behavior say that the current drawdown reflects a reset in positioning, not the end of the bull market. Based on past recovery patterns, the analyst believes that Bitcoin could soon forge a path toward a new all-time high. 

Bitcoin Enters Extreme Oversold Territory 

Thomas Lee, Co-founder and Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of Fundstrat Capital, has flagged Bitcoin’s latest market condition as a key technical development. He pointed to data from Bittel Julien, head of macro research at Global Macro Investor, which highlights how deeply oversold Bitcoin has become within the current cycle and the cryptocurrency’s potential to reach a new ATH. 

In his post on X, Lee publicly commended Julien’s analysis, emphasizing that historically extreme oversold conditions in BTC have often been followed by meaningful bounces. Julien, who also shared his report on X this Wednesday, explained that his analysis responds to frequent requests for updates on a long-running market model that tracks Bitcoin’s behavior following major momentum breakdowns. 

According to him, the model examines BTC’s average price path after the Relative Strength Index (RSI) falls below 30, a level widely considered to indicate extreme oversold conditions. The analyst stated that Bitcoin’s recent price action has closely followed technical historical patterns, provided the broader bull market structure remains intact. 

The accompanying chart compares current Bitcoin price behavior with the average historical trajectory observed after the last five instances in which the cryptocurrency entered oversold territory. The point at which RSI declines below 30 is marked as “time zero.” In previous cycles, this moment typically followed a period of stabilization and a strong upward recovery over the following weeks and months.

Based on historical averages, Julien sees a potential path toward new all-time highs if Bitcoin continues to track past recovery patterns. While the market researcher cautions that the chart is not perfect, he argues that it remains a useful analytical framework, particularly if the four-year cycle thesis continues to play out.  

BTC Cycle Could Extend Into 2026 As 4-Year Pattern Breaks 

Julien’s analysis also suggests that the current Bitcoin cycle could extend well into 2026 and challenge the relevance of the traditional four-year cycle thesis. According to the market researcher, the BTC cycle has never been driven by halving events, contrary to what the broader crypto community believes. Instead, he stated that the cycle is fueled by public debt refinancing, which was delayed by a year after COVID. 

He highlighted that Bitcoin’s four-year cycle is now officially broken due to an increase in the weighted average maturity of the debt term structure. He also noted that liquidity conditions and ongoing interest expense monetization, which far exceed GDP growth, support a prolonged cycle. 

Furthermore, Julien emphasized that Bitcoin’s price bases usually take time to form and often include periods of volatility before a significant upward move occurs. The market researcher explained that his analysis was not a signal of an immediate market decline but rather a framework that assumes the bull market is still firmly in place. 

Grayscale, one of the world’s largest digital asset managers, outlined its 2026 Digital Asset Outlook, projecting that the Bitcoin price could reach a new all-time high in the first half of 2026. The forecast is based on structural changes in market design, expanding institutional participation, and broader macroeconomic forces. These developments form the foundation of Grayscale’s view that capital structure and demand dynamics will define Bitcoin’s next market phase.

Institutional Capital Redefines The Bitcoin Price Growth Curve

A central pillar of Grayscale’s outlook is the transition of Bitcoin from a retail-led asset to an institutionally supported financial instrument. The firm argues that the market is entering a phase where large allocators, including asset managers, advisory platforms, and long-term capital pools, are no longer evaluating Bitcoin as an experiment but as a portfolio component. This shift fundamentally alters demand behavior, replacing short-term trading flows with measured, strategic allocations.

Grayscale highlights that regulatory progress and clearer market rules are reducing friction for institutions that previously remained sidelined. As operational and compliance barriers fall, capital that once avoided digital assets due to uncertainty can now enter with greater confidence. This gradual but persistent inflow model creates sustained upward pressure on price rather than sharp, unstable spikes.

Crucially, Grayscale notes that institutional exposure to Bitcoin remains relatively small compared to traditional asset classes. From a portfolio construction perspective, this leaves significant room for expansion. Even modest increases in allocation percentages can translate into meaningful demand, especially given Bitcoin’s fixed supply. The firm views this imbalance between potential demand and limited issuance as a key reason price discovery is expected to continue upward into 2026.

Macro Pressures And Supply Dynamics Set The Stage For New Highs

Beyond institutional adoption, Grayscale’s outlook identifies macroeconomic conditions as a key driver shaping Bitcoin’s next phase of price expansion. Elevated sovereign debt, currency dilution, and persistent inflation risks are directing capital toward assets with transparent and finite supply. In this context, Bitcoin’s fixed issuance schedule reinforces its role as a macro-aligned asset.

This macro framing also underpins Grayscale’s reassessment of Bitcoin’s traditional four-year market cycles. As the asset integrates further into mainstream finance, the firm argues that historical, halving-centered models are losing relevance. In their place, Bitcoin’s valuation is increasingly influenced by liquidity conditions, market access, and investor behavior aligned with other macro-sensitive assets. This transition signals a market responding to structural inputs rather than repeating legacy patterns.

Supply dynamics further strengthen this view. As issuance slows and long-term Bitcoin holders retain more coins, market liquidity tightens. Combined with expanding demand channels, this creates an environment where price appreciation is supported by structural fundamentals rather than episodic surges.

Grayscale’s analysis indicates that these factors could drive Bitcoin to a new all-time high in early 2026. Considering the current all-time high of $126,198.06, the outlook positions the next phase of price discovery as a continuation of market maturation, supported by disciplined supply and macro alignment.

Recent fund flow data across US-listed crypto investment products is revealing a notable divergence in investor behavior, as Ethereum-focused funds continue to shed billions in capital, and XRP-linked products are recording steady inflows that now place them among the strongest performers in the Spot crypto ETF market. 

Data from SoSoValue shows that this divergence has persisted for the past month, showing that investors are beginning to favor XRP’s regulated crypto exposure over Ethereum.

Ethereum ETFs See Billions Exit In One Month

According to SoSoValue data, Ethereum Spot ETFs have experienced sustained capital outflows over the past four weeks, with cumulative net outflows since the beginning of November coming in at $1.725 billion. November alone accounted for $1.42 billion of those redemptions, making it the worst month for Ethereum ETF flows since the products launched in the US in July 2024.

The intensity of the selling was evident across several trading sessions during November, where  daily outflows exceeded $250 million on a few occasions. This negative momentum has carried into December with little sign of stabilization. Spot Ethereum ETFs have extended their outflow streak, with the most recent two trading days alone recording net redemptions of $224.78 million and $224.26 million, respectively. 

At the same time, Ethereum’s Spot price has struggled to gain traction. The continued ETF outflows have coincided with muted price action, with ETH failing to hold above $3,000.

Rather than seeing rotation between Ethereum products, the data shows capital leaving the Ethereum ETF complex altogether. This pattern means that investors may be reallocating funds away from ETH exposure into other assets, and XRP is showing the strongest conviction.

Spot Ethereum ETF Flows. Source: SoSoValue

XRP ETFs Record $1 Billion In Consistent Inflows

The first U.S.-listed Spot XRP ETF was launched on November 23, and the momentum has been positive since then. At the time of writing, there are now five Spot XRP ETF issuers in the US, and they have yet to have a collective day of outflows. 

In contrast, XRP-linked spot ETFs have posted a full month of uninterrupted net inflows. This comes up to 22 consecutive trading days, with a cumulative inflow of $1.01 billion since launch. This, in turn, has pushed total assets under management to around $1.16 billion as of December 16. 

Spot XRP ETF Flows. Source: SoSoValue

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse described the growth of XRP ETFs as a signal of broader structural demand for regulated crypto products. He recently highlighted that XRP became the fastest crypto spot ETF since Ethereum to surpass $1 billion in assets under management in the US. This shows institutional crypto investors are switching sides from Ethereum to XRP. 

The divergence becomes even more pronounced when compared with Bitcoin, which has always dictated the pace of general inflows. According to data from SoSoValue, Spot Bitcoin ETFs are on a combined outflow of $3.915 billion since the beginning of November.

Spot Bitcoin ETF Flows. Source: SoSoValue

What makes these numbers more interesting is that they are coming at a period of bearish price action for the entire crypto market, with the XRP price even breaking below the $2 support level. 

The XRP price structure and recent momentum are pointing toward a potentially transformational shift this week. Although the cryptocurrency has experienced an extended period of downside pressure, technical signals suggest that XRP may be nearing the end of its corrective phase. If key support levels are tested and defended this week, it could redefine XRP’s short-term trend and set the tone for price action heading into the end of the year. 

XRP Price Eyes Dip To $1.64, Builds Uptrend Base

Crypto market analyst CasiTrades believes that this week could mark a pivotal turning point for XRP’s price action. In a recent X post, she shared a chart showing XRP trading within a well-defined descending structure marked by lower highs and multiple Fibonacci values. 

CasiTrades noted that XRP’s recent price behavior has confirmed her downside scenario, with the cryptocurrency now approaching the final support zone of its current corrective phase. She highlighted that XRP failed to reclaim the $2.0 level as support over the weekend, confirming what she described as “the pink scenario.” For context, XRP suffered an unexpected breakdown below $2 last week and is currently trading at $1.91 after a slight recovery. 

According to the analyst, the market is now firmly in subwave Wave 3 to the downside, with momentum and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) pushing to new extremes that typically precede a major uptrend reversal. She stated that the next key level to watch is around $1.73, which could provide short-term relief if buyers step in. 

Below this, CasiTrades emphasized that a more critical area sits near $1.64, the macro support aligning with the 0.618 Fibonacci level. She predicts the XRP price could decline further, from $1.91 to $1.64, this week, viewing this area as the most likely final low of the cryptocurrency’s broader corrective move. 

In her post, CasiTrades pointed out that XRP may drop to the projected support in Wave 3 without first bouncing to $1.73. If this direct move occurs, she notes that the market may not require a second retest of the zone, as the support could hold on the first touch. The analyst further explained that a move to $1.64 would align closely with Bitcoin potentially crashing to $79,000. 

While she acknowledged that BTC still has a lower support near $64,000 if the $79,000 level fails, CasiTrades emphasized that XRP is unlikely to break below the $1.64, even though a nearby support exists around $1.54 at the golden pocket. 

XRP To See Major Rebound This Week

While CasiTrades predicts that XRP could first decline to the $1.64 support, she expects the cryptocurrency to bounce sharply from this level, potentially opening the door for an explosive move above the $2.41-$3.00 range. She highlighted that this powerful reversal could occur by Friday, December 19, 2025. 

The analyst also emphasized that a potential rally to this bullish range is XRP making its decision at the final moment. She remarks that the market is heading into the week excited and in time for the holiday celebrations. 

As volatility weighs heavily on the market, fresh insights are shedding light on who is really driving activity in the XRP ecosystem. A crypto analyst has shared new observations, revealing that a specific demographic continues to dominate XRP trading activity. The analyst explained that this trend has held steady despite the cryptocurrency experiencing notable downside momentum, with prices sliding to new lows amid broader market uncertainty.

Analyst Says Whales Are Dominating XRP 

A recent analysis report by market expert Xaif Crypto suggests that whales remain the dominant demographic influencing price action. He shared a chart on X highlighting Spot Average Order Size on the XRP Ledger, showing normal, retail, and big and small whale orders. 

The analyst noted that the recent spike in XRP trading has been driven primarily by whales. According to his report, this trend has persisted despite the altcoin entering a period of short-term price weakness. The cryptocurrency has recently declined toward its lowest price levels this year, raising concerns among smaller investors. 

Xaif Crypto explained that this type of behavior from whales is often seen during market bottoming phases. He emphasized that large holders typically increase accumulation when prices are depressed and avoid aggressive buying once a strong uptrend is already underway. The analyst also noted that this strategy suggests whales may be positioning themselves ahead of a potential recovery in XRP’s price.

The continued presence of whales has also helped stabilize liquidity to some degree during the ongoing decline. While retail traders may hesitate amid falling prices, whale activity tends to prevent sharp breakdowns by absorbing significant selling pressure. 

Buying Sentiment Surges Amid Price Weakness

A CryptoQuant analyst who also highlighted that XRP’s trading activity continues to be dominated by whales has observed a notable change in the cryptocurrency’s Spot Taker CVD. According to the analyst’s report, XRP’s Spot Taker CVD has entered a taker-buy dominant trend. This shift suggests that aggressive buyers are now outweighing sellers, often interpreted as a sign of strengthening market sentiment and potential upside for price action.

These market changes follow XRP’s sharp drop, which has pushed its price below $2 for the first time in months. The cryptocurrency has struggled to break through resistance zones needed to establish new highs, keeping overall sentiment cautious among traders. 

At present, XRP is trading around $1.82, down more than 6% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap. Over the past week, the cryptocurrency’s price has fallen by nearly 9%, adding to the broader bearish outlook. XRP’s year-to-date performance is also negative, with the cryptocurrency losing about 22% of its value so far. 

Despite these severe declines, buying activity has increased significantly. Additionally, daily trading volume has surged by more than 97%, suggesting renewed interest as whales continue to shape the market’s direction. 

A private investment firm has outlined why XRP constitutes the largest share of its portfolio. The firm explains that its investment rationale is anchored in XRP’s Proven operational performance and functional utility rather than aspirational projections, community momentum, or speculative price expectations. As a result, the position reflects a deliberate focus on infrastructure value, reinforcing XRP’s status as a core long-term holding rather than a tactical crypto trade.

Why XRP Aligns With A Function-First Investment Approach

The investment firm’s reasoning positions XRP as a natural fit for a portfolio strategy that prioritizes function over narrative. According to the firm, its heavy allocation is the byproduct of a disciplined evaluation of how well an asset performs its intended role. In this framework, concentration is justified only when an asset demonstrates clear operational strengths, and XRP is presented as having earned that status through its design and execution.

Building on that premise, the firm points to XRP’s specialization as a settlement-oriented digital asset as the primary driver of its allocation decision. The network is structured to deliver rapid and definitive transaction completion, eliminating the uncertainty that can complicate value transfer on many blockchain systems. This reliability is reinforced by consistently low transaction costs that remain stable regardless of usage levels, enabling predictable large-scale transfers without exposure to fee volatility. As transaction volume increases, XRP’s ability to maintain high throughput without congestion further supports its suitability for continuous, real-world payment activity.

These technical attributes also connect directly to the firm’s broader investment thesis around institutional usability. By operating without a proof-of-work mechanism, the ledger avoids the inefficiencies and regulatory friction often associated with energy-intensive networks. 

In the firm’s assessment, this design choice enhances operational clarity and aligns more closely with the compliance and efficiency standards expected by financial institutions. Taken together, these factors explain why the firm views XRP less as a speculative vehicle and more as functional infrastructure, reinforcing its alignment with a function-first investment approach and justifying its central role within the portfolio.

Positioning For Institutional Adoption And Market Repricing

The firm frames its investment thesis around how markets evolve under regulatory pressure. As digital asset regulation advances, financial institutions are expected to prioritize reliability, compliance, and operational efficiency over popularity or community momentum. Adoption is therefore driven less by attention and more by seamless integration into existing financial frameworks.

This perspective also informs how digital assets may be valued. The firm expects a gradual shift from narrative-based pricing toward metrics such as transaction throughput, liquidity efficiency, and real-world demand. Assets able to move value at scale will likely be repriced as usage rises and speculative excess fades. In the firm’s assessment, XRP is one of the few assets already meeting these standards, and by concentrating its portfolio in XRP, it positions itself ahead of this transition.

Dogecoin’s weekly price chart is revealing an interesting event of an important momentum indicator hitting a level that has always been a major turning point for the cryptocurrency.  After spending the past several weeks falling lower into the $0.13 price region, Dogecoin’s Relative Strength Index on the weekly timeframe has reached levels that have only appeared a handful of times over the asset’s entire trading history. The observation, first highlighted by crypto analyst Cryptollica, revisits how Dogecoin has behaved the last few times this technical condition happened.

A Rare Weekly RSI Signal In Dogecoin’s History

Technical analysis indicates that Dogecoin’s weekly Relative Strength Index has dropped into a narrow zone around the 33 level, a condition that has appeared only four times over roughly eleven years of trading history. Each of those occasions aligned with periods where selling pressure had largely run its course, even though price action itself did not immediately reverse. Instead, these phases were marked by quiet accumulation.

The Dogecoin chart highlights these moments clearly, with pronounced RSI dips into the lower band during 2015, 2020, and 2022. In each case, price followed a similar script: extended basing ranges formed after the RSI reached this level, laying the groundwork for the next sustained advance. Now in late 2025, Dogecoin’s RSI is again exhibiting this same structural behavior, and this places the current price action in a way that might play out bullish.

Short-term oversold readings are relatively common as reversal indicators, but they often produce false starts. However, since this is on the weekly timeframe, this specific setup tends to emerge only during broader market resets and is much more reliable. During those resets, the RSI stabilized and rebounded from the 30 to 33 zone as price gradually transitioned from consolidation into a new uptrend.

Dogecoin Price Chart. Source: @Cryptollica On X

What The Current RSI Setup Could Mean Going Forward

As of mid-December 2025, Dogecoin is trading in the low-$0.13 to mid-$0.14 range, having slipped back below $0.14 that had been acting as short-term support in recent weeks. This price area has been volatile, with moves between roughly $0.13 and about $0.15, reflecting an ongoing struggle between buyers and sellers and a lack of decisive bullish momentum. The sellers are winning right now, with Dogecoin trading at $0.13, down by 5% in the past 24 hours and about to lose this price level. 

Nonetheless, the weekly RSI that’s currently at the usually significant zone adds additional context. It proposes a scenario where Dogecoin is about to reach a price bottom and buyers regain control in the coming weeks. However, considering that this is a weekly indicator, Dogecoin’s price action might continue to consolidate around this level for the next few weeks before any meaningful bounce takes place.

Ripple, Solana, and XRP are converging at a pivotal moment as Ripple formally repositions XRP for a multichain future that extends well beyond a single partnership. At the Solana Breakpoint event, Ripple leadership outlined how integrating XRP into Solana’s ecosystem represents a strategic inflection point for the asset’s utility, liquidity profile, and long-term relevance within decentralized finance. The move signals a clear transition from chain-specific execution toward cross-ecosystem scalability, with XRP positioned as a portable liquidity layer rather than a siloed network token.

Ripple’s Strategic Play At Solana Breakpoint

The vision of a Ripple-Solana integration was shared on December 13, 2025, by Luke Judges, Ripple’s Global Partner Success Lead, during a presentation at Solana Breakpoint, one of the industry’s most influential conferences focused on blockchain performance and ecosystem collaboration. Judges made it explicit that Ripple’s roadmap no longer treats the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as the sole environment for XRP’s growth. Instead, the company is executing a deliberate multichain strategy designed to embed XRP directly into high-activity DeFi ecosystems.

Central to this announcement was the introduction of wXRP, a wrapped version of XRP that will operate on the Solana network. The initiative is supported by Hex Trust, which handles custody and issuance, and LayerZero, which provides the cross-chain messaging infrastructure. Importantly, wXRP maintains a 1:1 backing with native XRP, ensuring holders retain full price exposure while gaining access to Solana-based applications. This structure allows Ripple to expand XRP’s reach without diluting its underlying value proposition.

Judges emphasized that the integration is aimed at practical market outcomes rather than experimentation. By placing XRP inside Solana’s high-throughput environment, Ripple is targeting deeper liquidity, higher transaction velocity, and sustained demand from users already active in decentralized trading and lending.

XRP Enters A Multichain Era

Ripple’s expansion of XRP into multiple networks marks a shift toward broader blockchain interoperability. Against this backdrop, the operational impact of wXRP becomes clearer. By bringing XRP onto Solana, Ripple is enabling direct participation across decentralized exchanges, lending and borrowing markets, and liquidity protocols. This expansion unlocks yield strategies and advanced trading instruments that were previously out of reach for XRP holders operating solely within the XRP Ledger. At the same time, wallet integrations such as Phantom, which serves roughly 20 million users, significantly extend XRP’s accessibility and day-to-day usability within Solana’s ecosystem.

Beyond Solana, Ripple has made clear that this is a template, not an endpoint. Judges confirmed that similar cross-chain deployments are planned for Ethereum, Optimism, HyperEVM, and other networks aligned with Ripple’s broader DeFi and RLUSD strategy. 

That long-term architecture is anchored by the XRP Ledger itself, a point reinforced by J. Ayo Akinyele, Head of Engineering at RippleX. As activity and liquidity extend across multiple chains, XRPL remains the stable foundation supporting these integrations. Through this strategy, Ripple positions XRP as a cross-ecosystem settlement and liquidity asset, capable of supporting multiple networks while anchored by the stability of XRPL.

Bitcoin (BTC) and the crypto market enter the week facing a series of events that could shape short-term price action. Key macroeconomic data, policy signals, and sector-specific developments are set to test market sentiment and influence volatility across major digital assets. Traders and investors are closely watching how these events unfold, as shifting expectations around inflation and liquidity could determine whether the market recovers or extends its downside pressure. 

Events Set To Move Bitcoin And Crypto Market This Week

Bitcoin and the broader crypto market face a pivotal week, with several high-impact economic events lining up just days before Christmas. With year-end liquidity thinning and the recent market downturn, price reactions to macro developments could be more volatile than usual.

The period from December 16 to 19 features key US economic data releases alongside global policy decisions that directly influence risk sentiment. Cryptocurrencies remain highly sensitive to shifts in interest rate expectations and dollar liquidity, making this week decisive for Bitcoin’s near-term direction.

On December 16, October retail sales data and the November US Jobs Report are scheduled for release. These data provide insight into consumer strength and labor market conditions, both of which influence the extent to which monetary policy may remain restrictive. Usually, stronger retail spending or job growth could reinforce expectations that interest rates stay higher for longer. This risk scenario often pressures Bitcoin and other crypto assets as tighter financial conditions tend to reduce speculative capital flows. 

Next are the November Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data and the December Philly Fed Manufacturing Index, due on December 18. Notably, inflation remains one of the most influential drivers for crypto markets. If inflation comes in stronger than expected, the US dollar could strengthen, weighing on Bitcoin prices. Conversely, softer inflation data may support risk assets by improving the outlook for Quantitative Easing (QE). 

December 19 will see the release of several key economic reports, including the National Core CPI year over year, November existing home sales, the revised UoM consumer sentiment, and inflation expectations. National Core CPI is especially important as it is the primary measure of underlying inflation and often triggers market volatility. 

US FED And Japan Monetary Policy Events 

At the December 18-19 monetary policy meeting, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) is expected to announce its interest rate decision, which could affect global liquidity conditions. In a recent speech, Governor Kazuo Ueda stated that the BOJ was weighing the advantages and drawbacks of raising interest rates from 0.5% to 0.75%. If a spike occurs, it could affect risk markets, including cryptocurrency.

In addition, five US Federal Reserve speaker events are scheduled this week. Their comments and insights could quickly reshape crypto market expectations. Last week, the FED cut rates by 25 basis points at its final 2025 FOMC meeting, bringing the new US interest rate to 3.50-3.75%. This rate cut triggered a surprising sell off, underscoring significant impact on Bitcoin and the broader crypto market. 

XRP is at the center of the institutional flows, leading the crypto market in streaks of capital inflows even as its price is locked around $2. Recent data shows that money is still entering into Spot XRP ETF products, but despite this steady demand and a clear shift toward bullish sentiment across social platforms, XRP’s spot price has struggled to break higher, and this raises questions as to why inflows and price action appear out of sync.

Spot XRP ETFs Are Seeing Relentless Institutional Demand

Institutional appetite for XRP has been especially visible through Spot XRP exchange-traded funds. These products have now logged 19 days of uninterrupted inflows, with a fresh capital of $20.17 million added again on Friday. 

The latest figures from SoSoValue show that these inflows pushed cumulative inflows to $990.91 million, close to the $1 billion mark. Assets under management have also continued to rise, now sitting well above the $1 billion threshold at $1.18 billion. To put this into perspective, Spot Ethereum ETFs ended last week with $19.41 million of outflows

This pattern points to deliberate and sustained accumulation of XRP. Institutions appear comfortable building exposure to XRP gradually, taking advantage of its deep liquidity and regulated access through ETF structures.

Bullish Social Sentiment Has Not Yet Translated To Price

Another notable trend with XRP is that sentiment among retail participants has turned increasingly optimistic in the past few days. Data from market intelligence firm Santiment, which monitors discussions across platforms including X, Telegram, Reddit, and Discord, points to a noticeable increase in positive commentary surrounding the altcoin over the past week.

Santiment data shows that XRP has ranked among the most positively discussed assets of the year, much higher than Ethereum. This increase in positive sentiment has been characterized by traders expressing confidence as the price continues to hold above $2. Particularly, Santiment data shows that last week was the seventh most bullish sentiment week of 2025 for XRP.

Retail Staying Optimistic Toward XRP. Source: Santiment

Under normal conditions, this combination of strong inflows and improving sentiment would typically suggest a bullish setup. However, sentiment alone does not move markets, and XRP has been range-bound around $2. 

The most important thing is the difference between buying and selling pressure. The lack of bullish price action means that persistent sell-side activity from existing holders has been sufficient to absorb incoming demand, and this has kept XRP’s price constrained even as accumulation quietly builds. 

The same dynamic applies to ETF flows. Although Spot XRP ETFs have posted inflows for 19 consecutive days, the daily figures are relatively modest. Inflows would need to expand into the hundreds of millions of dollars on a consistent basis for these products to reflect in the XRP price. The strongest signal of improving sentiment right now is XRP’s ability to hold above $2 in the next few trading sessions, rather than any decisive breakout to the upside.

Shiba Inu’s Layer-2 network, Shibarium, is facing a serious challenge after a prominent decentralized finance platform within its ecosystem publicly warned that it may abandon the chain entirely. K9 Finance DAO, a liquid staking protocol built on Shibarium, announced it has set a firm deadline to resolve outstanding issues linked to September’s bridge exploit.

The announcement, which was shared on the social media platform X, points to a breakdown in communication between ecosystem builders and the Shibarium development team. According to K9 Finance, private discussions that had been ongoing for months following the hack have now stalled, and this is why the DAO is addressing the matter publicly.

K9 Finance Brings Dispute Into the Open

In its statement, K9 Finance DAO said it had complied with every request made by the Shibarium team in the aftermath of the bridge exploit and had acted in good faith throughout the process. The DAO noted that it maintained several private communication channels with the Shib team in an effort to reach closure and ensure affected users were compensated.

That process has now reached a standstill. K9 Finance disclosed that it has received no further communication or guidance from the Shibarium team, leading it to move the discussion into the public timeline. However, this step was taken by the K9 Finance DAO to provide clarity to its holders and uphold responsible governance, not to provoke drama or controversy.

As part of its announcement, K9 Finance set January 6, 2026 as the final deadline for users impacted by the Shibarium bridge incident to be fully and verifiably made whole. If restitution is not completed by that date, the DAO says it will convene and vote on its future relationship with Shibarium, including whether continuing to operate on the chain makes sense for the long-term health of the K9 ecosystem.

K9 Finance is a decentralized finance protocol built on Shibarium that focuses on liquid staking within the Shiba Inu ecosystem. The platform operates as a decentralized autonomous organization, with governance decisions made by token holders through the K9 Finance DAO. 

K9 Finance is one of the most visible DeFi platforms on the Shibarium chain, and its stance could influence sentiment among other builders.

The Main Issue: September’s Bridge Hack

The dispute traces back to the Shibarium bridge exploit in September 2025, when attackers used a flash-loan-based strategy to drain assets from the bridge. The incident forced emergency pauses across parts of the network and security updates by the Shiba Inu team.

During that incident, roughly $4.1 million in assets, including ETH, SHIB, and other tokens, were taken, and around $717,000 worth of KNINE tokens were affected. However, the stolen KNINE tokens could not be sold from the attacker’s wallet because they were frozen by K9 Finance. 

Although the Shibarium team later restored network functionality and introduced additional security measures, the recent announcement shows that compensation discussions have continued behind the scenes without a final resolution.

After nearly five years of dormancy, a cluster of Silk Road–linked wallets just moved 33.7 Bitcoin—roughly $3 million—in a sudden on-chain resurgence that immediately brought the BTC price back into focus. While the volume is modest, the combination of its origin, timing, and institutional destination gives it an outsized narrative impact. With Bitcoin already navigating a fragile price range, this development raises concerns about renewed downward pressure.

The 33.7 BTC Silk Road BTC Transfer And Its Potential Impact On Bitcoin’s Price

The movement began with a series of small outputs originating from early-era Silk Road addresses, all using the old “1…” legacy format. These wallets had last shown activity on February 2, 2021, before abruptly pushing out 176 tiny transactions that were subsequently consolidated into the bech32 address bc1qnysx9sr0s7uw39awr3hh099d5m0lvrnxz7ga54. Roughly a day later, that entire 33.7 BTC was moved again through an intermediary hop and then flagged by chain-analysis dashboards as a Coinbase Prime deposit.

The first alert about the movement came from the X account DarkWebInformer, which spotted the burst of micro-transactions. Even after this transfer, about 416 BTC—roughly $37.5 million—remains untouched in the wider group of connected addresses. This supports the idea that the 33.7 BTC shift was simply a dust-sweep or cleanup action, not a full-scale release of seized holdings.

With the operational picture clear, the focus shifts to the price impact. In terms of liquidity, 33.7 BTC is far too small to trigger a market-wide dump. What matters more is the psychological effect. Bitcoin is already trading in a corrective range, and activity linked to Silk Road history can make traders cautious. Although the Coinbase Prime routing points to OTC or custodial handling rather than a spot-market sale, the optics alone can tighten risk models and stoke volatility in the BTC price. 

Dormant Wallets And Market Sensitivity

Dormant Silk Road wallets have a history of resurfacing. In May 2025, two such wallets moved over 3,400 BTC—worth roughly $322 million—after nearly a decade of inactivity. The funds were transferred into new addresses rather than exchanges, showing that these movements do not automatically trigger selling and are more notable for their on-chain and narrative significance than for their impact on liquidity.

While these transfers have little direct effect on liquidity, Bitcoin’s current price action makes the market more sensitive to any headline. After approaching $94,000 earlier this month, BTC slipped back to $90,000–$92,000. On X, bearish analysts have highlighted a continuation pattern, with some projecting potential downside toward $88,000 – $89,000. This environment primes traders to react strongly to even minor negative catalysts, including long-dormant wallet activity.

Overall, the recent Silk Road transfer is unlikely to trigger a standalone dump. The main pressure stems from Bitcoin’s fragile technical posture, making even small but symbolically significant moves capable of increasing short-term volatility.

The XRP price could be on the verge of a massive crash, as a crypto analyst has identified a key technical pattern in the cryptocurrency’s structure that signals a potentially severe downturn. According to the analyst, this formation has appeared only twice in XRP’s history, and each time has preceded a devastating loss. If the pattern were to repeat, the cryptocurrency could be headed for more pain. The analyst warns traders and investors to stop buying XRP at this time, citing heightened risk. 

Analyst Advices Against Buying XRP As Price Crash Looms

An urgent warning from market analyst Steph is Crypto has spread across the community, as he advises traders and investors to “not touch XRP anymore.” The analyst shared a video of his XRP price forecast on a recent X post, revealing that the altcoin’s long-term indicators point to a troubling setup that could mirror downturns observed during past market cycles. 

Steph Is Crypto shared that his study of the monthly Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for XRP has revealed a new bearish crossover taking shape, signaling declining momentum. The analyst stated that XRP had formed a bearish crossover on the chart only twice since its inception in 2012. Both times this pattern appeared, the cryptocurrency underwent one of the most dramatic price crashes ever, losing over half its value right after. 

He explained that during the first bearish crossover in 2019, XRP crashed by more than 84%. Similarly, a second crossover reemerged in 2022, triggering a deep price decline of about 67%. It’s worth highlighting that each time XRP formed this bearish signal, it was after a major bull market. 

In 2018, the cryptocurrency staged a historic rally that sent its price to its current all-time high above $3.84. Likewise, the steep correction in 2022 came on the heels of an explosive 2021 bull market, one of the most powerful in crypto’s history.  

Just as in the past, Steph Is Crypto sees a bearish crossover forming once again in the current cycle, suggesting that the conditions are aligning for another devastating price crash. He admitted that he wishes he had not spotted this formation on XRP’s chart, underscoring his usually bullish stance on the cryptocurrency. The analyst has cautioned traders to take this historical setup seriously and to consider the possibility that XRP could revisit significantly lower price ranges if the pattern plays out. 

XRP Price Momentum Remains Weak

XRP remains in a downward trend, with its price barely holding above $2.00. The cryptocurrency has dropped by over 15% so far this month, declined about 2.2% over the past week, and has crashed approximately 16% year to date, according to CoinMarketCap. 

XRP’s price momentum is weak, with little indication of a near-term recovery. The cryptocurrency’s Fear and Greed Index has slipped to 42, edging closer to the “fear” zone. This market uncertainty is being driven by the cryptocurrency’s sluggish price action, despite having passed $3.00 earlier this year and nearly challenging its all-time high. 

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

Coordinated Impersonation Playbooks Are Now Targeting XRP Users

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

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

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

Community Reports Confirm The Escalating Threat Environment

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

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

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

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

Ripple Could Secure National Bank Charter Soon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A recent post by crypto analyst Stockmoney Lizards on X suggests that the current Bitcoin structure is giving bears “the perfect opportunity” to short the market down to $40,000. His message was paired with a chart showing Bitcoin falling below an important resistance ever since it broke below $100,000, creating what appears to be a clean continuation setup for traders expecting deeper losses. 

However, although the chart highlights a similar bearish structure in 2022, the analysis behind his post points to a more layered interpretation of what may come next for Bitcoin.

The Setup Bears Believe Is Finally Here

In the chart he shared, Stockmoney Lizards showed how Bitcoin’s latest breakdown resembles the 2022 pattern, when the price action rejected a major resistance level and fell sharply into what later became a large accumulation zone.  The current structure shows a similar rejection just above the $100,000 zone, followed by a drop below the weekly EMA50. This move has brought Bitcoin into a region that is similar to the range where accumulation formed in the earlier cycle. 

An overlay of the new price action on top of the previous one shows the path downward seems almost predetermined, creating the impression that the Bitcoin price is setting up a natural decline to as low as $40,000 in the coming weeks and months. Bitcoin is currently trading at $90,240. A crash to $40,000 would mean wiping out roughly 55% of its value from here, effectively erasing the entire progress it has built over the past two years.

Bitcoin Price Chart. Source: @StockmoneyL On X

Why The Perfect Short Is Not The Analyst’s Real Message

After the post gained traction, Stockmoney Lizards stepped in to clarify that his message had been taken too literally. His invitation for traders to short down to $40,000 was intentionally exaggerated, and the market does not behave this way. 

He clarified that he does not foresee a collapse into a deep bear market. Instead, he believes Bitcoin may consolidate, possibly sweep local lows, but not have a prolonged breakdown. Furthermore, he noted that the worst-case scenario would be a touch of the weekly EMA200, and this is not a place where bull markets end. The real midterm prediction is a higher move for the Bitcoin price.

Before posting the supposedly bearish prediction, Stockmoney Lizards had shared another analysis describing Bitcoin as being close to the endboss at the weekly EMA50 indicator. 

Bitcoin Price Chart. Source: @StockmoneyL On X

That earlier chart offered a clearer view of his actual stance. In it, he predicted that Bitcoin was approaching a major technical pivot and that he expected upward movement into the end of December and Q1 2025. Therefore, the weekly EMA50 is the barrier that Bitcoin needs to reclaim in order to launch its next phase of bullish momentum.