Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Australia’s new eSafety rules requiring search engines to verify the age of logged-in users came into force on Dec. 27 with a six-month compliance window. Methods allowed include photo ID, face scans, credit cards, digital ID, parental consent, AI or third-party verification. Default high-level safety filters must apply to accounts suspected of being under 18, and search results must be filtered for pornography and graphic violence. The rules also mandate reporting mechanisms for violations. Privacy and free-speech advocates have voiced major concerns. Separately, Ireland plans to press for EU-wide social media ID verification and a ban on anonymous accounts when it holds the EU Council presidency in July 2026, framing the move as a tool to curb hate and disinformation. Irish deputy prime minister Simon Harris said enforcement of the digital age of consent (16) is weak and wants EU action on anonymous bots. The story notes US pushback: the US government and some lawmakers argue such foreign regulations risk censoring US platforms, with proposals like the GRANITE Act and recent sanctions on EU officials cited as responses. Key themes: age verification, ID requirements, anonymity ban, online safety regulation, privacy and free-speech concerns.

US Solana spot ETFs posted a combined single-day net inflow of $2.93 million on Dec. 29 (US ET), according to SoSoValue. Fidelity’s Fidelity Solana ETF (FSOL) led inflows with $2.53 million that day and has aggregated $115 million in cumulative net inflows. VanEck’s VSOL saw $0.40 million in single-day inflows, bringing its total net inflows to $18.18 million. Combined assets under management (AUM) across Solana spot ETFs stand at about $936 million, with Solana’s net asset ratio at roughly 1.35% and cumulative historical net inflows of $759 million. The report is market information only and not investment advice.

Lookonchain reported that two wallets (26nbFG and E9eKo8) accumulated a total of 2.15 billion PUMP tokens over roughly 16 hours, representing about $3.87 million at reported prices. The activity was identified via on-chain monitoring and highlights concentrated accumulation into a single token by a small number of addresses. No trading advice was provided by the source.

Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) recorded $446 million in net outflows during the Christmas week, extending a cautious trend that began with October’s market drawdown. CoinShares reports cumulative outflows of $3.2 billion since Oct. 10, despite $46.3 billion of inflows year-to-date and an overall AUM rise of about 10% YTD. Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) ETPs led weekly redemptions with roughly $443 million and $59.5 million withdrawn, respectively. By contrast, newer or recently listed products attracted capital: XRP ETPs drew $70.2 million (surpassing $1 billion since U.S. ETF launches in mid‑October) and Solana (SOL) ETPs added $7.5 million (about $750 million cumulative). Regionally, U.S. investors accounted for most weekly outflows (~$460 million), while Germany posted the largest inflows (~$35.7 million weekly, ~$248 million month‑to‑date). CoinShares’ research head James Butterfill noted that AUM growth has not translated into positive net investor returns once flows are considered, indicating selective rotation rather than broad market buying. Key takeaways for traders: continued rotation from legacy BTC/ETH ETPs into XRP and SOL, elevated defensive positioning among U.S. investors, and persistent selective engagement with crypto capital heading into year‑end. Monitor ETP flows for short‑term liquidity pressure on BTC/ETH and growing demand signals for XRP and SOL.

Tommy Shaughnessy, partner at Delphi Ventures, outlines a cautious but bullish medium-term outlook for Bitcoin (BTC) and Solana (SOL). He advises traders to avoid leverage and to make quarterly tax payments to reduce penalty risk, stressing prudent risk controls amid ongoing volatility and shifting margin requirements. Shaughnessy argues that the market is digesting a one-off shock from the forced liquidations on October 10–11; once that disruption is absorbed, improving liquidity, greater institutional participation, clearer regulation, and protocol progress could drive BTC and SOL toward new all-time highs by 2026. The analysis emphasizes risk management while presenting a constructive thesis rooted in fundamentals and market structure recovery.

Bitcoin’s average spot order size and recent market flows suggest growing bullish momentum. CryptoQuant’s spot order-size indicator shows a recurring green-dot-after-downtrend then red-dot pattern that historically preceded rallies. Spot traders accumulated roughly $113.2 million in BTC over the past two days and net spot purchases in December reached about $4.11 billion (CoinGlass). Perpetual markets show buyer dominance: taker buy/sell ratio is above 1, total perpetual volume rose to $53.23 billion (up 151% period-over-period), funding rate is positive at ~0.0077%, and short positions suffered roughly $40.56 million in liquidations versus $2.47 million for longs. Hyblock’s bid-to-ask data shows a lower ratio, indicating rising sell-side participation but overall bullish lean among spot traders. Key takeaways for traders: the spot order-size pattern has historically signaled rallies; strong December accumulation and positive funding rates favor longs; heavy short liquidations increase squeeze risk. Monitor spot order-size charts, net spot flows, funding rates, and liquidation data to time entries and manage risk.

Bitcoin trades around $87,500 after the Federal Reserve injected $2.5 billion in overnight repurchase agreements using mortgage-backed securities on December 27, 2025. The article highlights that key support at $86,600 has held, preventing a deeper correction. Volatility metrics show realized volatility at 37.8% versus implied volatility at 15.1% — a disparity commonly interpreted by options traders as potential for an imminent expansion in price movement. Technicals place Bitcoin above the 50-week simple moving average, supporting longer-term buyer confidence, while short-term resistance sits near $90,000. Upside targets cited range from $90,000 to $102,000; downside risk would test $82,000–$84,000 if $86,600 fails. The Fed’s repo operations are framed as targeted liquidity support that eases short-term funding and can indirectly benefit risk assets. Traders are advised to monitor the $86,600 support and $90,000 resistance, track volatility indicators (realized vs implied), and watch for follow-through after liquidity events to time positions.

An on-chain analyst reported that address 0x94d…33814 — linked to Elon Musk — opened a large Hyperliquid ETH short totaling 36,281.29 ETH (~$106 million) at an entry price of $2,920.21 and currently showing an unrealized loss of about $521,000. The same wallet also opened a BTC short valued at $48.18 million and a SOL short worth $13.43 million. Traders set take-profit bands for these positions: BTC $86,250–$86,800; ETH $2,700–$2,900; SOL $121–$131.76. The wallet’s recent activity contributed to roughly $6.22 million in profits across the past week, indicating concentrated leveraged positioning. The report highlights growing leverage in ETH derivatives and concentrated bets that could increase near-term volatility across Ethereum, Bitcoin and Solana markets. Primary keywords: Elon Musk, ETH short, Hyperliquid, BTC short, SOL short. Secondary/semantic keywords included: on-chain, leverage, take-profit bands, derivatives, market volatility.

A large trader (whale) opened a pre-trading long position on LIT using HyperLiquid with 1x leverage ahead of the token generation event (TGE). Onchain Lens tracked the move, highlighting emerging demand signals around LIT’s imminent TGE. The position is currently underwater, with a floating loss exceeding $652,000, underscoring high volatility and thin liquidity in pre-listing markets. Traders are watching liquidity depth, order-book thinness, price action, and any further sizable orders that could amplify short-term volatility. The incident illustrates how concentrated whale activity and pre-trading can move prices even when leverage is modest, prompting risk-control and liquidity monitoring among market participants.

South Korean exchange Bithumb will delist the BOA token at 06:00 UTC on January 30, 2026, following a compliance review. Bithumb cited two main reasons: the BOA foundation’s submitted materials failed to resolve prior issues that had triggered an “investment warning,” and BOA’s trading activity and market adoption no longer met the exchange’s ongoing listing maintenance criteria. Trading for all BOA pairs will be halted at the delisting time; users must withdraw or sell tokens before subsequent withdrawal deadlines to avoid recovery complications. The move reflects stricter post-listing monitoring used by major exchanges—metrics include trading volume, liquidity, development activity, legal opinions and market-cap stability. Traders should cancel open BOA buy orders, expect short-term selling pressure and heightened illiquidity after delisting; BOA may still trade on other venues if those platforms maintain listings. The action aligns with South Korea’s tight regulatory environment (FSC AML/KYC rules) and mirrors prior delistings by Korean exchanges. This signals increased exchange governance and underscores the need for projects to maintain transparency and liquidity to remain listed.

Bitcoin traded near $87,000 as Asian equity gains cooled and US tech stocks slipped into year-end. BTC: ~$87,164 (-~1.9%), ETH: ~$2,929 (-~2.3%), XRP: ~$1.85 (-~2.2%). Total crypto market cap around $3.03 trillion, down ~2.1%. Nansen analyst Jake Kennis said year-end seasonality has reduced volumes and led to sideways price action for Bitcoin and Ethereum, citing lower on-chain activity, fewer transactions and reduced DEX volumes (Base noted). Solana remains the largest venue for on-chain trading by volume, with BNB Chain second. Macro drivers include awaiting the Fed’s December minutes, while metals (silver, gold) saw profit-taking after fresh highs. Traders view Bitcoin’s steadiness as a positioning pause rather than decisive directional conviction, watching liquidity, flows and volatility pricing into early 2026.

The Federal Reserve will release minutes from its latest policy meeting tomorrow, offering detail on FOMC members’ views on inflation persistence, growth risks and the timing of rate cuts. Minutes are expected to reveal dissent among participants over whether inflation remains sticky and whether the Fed should pause or slow the pace of easing. Traders should watch for language on the inflation outlook, balance-sheet plans and shifts in the committee’s risk assessment — signals that commonly drive liquidity, risk appetite and cross-asset flows. For crypto traders, clearer guidance that signals patience on easing or elevated inflation risk could reduce risk-on flows and weigh on Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) in the near term, while wording that leans toward imminent cuts would likely boost liquidity and risk-taking. Key keywords: Federal Reserve, FOMC minutes, inflation, rate cuts, balance sheet, Bitcoin, Ethereum, liquidity.

ETF-related trading thinned during a holiday-shortened week, weighing on Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) while altcoins XRP and Solana (SOL) held relative ground. Lower volume around ETF flows and fewer U.S. market participants reduced momentum for BTC and ETH, producing mild price weakness. XRP showed resilience amid continuing legal and regulatory developments, and SOL benefited from on-chain activity and network-specific catalysts. Market breadth narrowed: BTC and ETH led declines, while select altcoins outperformed, reflecting rotation and liquidity-driven moves. Traders faced tighter ranges and lower volatility for major caps, with spot ETF dynamics and macro calendar (holidays, low liquidity) cited as primary drivers.

Ethereum closed Q4 2025 with a quarterly record of 8.7 million smart contract deployments, according to Token Terminal data shared by BMNR Bullz. The surge marks the highest quarterly developer activity on the chart dating back to 2016 and signals increased on‑chain building, though deployments do not guarantee sustained contract usage. On price action, short‑term technical analysis from More Crypto Online mapped an Elliott Wave count on a 30‑minute ETHUSD chart and identified $3,143 as the first target for wave (c). The chart showed ETH breaking above a descending trendline after holding support between about $2,827–$2,895 (the 61.8%–78.6% Fibonacci retracement zone), pushing back above $3,000. The $3,143 level corresponds to the 100% Fibonacci projection for the current move; higher extensions were marked but not emphasized. Key takeaways for traders: materially higher developer activity may support longer‑term network utility and sentiment, while near‑term technical structure frames $3,143 as an initial resistance/target — watch price reaction there and whether the corrective structure extends or stalls.

Galaxy Digital transferred about 447 BTC (≈$39 million) to centralized exchanges Bybit and Bitstamp, followed a few hours later by an additional ~200 BTC, according to on-chain tracking highlighted by analyst Darkfost. Transfers to exchanges are commonly interpreted as potential liquidity deployment or prelude to selling rather than long-term custody, especially when markets show low conviction and compressed volatility. This is notable because Galaxy Digital had been largely inactive moving large BTC amounts to exchanges during December. The activity arrives while Bitcoin is range-bound near $87,300, trading below the 200-day moving average (~$90k) and defending support around $85k–$86k. The combination of sizable institutional inflows to exchanges and Bitcoin’s failure to reclaim key moving averages raises short-term sell-side risk; a decisive break below $85k or a push above the 200-day MA will likely set the next directional phase.

A senior South Korean ruling-party lawmaker, Kim Byung-kee, is accused of targeting Upbit — the country’s largest crypto exchange — in the National Assembly after arranging an internship and later a hire for his son at rival exchange Bithumb. Reports say Kim sought briefing materials in February to challenge Dunamu (Upbit’s operator), alleging monopoly concerns and about 700,000 KYC violations. Earlier reporting adds Kim met privately with Bithumb in November 2024 before his son joined Bithumb’s data team. Upbit held roughly 72% of the South Korean crypto market in H1 2025. Kim denies naming any company or linking his parliamentary actions to his son’s hiring. The case has prompted calls for his resignation from opposition parties and factions within the ruling coalition, raising regulatory and reputational risks for major Korean exchanges and increasing the likelihood of government scrutiny into market concentration and compliance practices. For traders: the story elevates political and regulatory risk around dominant domestic exchanges (Upbit and Bithumb), could spur investigative or legislative actions, and may increase volatility in Korean-listed or Korea-exposed crypto firms and market share-sensitive tokens.

Meta announced the acquisition of Singapore-based AI startup Manus, known for a leading general-purpose autonomous AI agent that performs complex tasks — market research, coding, data analysis, scheduling and stock analysis — without real-time human supervision. Manus founder Xiao Hong will join Meta as a VP. Manus will continue operating its app, subscriptions and Singapore operations while being integrated into Meta products such as Facebook, Instagram and Threads. The deal was negotiated in just over ten days and is estimated in the ’billions of dollars’ range, implying a rapid valuation jump from its prior $2 billion round. Since its public launch in March 2025, Manus reported annualized revenue of $100–125 million, processed 147 trillion tokens and spun up 80 million virtual machines. This marks Meta’s fifth AI acquisition of the year and follows accelerated AI M&A and capital concentration trends; Meta’s YTD capex has surpassed $70 billion. Traders should watch for product-level announcements that could drive increased user engagement and ad/productivity monetization across Meta’s platforms, and broader tech M&A momentum that may concentrate AI capabilities within a few major ecosystems.

Bitcoin (BTC) has stalled near the $90,000 level as both retail and institutional demand weaken and on‑chain activity softens. Capriole Investments’ net-BTC demand metric plunged into negative territory at -3,491 BTC — its lowest since October — after peaking around 18,700 BTC on Nov. 26. Coinbase premium, a proxy for U.S. retail buying, fell from 0.031 on Dec. 11 to about -0.08, signalling renewed U.S. sell pressure. Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $782 million of outflows last week, reflecting diminished institutional appetite. Price action shows BTC about 6.6% below the year’s high (~$93,300) and repeatedly rejected at $90k since Dec. 15, with support near $84k. Technical analysts note a conditional bullish case: a monthly close above ~ $90,360 could confirm a hidden bullish divergence, and an 8‑hour expanding falling wedge breakout targets roughly $122,000. Key takeaways for traders: a sustained rally toward six‑figure prices likely requires restored retail demand (Coinbase premium turning positive), renewed spot ETF inflows, and a decisive reclaim of the $90k–$92k zone; absent those, BTC may consolidate in range and risk heightened volatility on directional moves. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC price, Coinbase premium, spot BTC ETF flows, on‑chain demand.

Analysts estimate XRP could reach roughly $74 per token if its market capitalization matched silver’s recent $4.485 trillion valuation. Silver surged 174% in 2025 to $79/oz, pushing its market cap to about $4.485T. XRP’s circulating supply is ~60.57 billion tokens; at present XRP’s market cap is ~$112B (price ~$1.87), down from a $216.7B peak in July 2025. Matching silver would imply a 3,857% gain from current levels. The analysis frames XRP as “digital silver,” noting that such an outcome would require broad adoption, institutional participation, greater liquidity, regulatory clarity, and expanded use in cross-border payments. Analysts caution this is an extreme, theoretical upside scenario and not short-term price guidance. The piece stresses the $74 figure as a long-term reference for traders, highlighting adoption and market dynamics as key determinants.

Trust Wallet confirmed that a malicious v2.68 browser-extension update harvested seed phrases from 2,596 wallet addresses, causing an estimated $7 million in losses. CEO Eowyn Chen said the official reimbursement portal has received roughly 5,000 claims — about twice the number of confirmed victims — with many submissions false or duplicate. Trust Wallet created a compensation dashboard requiring email, compromised wallet, attacker addresses, draining transaction hashes, current reimbursement amount and a new payout address; residence data will be collected to support criminal proceedings. To protect funds, the team prioritizes accuracy over speed and has implemented stricter manual verification that cross-checks multiple data points. The firm is conducting a forensic investigation into how malicious code was injected (likely via leaked API keys used to publish the extension update) and has “strong working hypotheses” for some breach mechanics. Trust Wallet warns users about impersonation scams and reiterates it will never ask for passwords or seed phrases. Traders should note potential short-term market sensitivity for assets drained from compromised wallets, elevated phishing risk for affected users, and delays in reimbursements as the team filters fraudulent claims.

Major technology firms — notably Google, Meta and Apple — are widely expected to enter the cryptocurrency wallet market within the next year, according to Dragonfly Capital partner Haseeb Qureshi. These companies already have large user bases, mature security infrastructures and payment systems that could facilitate rapid wallet adoption. Corporate blockchain work has been ongoing (e.g., Meta’s Diem research, Google Cloud node hosting, Apple blockchain patents), and many Fortune 100 firms are developing private or hybrid chains that connect to public networks. Platforms such as Avalanche (AVAX) and Optimism (OP) are cited as likely foundations for corporate projects. Financial institutions like JPMorgan (Onyx) and Bank of America have also expanded blockchain initiatives. Key strategic decisions for tech firms include building proprietary wallets or acquiring existing providers, while navigating regulatory compliance, user protection and security risks. Widespread corporate wallet launches could bring millions of new users into crypto, improving liquidity, UX and institutional legitimacy, but will require solving interoperability, cross‑chain security and evolving standards. Traders should watch announcements from Google, Meta and Apple, enterprise partnerships with chains like AVAX and OP, and regulatory guidance that could affect custody, on‑ramps and institutional flows.

Tokenized stocks have reached a combined market capitalization of about $1.2 billion, driven by rapid growth in September and December as new products and improved onchain liquidity raised demand. Institutional and exchange-led activity is accelerating adoption: Backed Finance launched roughly 60 xStocks on Ethereum with distribution on platforms including Kraken and Bybit; Securitize has announced a compliant onchain trading model using direct share ownership; Ondo Finance plans to list tokenized US stocks and ETFs on Solana in early 2026; and Nasdaq has filed with the U.S. SEC to offer tokenized stocks. Coinbase has signalled intent to offer stock trading, and Nasdaq calls tokenization a strategic priority. Proponents cite benefits such as 24/7 trading, faster settlement and fractional ownership. For crypto traders, implications include rising liquidity and new tradable instruments across chains (notably ETH and SOL ecosystems), increased institutional participation and greater regulatory scrutiny — factors likely to expand market depth and onchain order flow while creating new arbitrage and custody considerations.

Large corporate ETH holders are increasingly staking their ether to earn 3–5% APY on Ethereum’s proof-of-stake network, removing substantial supply from public markets. Lookonchain data shows BitMine Immersion Technologies staked 342,560 ETH (over $1 billion) within two days, pushing the validator entry queue to 12 days 20 hours with 739,824 ETH waiting to stake versus an exit queue of 6 days 2 hours (349,867 ETH). Other major holders — including SharpLink Gaming, Bit Digital and The Ether Machine — have staked most or all of their on-chain treasuries; SharpLink reported 9,701 ETH (~$29M) in staking rewards and The Ether Machine says it fully staked its $1.49B ETH treasury. Nansen on-chain flows show mixed trading behavior: ’smart money’ wallets sold roughly $4.26M of spot ETH across 53 wallets last week, while whale wallets and public figures bought about $11.6M and $6M respectively; newly created wallets also bought ($517k+). The net effect: rising institutional staking demand is tightening liquid ETH supply, a factor supportive for long-term price appreciation, while divergent activity across trader cohorts could increase short-term volatility. Traders should monitor validator queue lengths, staking reward yields, on-chain flow metrics (smart-money vs whale activity), and liquid supply trends to gauge short-term liquidity risk and longer-term supply-driven bullish pressure on ETH.

A blockchain investigator known as ZachXBT says he identified a suspected Canadian scammer who impersonated Coinbase support and stole more than $2 million in crypto over the past year. ZachXBT traced the actor through Telegram screenshots, social posts, wallet transactions and a leaked call video showing the suspect offering fake customer support. The attacker reportedly used social engineering to coax victims into revealing account access or making transfers, then spent proceeds on expensive Telegram usernames, nightlife, gambling and social media status. ZachXBT said the suspect repeatedly deleted accounts to hide tracks but still revealed address and contact clues via public posts. The investigator declined to publish the suspect’s home address to comply with platform rules. The report reiterates standard protections for users: keep large holdings in hardware wallets, never share seed phrases or login credentials, avoid clicking unsolicited links or responding to cold calls, and always contact exchange support through verified channels. Primary keywords: Coinbase, social engineering, crypto scam. Secondary/semantic keywords: impersonation, Telegram, wallet tracing, security best practices.

A wallet previously linked to the Indexed Finance and Kyber Network exploit (address 0x3EBF) resumed activity after roughly one year and sold approximately $2.11 million worth of crypto assets, according to on-chain monitor Lookonchain. Disposed tokens and estimated values: 226,961 UNI (~$1.36M), 33,215 LINK (~$410K), 845,806 CRV (~$328K), and 5.25 YFI (~$17.5K). The movement indicates the exploiter or associated party is liquidating holdings from the earlier incidents involving Indexed Finance and Kyber Network. Traders should note the sizable UNI and LINK sell pressure from a wallet tied to past exploits, which could briefly affect liquidity and price action for those tokens on spot and DEX markets. This report provides market information only and is not investment advice.

Cicely LaMothe, Deputy Director for Disclosure Operations in the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance, will retire after 24 years. LaMothe authored influential staff statements this year clarifying the SEC’s stance on crypto — notably indicating many meme coins are not securities and outlining views on staking and registration guidance. She advised on draft registration statements and helped shape token classification policy. Her departure coincides with broader agency shifts under new leadership (Director James Moloney), including approvals of listing standards for multiple crypto ETFs, withdrawal of certain enforcement actions, the launch of Project Crypto to revise digital-asset rules, and ongoing workforce changes from voluntary buyouts and expected layoffs. For crypto traders: LaMothe’s exit removes a seasoned, stabilizing voice during a period of regulatory transition. However, recent ETF approvals and Project Crypto suggest continued mainstreaming of some tokens and potential improvements in liquidity and listing eligibility. Traders should monitor SEC rulemaking, Project Crypto developments and any staff turnover for impacts on regulatory risk, token classifications and market access.

Brevis has launched an eligibility checker for its upcoming BREV token airdrop, open until 06:00 UTC on January 3, 2025. The verification requires three-point authentication: a connected crypto wallet, an X (Twitter) account, and Discord membership. Brevis enforces strict linkage rules—each claim address may link to only one X or Discord account and qualified wallets cannot be reused for multiple claims—to mitigate Sybil attacks. The project uses zkSNARK-based zero-knowledge verification computing to provide cross-chain proof services; BREV is expected to become the platform’s native utility token for governance, staking and fees. Brevis says allocation and claim schedules will be released after the verification window closes and data are analyzed. Industry context: multi-factor airdrop verification has reduced distribution complaints historically, and well-executed infrastructure airdrops can boost protocol usage. Traders should note the deadline for eligibility checks, the emphasis on Sybil resistance that may limit mass farming, and that token distribution details remain pending—factors likely to influence circulating supply and early selling pressure once claims begin.

Flow abandoned a proposed full blockchain rollback after a $3.9 million execution‑layer exploit enabled an attacker to drain funds via cross‑chain bridges. Validators halted the network on December 27. Following heavy community, developer and bridge‑operator backlash — including objections from deBridge founder Alex Smirnov and forensic input from FindLabs — the foundation confirmed there will be no chain reorganization and legitimate pre‑halt transactions remain valid. Instead, Flow will implement a phased, targeted remediation: phase one restricts affected accounts and sets the EVM to read‑only; subsequent phases will relaunch the Cadence non‑EVM chain and gradually restore bridge and exchange operations over several days. The incident sent FLOW sharply lower (reports show drops from >20% to over 50% in some windows, with lows near $0.079), underperforming BTC and ETH. Traders should monitor account restrictions, the EVM read‑only status, bridge and exchange reopenings, forensic recovery updates and any on‑chain or legal developments. Primary keywords: Flow, FLOW token, blockchain exploit, rollback, bridge hack. Secondary/semantic keywords: EVM read‑only, Cadence relaunch, validators halted, forensic partners, cross‑chain bridge.

The CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index remains at 19, signaling continued Bitcoin dominance across the trailing 90 days. The index compares 90-day returns of the top 100 non-stablecoin assets to Bitcoin; readings above 75 denote an altcoin season. Both reports emphasize that most top tokens have underperformed BTC as capital concentrates in Bitcoin amid ETF anticipation, the 2024 halving, regulatory uncertainty for alt projects, and subdued DeFi/NFT activity. The newer summary reinforces that prolonged sub-25 readings typically align with consolidation or bear phases, while sustained rises above roughly 25–30 can mark early rotation into higher-beta altcoins. For traders, the low index suggests a BTC-heavy allocation or selective accumulation of altcoins after rigorous research. Short-term volume and liquidity are likely to stay concentrated in BTC and large-cap blue chips; broad altcoin rallies are unlikely until macro, regulatory, or on-chain signals (e.g., Bitcoin dominance shifts, exchange flows) indicate rotation. Combine the Altcoin Season Index with on-chain metrics before adjusting positions and watch for a sustained move above the 25–30 range as an early sign of altcoin re-entry.