Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Taiwan’s government has raised its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 3.54% (from 2.81%) after a 2025 boom driven by AI-related hardware exports. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics expects 2025 GDP to expand 7.37%, the fastest pace since 2010, supported by a projected 6.32% rise in exports for 2026. October 2025 exports reached a record $61.8 billion, up 49.7% year‑on‑year, with shipments to the U.S. jumping 144.3%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reported a 16.9% sales increase, cited as a major contributor as global tech firms scale data‑centre capacity. The report notes sectoral divergence: strong semiconductor and AI hardware demand contrasts with weakness in textiles, petrochemicals and steel due to oversupply and reduced retail orders. Officials warn of external risks, including potential changes in U.S. trade policy, though semiconductors currently enjoy exemptions. For traders, the update signals stronger semiconductor-sector fundamentals and export momentum that may influence related equities and hardware-focused tech stocks.

Analyst Dark Defender says XRP has completed a corrective Monthly Wave 4 and may be entering a bullish Wave 5. Sub-waves reportedly bottomed in a $2.07–$2.36 zone, forming a base. XRP trades around $2.17 and sits just above key support near $2.00–$2.20. A decisive daily/weekly close above $2.40–$2.60 (immediate resistance) would strengthen the Wave 5 thesis and could open targets toward mid-single digits. Analysts reference the 261.8% Fibonacci extension near $5.85 as a primary upside projection, with higher levels possible if momentum accelerates. Key confirmations for traders: a daily close above $2.50–$2.60, rising volume on rallies, and supportive momentum indicators (RSI/MACD). Risks include losing $2.00–$2.20 support, a failed breakout, weak volume, or adverse macro conditions that would invalidate the bullish count and keep XRP consolidating or lower. This is analysis, not financial advice.

André Dragosch, Bitwise’s European Research Director, published what he calls his "most important" Bitcoin-and-macro analysis, concluding Bitcoin (BTC) currently prices in an extremely pessimistic global growth outlook — a recession-like scenario not seen since the 2020 COVID shock, 2022 Fed tightening and the FTX crash. Using combined macro survey data, Dragosch finds a divergence: macro indicators show global growth reaccelerating through 2026, while Bitcoin’s price implies recession expectations. He argues that this mismatch creates an asymmetric risk-return setup favourable to bulls, likening it to March 2020 when BTC rebounded strongly and rose ~6x by year-end. Dragosch, a self-described contrarian on macro issues, notes macro can be mispriced and that such periods produce high informational value; Bitcoin may still both exceed or undershoot macro expectations. Key points for traders: BTC is currently discounting severe growth risk, current price may already reflect much bad news, and a potential macro surprise to the upside could trigger sharp BTC gains. This is analysis, not investment advice.

Five recently launched U.S. spot XRP ETFs generated $21.12 million in combined trading volume within a few hours, according to analyst Chad Steingraber. Franklin Templeton’s XRP ETF (XRPZ) led intraday activity with $6.34 million across about 267,864 shares, followed by Canary’s XRPC ($5.63M, ~242,079 shares) and Bitwise’s fund ($5.20M, ~212,668 shares). REX‑Osprey and Grayscale ETFs posted $1.99M and $1.96M respectively. The flows are notable given XRP’s roughly 3% daily price decline, and while today’s volume is lower than earlier peaks, it indicates sustained institutional interest. Additional spot XRP ETFs from 21Shares, CoinShares and WisdomTree are expected to list soon, potentially increasing institutional adoption and liquidity for XRP. Primary keywords: XRP ETF, spot XRP ETF, trading volume.

David Bahnsen, founder of The Bahnsen Group, warned investors against automatically "buying the dip" in the most down‑valenced stocks from November, arguing their declines reflect expensive valuations rather than fundamental weakness. Speaking amid a roughly 5% market pullback, Bahnsen singled out large-cap technology names — including Nvidia (NVDA) — as examples of shares that remain "grotesquely over‑valued." He and other portfolio managers face year‑end challenges: concentrated, high‑flying positions, tax-driven selling decisions, and the search for genuine value. Bahnsen recommends rotating into more value‑oriented sectors such as healthcare and consumer staples, while some peers also see opportunities in energy and consumer durables. The piece cautions that rallies in richly priced tech stocks may be speculative and that risk management, rebalancing, and tax considerations should guide end‑of‑year trading decisions.

Analysts suggest Bitcoin (BTC) may rally after Thanksgiving due to renewed cash inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Following earlier strong demand that helped drive BTC’s price gains, some market observers expect another wave of institutional buying around the holiday as investors rebalance portfolios and deploy fresh capital. The report highlights ETF inflows and institutional appetite as the main catalyst, pointing to historical patterns where concentrated buying and lower weekend liquidity can amplify price moves. Traders are advised to watch ETF flow data, on-chain metrics, and liquidity conditions over the holiday period for potential short-term volatility and breakout opportunities.

Bitcoin (BTC) briefly fell below $91,000, trading at $90,994.90 on OKX at the time of reporting, marking an intraday decline of 1.47%. The report provides market-price information only and does not constitute investment advice. No other specific drivers, on-chain metrics, or macro factors were cited in the brief update. Traders should note the modest intraday pullback from the $92,000 area referenced in related coverage and monitor liquidity and order-book levels around $93,000–$96,000, key resistance zones highlighted in recent market commentary.

BNB (BNB) has started to recover, trading around $880 after intraday highs near $903, and is eyeing a move to $1,000 if bullish momentum holds. Price remains about 1.4% lower on the day but shows resilience above $800 amid Bitcoin stabilizing above $91,000 following a rebound from lows near $80,000. Technicals are mixed: the 50-day moving average sits near $1,050 as resistance, RSI is ~40 (neutral), but a breakout from a falling wedge and a potential MACD bullish crossover support upside. Key bullish drivers include VanEck’s November 21 filing for a spot BNB ETF (VBNB) on Nasdaq, which would directly hold BNB and could unlock institutional capital if approved, plus improving ETP flows and discounted whale buying around $800. Analysts suggest BNB could reach $1,000 in the coming months and potentially test $1,200–$1,370 if momentum continues. Short-term risks remain from volatility and technical hurdles; clearing $900 is seen as a catalyst for a swift move toward $1,000. Primary keywords: BNB price, VanEck BNB ETF, BNB $1,000. Secondary/semantic keywords included where relevant: Bitcoin rebound, institutional inflows, RSI, MACD, falling wedge, whale accumulation.

FC Barcelona drew heavy criticism after signing a reported $22 million, three-year sponsorship with ZKP, a Samoa-registered crypto startup. The deal—said to include club branding and promotional rights—sparked concerns about due diligence and reputational risk after ZKP launched its own token. Critics, including fans, club figures and local media, described the arrangement as a “bad joke,” citing ZKP’s opaque corporate structure, minimal public presence, anonymous team and links to a high-risk jurisdiction. Barcelona has publicly distanced itself from the token, saying it has “no connection whatsoever” to the digital asset and promising transparency about commercial partners. The episode highlights broader trends and risks: many top European clubs now take crypto sponsorships, but such deals raise regulatory and reputational exposure, and negative publicity can erode confidence in lesser-known tokens and temporarily depress related assets. For traders, the immediate takeaway is heightened short-term downside risk for ZKP’s token (if publicly traded), increased regulatory scrutiny of crypto-sports partnerships, and a cautionary signal to avoid illiquid or opaque projects tied to major sports brands.

Aave’s ETH collateral balance surpassed 3 million ETH in 2025 — roughly double year‑over‑year — marking an all‑time high for the protocol. ETH utilization on Aave sits around 94%, above the protocol’s preferred ~92% threshold, signaling elevated borrowing demand and potential liquidity stress for lenders. The protocol remains the largest DeFi lender with roughly $32 billion TVL (about 50% of a $64 billion DeFi lending market). Active loans are reported at $21.4 billion (down from over $30 billion in September). Lenders earn a modest ~1.2% APY on ETH deposits, below staking yields, yet demand for on‑chain liquidity via WETH, wstETH and other wrapped/liquid staking tokens helped deposits rise. Aave’s GHO stablecoin supply also expanded to 451M before recent retirements to about 416M. High utilization increases withdrawal and liquidation risk for lenders and raises concentration risk; it also makes governance or parameter changes (for example raising borrowing limits or adjusting caps) more likely to restore usable liquidity. Improved liquidation mechanics and conservative caps have so far limited defaults. Traders should monitor AAVE price action, Aave governance signals, utilization metrics and lending rates — sudden utilization shifts or parameter changes could affect ETH liquidity, short‑term volatility and borrowing costs.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will require major cryptocurrency exchanges serving UK residents to collect and report detailed user transaction data from 1 January 2026 under the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). Exchanges must gather personal identifiers (for example, National Insurance numbers, addresses, tax details) and full transaction records — purchase/sale prices, profits, swaps and transfers. Platforms will keep records during 2026 and submit the first annual dataset to HMRC in 2027, enabling cross-checks against tax returns and tighter enforcement of Capital Gains Tax on crypto profits. The UK says the move follows international standards (similar to the EU’s DAC8) and aims to close a multi‑billion‑pound tax gap, potentially boosting tax receipts by 2030. Traders should expect exchanges to demand better record-keeping tools and may face penalties for non-compliance. Regulators in the US, Japan and EU are adopting comparable reporting rules, raising global compliance pressure on crypto service providers and investors.

CoinShares abruptly cancelled plans to launch US exchange-traded funds for XRP, SOL and LTC, attributing the move to regulatory uncertainty, compliance costs and risk concerns. Industry observers point to the SEC’s cautious stance on altcoin ETFs and heightened operational burdens as primary drivers. The withdrawal affects investor access to regulated altcoin exposure in ETF form, forcing traders to rely on exchanges, trusts or other vehicles. CoinShares says existing products remain unaffected and the decision is a strategic pause rather than a full exit from crypto markets. Market reaction was mixed; the cancellation may slow altcoin ETF issuance but is unlikely to deter ongoing Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF efforts by large providers. Key implications for traders: reduced near-term ETF-based liquidity for XRP/SOL/LTC, potential short-term price pressure on the affected tokens, and continued focus by issuers on BTC/ETH products until clearer SEC guidance emerges.

The Coinbase Bitcoin premium — the price gap between BTC on Coinbase and other major exchanges — has moved from weeks of negative readings into positive territory. This shift indicates renewed buying pressure from U.S.-based institutional investors using Coinbase, including corporate treasuries, ETFs/funds, hedge funds and family offices. Traders should treat the Coinbase premium as a market-sentiment indicator: sustained positive readings often correlate with reduced selling pressure, stronger onshore support levels and improved liquidity, which can help underpin short-term upward momentum for Bitcoin. However, the premium is not a standalone predictor. Actionable steps for traders: monitor the Coinbase Bitcoin premium regularly (main keyword: Coinbase Bitcoin premium appears twice), confirm signals with on-chain and exchange volume, watch for regulatory or macroeconomic developments that could reverse flows, and apply disciplined risk management (stop losses, position sizing).

South Korea’s largest crypto exchange Upbit suffered a hot-wallet breach on November 27 that drained roughly 44.5 billion won (about $30–32 million). South Korean investigators and ICT sources cited by Yonhap strongly suspect North Korea’s state-linked Lazarus Group — previously blamed for Upbit’s 2019 Ethereum theft — as the likely perpetrator. Authorities say the attack likely exploited administrative access rather than a deep server vulnerability, echoing the 2019 method. After the theft funds were quickly moved through other exchange wallets and then to mixing services, a laundering pattern security experts associate with Lazarus. The timing — the same date as Upbit operator Dunamu’s public merger/AI-Web3 announcement and almost exactly six years after the 2019 hack — added to suspicion. Regulators including the Financial Supervisory Service, Korea Financial Security Institute and the Korea Internet & Security Agency have launched inspections and technical support. Immediate market reaction was limited; total crypto market cap at reporting stood near $3.07 trillion. Key points for traders: potential exchange outflows or paused withdrawals, increased on-chain tracing and heightened regulatory scrutiny of exchanges, and renewed focus on hot-wallet risk and sanctions-era laundering tactics associated with nation-state actors.

Uzbekistan’s central bank has published draft regulations that legalise the use of stablecoins for payments and permit tokenized stocks as part of a broad 2026 overhaul of its crypto framework. The draft, released by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, proposes allowing stablecoins issued by licensed entities to be used for domestic payments and for settlement in certain financial operations. It also outlines rules for tokenized securities, enabling stocks and other financial instruments to be issued and traded in token form on authorised platforms. The proposals include licensing requirements for issuers and platforms, anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) safeguards, custody standards, and supervisory powers for regulators. The reforms aim to integrate digital assets into the formal financial system, attract investment, and modernise capital markets ahead of the 2026 implementation timeline. Key takeaways for traders: (1) legalisation of stablecoins for payments could increase onshore demand for compliant stablecoins; (2) tokenized stocks may create new on-ramp/off-ramp and synthetic equity trading opportunities; (3) licensing and AML/KYC rules may raise compliance costs but improve institutional participation and market credibility. Market participants should watch final rules, licensing timelines, and which stablecoins and platforms gain approvals, as these will determine liquidity flows and tradable product development.

Three small- and mid-cap tokens—Basic Attention Token (BAT), Turbo, and Nubila Network—posted notable gains during recent volatile trading as capital rotated into higher-risk assets. BAT jumped over 19% in 24 hours after Brave Browser reported 101 million monthly active users and 42 million daily users; on-chain transfers rose ~72% and trading volume more than doubled (partly linked to a Biconomy trading contest). BAT’s RSI approached 74, suggesting strong short-term momentum. Turbo climbed about 57% in a single session after breaking a two-month downtrend; volume spiked as the token cleared a key technical level and social media buzz increased. Turbo shows historical correlation (~0.87) with Bitcoin (BTC), indicating sensitivity to BTC moves. Nubila Network recorded the largest percentage gain among the three after new exchange listings (Nov 3–5) improved liquidity and Binance Alpha airdrop distributions increased volume. Nubila focuses on decentralized environmental sensor data for DeFi and AI use cases. Technical indicators across the three tokens show elevated RSI readings, implying possible short-term consolidation. Key trading implications: heightened volatility, liquidity-driven spikes from listings/airdrops, and momentum trades tied to social activity and macro BTC action. Traders should monitor volume, RSI, listings/airdrop news, and BTC price direction for trade management and risk control.

Rep. Jamie Raskin released a 78-page staff report alleging that President Donald Trump and his family used the Oval Office to advance and profit from a network of crypto ventures in 2025. The report, titled “Trump, Crypto, and a New Age of Corruption,” claims the family amassed up to $11.6 billion in crypto assets and generated more than $800 million from token sales in the first half of 2025. It names projects including World Liberty Financial and the $TRUMP memecoin and alleges foreign governments, state-linked investors and aligned corporations funneled money into Trump-branded tokens in exchange for regulatory favors, pardons, or halted investigations. The report also accuses the administration of dismantling financial safeguards — notably dissolving DOJ’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and rolling back investor-protection rules — while pardoning or easing penalties for crypto-linked fraudsters. Raskin calls for sweeping congressional reforms to restore ethics, transparency and conflict-of-interest protections. The White House and press secretary Karoline Leavitt maintain the family business is separate from official duties. Key keywords: Trump crypto, token sales, regulatory rollbacks, World Liberty Financial, $TRUMP, conflict of interest.

Analysts and market commentators identify Ozak AI (OZ), Bitcoin (BTC) and Solana (SOL) as the three assets most likely to lead the next crypto bull cycle. Bitcoin is framed as the macro anchor—trading near $86,962 and holding key support zones ($84,900; $82,650; $79,480)—with upside contingent on clearing resistances at $89,793, $94,400 and $96,300. Solana is presented as a fast-growing layer‑1 ecosystem (around $137) supported by throughput, low fees and developer activity; key support levels cited are $130, $122 and $114 with resistances at $143, $156 and $168. Ozak AI is positioned as the highest-upside, early-stage AI-native project and utility token, offering predictive AI agents, cross‑chain intelligence, millisecond blockchain signals via partnerships, and distributed AI compute. The piece highlights Ozak AI’s presale success—over $4.7 million raised and more than 1 million tokens sold—and projects asymmetric returns (analysts suggesting 50x–100x potential) relative to BTC and SOL. The article is a sponsored piece and carries a disclaimer that it is informational only and not investment advice.

Bitcoin rallied above $90,000 in late November 2025 as markets priced in higher odds of U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts and liquidity returned after the U.S. government shutdown ended. BTC surpassed the $89,600 ETF flow-weighted cost basis, returning many ETF holders to profitability. Market expectations for a 25 basis-point Fed cut on Dec. 10 rose to about 85% from 39% the previous week (CME FedWatch). ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood reiterated a $1.5 million Bitcoin price target for 2030, while also noting a $300,000 bear case, and cited incoming liquidity — roughly $70bn already returned and an estimated $300bn more over several weeks — plus the end of quantitative tightening as key drivers. Despite the rebound, November remained a weak month for BTC (about -17%), its worst November in seven years. The piece also highlights DeFi developments: proposed UK “no gain, no loss” tax treatment for lending/borrowing and liquidity provision, DWF Labs’ $75m institutional fund for scalable projects, and other sector moves such as Balancer’s reimbursement proposal following a hack. Key metrics and themes for traders: BTC price action around $90k, ETF profitability thresholds ($89.6k), Fed rate-cut odds, large expected liquidity inflows, and ongoing institutional and regulatory developments in DeFi.

JPMorgan has filed to offer 1.5x leveraged Bitcoin notes due to launch in late 2025 and maturing December 2028, giving institutional investors amplified BTC exposure without direct custody. The SEC filing triggered strong criticism from Bitcoin treasury firms and community advocates who say the product diverts capital from companies holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets and increases liquidation and margin-call risks during downturns. The controversy intensified after an MSCI consultation proposed excluding companies with more than 50% of assets in cryptocurrencies from major indexes. Analysts warn the MSCI move could force corporate treasury sales, reduce passive inflows, and create short-term supply shocks — estimates cited range from 50,000–100,000 BTC potentially sold and valuation discounts of roughly 10–15% in stressed scenarios. Market commentators note leveraged notes magnify volatility, may drive synchronized selling, and attract synthetic demand that competes with on‑balance-sheet holdings. Key trader takeaways: monitor SEC approval timelines, MSCI index decisions, observed selling from large treasury holders, and derivative flows tied to leveraged products; expect heightened short-term volatility and downside risk on news or forced sales, with a possible long-term shift toward hybrid institutional products and regulatory pressure on corporate treasury strategies.

Uzbekistan will formally recognise stablecoins as a means of payment from January 1, 2026, under a dedicated legal regime and regulatory sandbox administered by the National Agency of Perspective Projects (NAPP) and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU). The sandbox will enable pilot distributed-ledger payment systems and careful testing — including possible trials of a digital som — with a strong focus on AML, cybersecurity and systemic-risk safeguards. Uzbek legal entities will be permitted to issue tokenized shares and bonds, tradable on licensed exchanges through a specialised placement and trading platform. The government plans an “open banking” framework by year-end to allow secure data exchange between banks, payment processors and fintech firms. A $50m venture fund will support fintech development, with objectives to host 200 fintech firms and attract up to $1bn in foreign investment by 2030. The move follows prior Central Bank statements on testing digital currency and reflects broader Central Asian regulatory momentum (e.g., Kyrgyzstan’s USDKG and reforms in Kazakhstan), signalling increased institutional adoption, potential new liquidity sources and fresh tokenized instruments for traders — although rollout will be gradual and constrained by sandbox conditions.

Franklin Templeton Digital Assets polled the XRP community on whether the ticker XRPZ was the right choice for its newly launched Franklin XRP Trust. Respondents overwhelmingly supported XRPZ: 91% favored the ticker, 5% preferred an alternative (EZRP) and 4% chose other options. The trust, trading under ticker XRPZ, opened at $22.44 and traded between $22.43 and $22.84 in the morning session, with volume above 282,000 and an early intraday gain of about 1.76%. Community comments were largely positive, noting the branding choice as bold but broadly accepted. The launch offers a regulated, exchange-listed vehicle for direct XRP exposure and signals institutional-format access to XRP for traders and investors. Key keywords: XRP trust, Franklin Templeton, XRPZ ticker, XRP ETF-style product, regulated XRP exposure.

Greenidge Generation Holdings reported a fire at its Dresden, New York, mining facility — co-hosting Bitcoin rigs with NYDIG — caused by an electrical switchgear failure. The company de-energized the entire 106 MW site to ensure safety; no mining hardware was damaged. Operations are expected to resume within "a few weeks" per an SEC filing, with no specific restart date. The incident highlights operational risks for commercial miners already facing thin margins: lower hashprice (around $39/PH/s vs. unprofitability near $40/PH/s), rising energy costs, supply-chain pressures, equipment failures and regulatory scrutiny. The report notes parallel industry headwinds: Tether exited mining in Uruguay due to energy costs and disputes over unpaid bills, and US probes into Bitmain raise national-security concerns around ASIC hardware. Key trading keywords: Greenidge, NYDIG, Bitcoin mining, switchgear failure, outage, hashprice, energy costs.

Analyst Murphy used a Bitcoin Cost Base Distribution (CBD) heat map to identify critical BTC price zones that act as reference points between bull and bear markets. The heaviest on-chain trading volumes cluster in two bands: $94,000–$98,000 (historical “fair price” near $98k) and $101,000–$118,000 (short-term investors’ average cost around $104k). Murphy’s data also indicates 950,000 BTC was accumulated in the $84,000–$85,000 range from Nov 21–23; 550,000 BTC of that was linked to Coinbase wallet merges and 400,000 BTC to apparent buy-sell activity likely tied to whales. At the time of reporting, Bitcoin traded near $91,326 (down 0.13% over 24 hours, up 10.85% over the week) with a market cap of about $1.82 trillion. The CBD method’s address-based calculations give it strength for mapping holder cost bases and distribution, making these bands useful for traders to set risk levels, stop-losses and target zones. (Not investment advice.)

Fitch Ratings warns that accelerated investment and rising risk appetite in the AI sector are creating bubble-like risks that could spill over into global credit markets and exposed asset classes, including cryptocurrencies. In a November 28 report, Fitch says its baseline scenario does not assume a sudden recession or capital market shock, but growing ‘‘bubble characteristics’’ raise the likelihood of adverse risk scenarios that would tighten funding and liquidity. The agency highlights that rapid AI spending — potentially driven by political and external pressures — may slow or reverse next year, increasing the chance of a bust. Fitch expects continued debate over AI-driven bubble risks into 2026 amid macro uncertainty: Federal Reserve policy adjustments, an anticipated Supreme Court tariff decision, and a likely pause in aggressive rate cuts. The report implies heightened volatility in risk assets in Q1 2026, which could sustain selling pressure in cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is cited as testing resistance around $91k–$93k while markets remain sensitive to these macro and sentiment risks. The article underscores that investors should remain cautious: cryptocurrencies are volatile and exposed to wider market contagion from AI-related bubble dynamics.

Institutional buyers have funneled roughly $643 million into XRP ETFs so far, with Canary Capital’s XRPC accounting for about 51% of that total. XRP has rallied ~14% over the past week to $2.20, outperforming many large-cap altcoins, while quarterly ROI remains around -22%. Significant on-chain activity supports the move: a single XRPL transfer moved 110,193,345 XRP with minimal fees, and exchanges have seen net withdrawals of ~270 million XRP since October (84 million withdrawn in the past week), while Binance reserves sit near monthly lows. Analysts note the rally is broad-based and driven by ETF inflows and capital rotation from other large-cap cryptos; if momentum persists, a further 120%+ surge could push XRP toward $5, potentially signaling a deeper bullish phase led by institutional demand. Key takeaways for traders: rising ETF inflows, large transfers and falling exchange supply reduce sell-side pressure; short-term momentum could fuel continued upside, but past October–November volatility and the need to flip Q4 momentum suggest caution.

South Korea’s largest crypto exchange Upbit suffered a Solana (SOL) hot‑wallet breach that appears more complex and larger than initial reports. Early estimates put losses at about 54 billion won (~$36–40M); later forensic analysis revised the figure (reports range ~44.5–54 billion won). Security firms (GoPlus, Dethective) say the attack exploited hot‑wallet key management and internal network weaknesses; cold wallets were not affected. Attackers moved stolen SOL to USDC, bridged funds to Ethereum, sent some funds (2,200 SOL reported) to Binance, and used multiple DEXs and mixers to obscure the trail — a laundering pattern consistent with North Korea–linked Lazarus Group operations. The timing — on the anniversary of Upbit’s 2019 breach and hours after Dunamu’s confirmation of a Naver Financial acquisition — has raised suspicion that timing was deliberate. South Korean authorities are conducting on‑site inspections and investigations; initial assessments suggest attackers likely compromised or impersonated admin accounts to authorize fraudulent transfers rather than breaching core servers. For traders: the incident directly affects Solana liquidity and could increase short‑term selling pressure on SOL and related markets, prompt withdrawal and listing scrutiny at exchanges, and accelerate regulatory or exchange responses to laundering through DEXs and bridges. This is an evolving investigation; treat the information as operational risk intelligence, not investment advice.

XRP is undergoing a multi-month consolidation that traders say may determine its next major trend. Technical analyst ChartNerd highlighted a three‑month pullback toward the three‑month 20‑EMA, a level that historically has acted as a trend gauge for XRP. Price remains above the three‑month 20‑EMA (around $1.20) — the key invalidation point — while near-term resistance sits in the low $3s and support in the $1.75–$2.10 band. Recent spot XRP ETF inflows have added liquidity and reduced exchange supply, while on‑chain data shows falling exchange balances and continued accumulation by long‑term holders. Analysts argue the structure stays bullish as long as monthly closes hold above the three‑month 20‑EMA; a decisive monthly close below it would indicate deeper consolidation or a larger retracement. Traders are watching the next monthly candle closely because ETF rebalancing and liquidity shifts could trigger sharp swings.

XRP is showing technical signs that analysts interpret as the start of an Elliott Wave 5 rally. Chartists report that monthly Wave 4 ended near $1.88 (161.8% Fib extension) and price is approaching a descending resistance; a confirmed breakout above the trend and past $2.22 (70.2% retracement) could mark Wave 5’s start. Shorter timeframes show bullish setups: a 4-hour pennant breakout with near-term targets of $2.30–$2.60, and a rectangular bull flag projecting a longer target (one analyst’s flagpole-based projection cited as ~$24). Fibonacci extensions were used to set longer-term objectives, with one analyst highlighting a potential $5.85 target (261.8% extension). On-chain metrics complicate the outlook: Santiment data and on-chain observers report significant whale distribution — wallets holding 1–10M XRP sold over 2.2 billion XRP in the past month, including ~460M sold in four days and ~180M recently. Binance reserves fell to ~2.7B XRP, with ~300M leaving since October. Despite whale selling, XRP has staged a mild rebound, leaving momentum and breakout confirmation as key triggers for traders. Primary implications: watch for a decisive breakout above the descending resistance and $2.22 to consider bullish trade setups; manage risk given large-scale whale distribution and low exchange reserves.