Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Crypto researcher and investor Nic Carter warned that Bitcoin developers are ’sleepwalking’ toward a quantum computing threat that could undermine Bitcoin’s cryptographic security. Carter urged proactive measures, stressing that quantum computers — though not yet at the scale to break Bitcoin’s elliptic-curve signatures — represent a realistic future risk that requires coordinated developer attention, software updates, and migration plans. He highlighted the need for discussion on quantum-resistant cryptography and key-management practices, noting that wallets, long-term key reuse, and address reuse could expose users if quantum advances accelerate. Carter’s comments serve as a call to action for the Bitcoin developer community to prioritize research, hardening, and timely protocol or wallet-level changes to mitigate potential future attacks. The warning does not indicate an immediate technical compromise of Bitcoin but signals strategic urgency to prepare in advance.

Ethereum activated the Fusaka upgrade (merging Fulu consensus and Osaka execution) on December 3, 2025. The upgrade introduces PeerDAS (Peer Data Availability Sampling) and raises the block gas limit by 33% (from 45M to 60M). As a result, average mainnet gas fees for simple transfers have fallen to roughly $0.01–$0.10. The lower fees make Ethereum Layer‑1 economically competitive with high‑speed chains such as Solana. However, reduced fee burns under EIP‑1559 have decreased ETH burn rates, creating short‑term inflationary pressure. Market sentiment remains in “Extreme Fear” (index ~21) as bulls defend the $3,000 support level. Proponents argue the long‑term benefit is enabling ultra‑low‑cost settlement for tokenized Treasury bills and stablecoins, positioning Ethereum as a backbone for Global Dollar Liquidity Settlement. Traders should note the immediate effects on transaction costs, potential short‑term ETH supply dynamics, and broader implications for DeFi and stablecoin issuance.

Canton (CC) led weekly crypto gainers with a 50% rally from $0.07, reclaiming mid-November resistance and testing a $0.10 supply zone as RSI approached overbought levels. The move was supported by technical breakouts, roadmap/news catalysts (including SEC-related developments) and a 35% week-over-week rise in on-chain transaction volume. Audiera (BEAT) rose 40%—its seventh consecutive weekly close—while Uniswap (UNI) gained 20% after bouncing from oversold readings. Outliers included BitLight (LIGHT) +274%, Luxxcoin (LUX) +214% and Fasttoken (FTN) +139%. On the downside, XDC Network (XDC) led losers with an 8% drop, printing four lower lows since July and a 15% fall in on-chain activity; other weak names included Hyperliquid (HYPE), MemeCore (M) and several speculative tokens with steep losses. Market-wide volatility was driven by macro FUD: a Bank of Japan rate decision and softer inflation data increased risk-off sentiment, weighing on Bitcoin and amplifying altcoin swings. Traders should note heightened momentum signals (RSI near 80 on CC), larger-than-normal volume spikes for winners, and persistent bearish structure for certain enterprise-focused tokens. Tactical considerations: monitor RSI and volume for potential pullbacks (CC support near $0.08), watch key support levels on lagging names (XDC) for capitulation, and expect short-term volatility around macro announcements. Primary keywords: Canton, crypto gainers, market volatility, BOJ, XDC. Secondary keywords: RSI, on-chain volume, technical breakout, altcoin rally.

OpenAI has raised its compute margin to about 70%, up from 52% at the end of 2024 and roughly half that at the start of 2024, The Information reports. The improvement in compute efficiency comes as the company still has not reported a profit despite a reported $500 billion valuation in October. CEO Sam Altman ordered a “code red” after Google’s Gemini outperformed ChatGPT on benchmarks, shifting internal priorities toward ChatGPT upgrades and delaying plans for an ad service. OpenAI is pushing to grow paid enterprise revenue—targeting $20 billion run-rate by year-end and “hundreds of billions” by 2030—and exploring new lines such as consumer devices, robotics and selling cloud compute. The Information notes OpenAI’s paid-account compute margins exceed Anthropic’s, though Anthropic spends less on servers. CFO Sarah Friar said banks and private equity would help “backstop” financing, and mentioned a potential “governmental” backstop for guarantees, prompting debate and denials that the comment implied a federal bailout. The White House has rejected the idea of a federal AI bailout. Key implications: higher compute margins reduce operating pressure, but large capital and cash-flow needs persist as competition from Google and Anthropic intensifies.

CryptoAppsy has launched a lightweight iOS and Android app that delivers real‑time cryptocurrency market data, multi‑currency portfolio aggregation, curated news and intelligent price alerts without mandatory registration. Prices refresh every five seconds using aggregated global exchange feeds. The app supports many fiat currencies (USD, TRY, EUR, JPY, GBP, CNY, AUD, CAD, CHF, HKD, SGD) and consolidates holdings bought in different fiat into a single portfolio view. Key features include an all‑in‑one Panel (favorites, portfolios, alerts), a News section with curated summaries and live‑event listings, an index of newly listed coins showing launch time, volume and chain origin, a Macro data card (Fed dates, US 10‑year yield, DXY, unemployment) and a Current Opportunities page with reward/earning offers. Users report high ratings (App Store 5.0, Google Play ~4.5) and praise fast notifications, an intuitive UI and easy access without signup. The product is pitched at retail traders and investors who need fast market monitoring, immediate signals for arbitrage and short‑term moves, and consolidated portfolio visibility. Disclaimer: not investment advice.

Kevin Hassett, economic adviser and potential Fed chair contender, warned a Supreme Court decision invalidating Trump-era tariffs could create an “administrative problem” by forcing refunds of import fees. Hassett said the government would likely return tariff receipts to importers first, who would then have to trace and pass money to end consumers — a complex, time‑consuming process that makes full refunds unlikely. The court case concerns tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The administration has contingency plans to reimpose tariffs if it loses, though it expects to prevail. Hassett also said stronger economic data and a smaller deficit increase the feasibility of a one‑time $2,000 rebate funded by tariff revenue, and that the administration will present housing measures and a broader plan early next year. Key names: Kevin Hassett, Donald Trump. Key points: refund logistics, legal challenge to tariffs, contingency planning to reimpose tariffs, potential $2,000 rebate funded by tariffs, housing policy push. Primary keywords: tariff refunds, rebate checks, tariff revenue. Secondary/semantic keywords: Supreme Court, importers, IEEPA, administrative logistics, housing measures.

Intel’s 2025 stock surge — an 86% rise — has not resolved deep, structural problems in its manufacturing and foundry business. New leadership under CEO Lip-Bu Tan, plus major investments from the US government ($9bn via the CHIPS Act), Nvidia ($5bn) and SoftBank ($2bn), helped stabilize the company and reduce losses. Despite this, Intel enters 2026 without a major outside foundry client, and analysts say the firm must secure a significant 14A process customer within 12–18 months to validate its foundry strategy. Historical missteps and loss of scale versus TSMC have left Intel behind; TSMC’s $165bn US buildout and existing client relationships (Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia) weaken Intel’s geopolitical pitch. Intel’s 18A process is currently used mainly for internal products; success of those chips will determine demand for future nodes (18AP, 14A). Analysts warn a failure to win 14A customers could force Intel to exit manufacturing, while others say recovery will be gradual given the decade-long deterioration. Key names: Lip-Bu Tan (CEO), Pat Gelsinger (former CEO), Brian Colello (Morningstar), David O’Connor (BNP Paribas analyst), Stacy Rasgon (Bernstein). Primary stats: 86% stock gain in 2025; $9bn federal stake (~10%); Nvidia $5bn, SoftBank $2bn. Primary keywords: Intel, foundry, 14A, CHIPS Act, TSMC. Secondary/semantic keywords used: manufacturing, chipmaking, fabs, market share, geopolitical supply chain, US semiconductor policy.

John Gillen, a former BlackRock vice president, told a crypto audience that strong ETF flows contradict market fatigue, citing sustained demand for crypto exchange-traded products. Gillen highlighted robust inflows into Solana ETFs and said an XRP ETF has surpassed $1 billion in trading volume, a signal of active institutional engagement rather than abandonment. He characterised current market psychology as “capitulation from frustration” after prolonged lack of a decisive price rally, not as a structural loss of relevance for major digital assets. Gillen also warned of macro pressure that could eventually break parts of the financial system — noting risks in private credit and housing markets — but did not assign timing. For traders, the key takeaways are that ETF volume (including XRP ETFs) indicates ongoing institutional participation, which can support liquidity and act as a foundation for future moves even if price action remains muted.

Mercado Bitcoin reports Brazil’s crypto trading volume rose 43% year‑over‑year in 2025 as retail investing becomes more structured and average tickets increase to about BRL 5,700 (~$1,000). Bitcoin (BTC) remained the most traded asset, followed by USDT, Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL). Stablecoin activity surged — fiat‑backed tokens recorded roughly three times the transactions year‑on‑year, with USDT accounting for a dominant share of on‑chain flows (~62%). Around 18% of investors now hold multiple digital assets. Tokenized fixed‑income products (Renda Fixa Digital, RFD) saw a 108% rise, with Mercado Bitcoin distributing roughly $325 million in 2025. Younger traders (24 and under) grew fastest (+56% YoY), and adoption expanded beyond Southeast and South regions into Central‑West and Northeast states. Tax agency data through Sept 2024 showed BRL‑denominated crypto transactions up ~24%, reinforcing the stablecoin on‑ramp trend. Institutional infrastructure is advancing: Brazil’s stock exchange B3 plans a tokenization platform, a settlement stablecoin and weekly options for BTC, ETH and SOL in 2026. Regulatory moves include the central bank’s plan to treat stablecoin flows as foreign‑exchange operations from February. Asset manager Itaú suggested a 1–3% Bitcoin allocation for portfolios citing geopolitical and currency risks. For traders, the takeaways are: rising participation and ticket sizes, stronger stablecoin on‑ramps boosting liquidity and execution, growth in lower‑risk tokenized fixed‑income products offering yield alternatives, and imminent institutional infrastructure from B3 that could expand product variety and market depth — while price volatility and regulatory adjustments remain key risks.

US retail sentiment toward cryptocurrencies is cooling: Coinbase Premium — an indicator of US investor demand on Coinbase — has flipped negative again, suggesting increased selling pressure when US markets open. Fidelity’s Global Macro Director Jurrien Timmer reiterated a four‑year cycle view and flagged a potential Bitcoin peak near $65,000 this cycle (versus prior cycle peak forecasts around $120k–$126k). The article notes Coinbase Premium briefly went positive earlier in the month but has reverted to red for over a week, signaling caution among American investors ahead of the holiday week. On layer‑2 Arbitrum (ARB), on‑chain fundamentals (rising TVL, accelerating DEX volumes, growing active accounts and transactions) remain healthy, yet token price has lagged amid inflationary pressure and limited token utility. Analyst Michael Poppe is "cautiously optimistic," citing bullish technical divergence since January 25 and ongoing network momentum, expecting upward potential for ARB despite recent underperformance. Key names and indicators: Coinbase Premium (retail demand), Jurrien Timmer (Fidelity), Michael Poppe (analyst), ARB (Arbitrum), and Bitcoin price forecasts. Traders should watch Coinbase Premium for near‑term retail flows, monitor Bitcoin reaction to macro commentary from large asset managers, and consider on‑chain metrics vs token price divergence for ARB when sizing positions. This is not investment advice.

Multiple large withdrawals of Chainlink (LINK) from Binance indicate renewed whale accumulation and reduced on-exchange sell liquidity. Earlier reporting flagged a single 104,503 LINK (~$1.32M) withdrawal; later on-chain analysis identified wallet 0xf440…b1cc4 withdrawing 445,775 LINK (~$5.57M) in two transfers (199,520 and 246,259 LINK). Another whale (address 0xf44…) moved roughly 630,000 LINK (~$8M) from Binance across two days. Combined, these outflows suggest significant off-exchange accumulation. At the time of reporting, LINK traded near $12.50, modestly up on the day but down on the week, with recent support around $11.77. Observers link the moves to wider bullish drivers — institutional interest (e.g., Grayscale GLNK inflows), protocol integrations and potential staking or DeFi deployment — which could encourage long-term holding. For traders: sustained exchange withdrawals can tighten available sell-side liquidity and, if holdings remain off-exchange, may support price stability or upside; however, withdrawals alone do not guarantee immediate bullish momentum and should be weighed alongside volume, price action and broader market conditions.

Bitwise has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch a spot SUI exchange-traded fund (ETF) that would include on-chain staking for SUI tokens. The proposal outlines that the ETF would hold spot SUI tokens and enable staking rewards by delegating tokens on-chain, with Bitwise acting as sponsor and a custodian and staking agent handling custody and validator operations. The filing emphasizes compliance with SEC rules for spot-commodity ETFs and details operational controls, custody arrangements, staking policies, and fee structures. Bitwise’s move follows growing industry interest in spot ETFs for major tokens and represents an effort to bridge traditional investment vehicles with on-chain yield mechanisms. Key implications include potential increased institutional demand for SUI, added liquidity from ETF flows, and the technical and regulatory complexities tied to offering staking within a regulated ETF wrapper.

Microsoft is retreating from a hardware-first Xbox strategy after a steep decline in console sales, studio closures and layoffs. Gaming revenue fell 2% year‑over‑year, while hardware revenue dropped 29%; Series S/X sales plunged to about 1.7 million in 2025 compared with Nintendo Switch 2 (10.36M) and PS5 (9.2M). Microsoft stopped reporting shipments in 2015 as the gap widened. Executives including Phil Spencer and Satya Nadella are emphasising cloud and cross‑platform play over exclusive consoles, promoting Game Pass (34M subscribers, nearly $5B revenue in 2024) and Xbox Cloud Gaming (30 countries) as core strategies. The company has acquired multiple studios (ZeniMax, Activision Blizzard) but has recently shuttered teams and cut headcount; several high‑profile projects were shelved. Pricing pressure, tough profit targets, and two console price rises have also strained consumer demand. Analysts warn cloud gaming faces scaling costs due to expensive server hardware per player, and Microsoft experiments with ad‑supported/free tiers. For traders: the shift reduces Xbox hardware’s market importance, increases reliance on subscription and cloud revenue, and influences partner ecosystems (PC, Steam, handhelds). Key metrics to watch: Game Pass subscriber growth and ARPU, cloud‑gaming adoption rates, Microsoft gaming revenue and margins, studio investment or further layoffs, and competitive hardware sales from Sony, Nintendo and Valve.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM), an Ethereum-based decentralized lending protocol, has seen accelerated presale demand as it approaches a planned V1 Sepolia testnet launch in Q4 2025. The token is priced at $0.035 in its sixth presale phase, which is over 99% allocated; more than 820 million MUTM (≈45.5% of a 4 billion supply allocated for presale overall) have been sold, representing roughly a 250% rise from a $0.01 low earlier in 2025. The protocol issues interest-bearing mtTokens to liquidity providers and supports P2C liquidity pools plus peer-to-peer loans with variable or stable rates and LTV-based liquidations. It also features a revenue-recycling buyback that purchases MUTM on market and redistributes tokens to users who stake mtTokens in a safety module. Security and readiness signals include a 90/100 CertiK token scan, an independent Halborn audit in progress for lending/borrowing contracts, and a $50,000 bug bounty. The team plans Sepolia testnet support for ETH and USDT, liquidity pools, mtTokens, debt tokens and an automated liquidator bot in V1, with future roadmaps listing stablecoin support and Layer-2 scaling to reduce fees. For traders, key takeaways are tight presale supply and strong demand driving short-term price spikes and volatility, while upcoming milestones (audits, testnet/mainnet launches, stablecoin and L2 integrations, and on-chain adoption metrics) are primary catalysts for sustained growth. Risks include presale lockups, token distribution concentration, audit outcomes and the speculative nature of projected upside. Monitor on-chain presale flows, unlocked supply schedules, audit reports and testnet/mainnet launch progress when sizing positions.

Ozak AI (OZ) is being promoted as a high-upside altcoin with a forecasted price target of $5 by 2027. The article projects that buyers acquiring OZ at the current offer of $0.014 would realize roughly 350× returns if the token reaches $5; earlier purchasers at $0.001 would see up to 5,000×. Shorter-term milestones suggested include a move to $1 (≈71×) and $3 (≈214×) by 2026. The piece attributes the bullish thesis to Ozak AI’s technical features — DePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure network), cross-chain compatibility, and token utilities such as staking, payments, access to AI agents and analytics — plus strategic partnerships with projects including Openledger, Phala Network, SINT and HIVE. The article is a sponsored promotional piece and includes links to Ozak AI’s website, X (Twitter) and Telegram. It carries the standard investment disclaimer advising readers this is not financial advice.

Wang Chun, co‑founder of major mining pool F2Pool, revealed he lost 490 BTC after deliberately sending 500 BTC to a wallet he suspected was compromised. He said the attacker drained 490 BTC and left 10 BTC, jokingly calling the thief “generous.” Wang shared the hacker’s address but gave no indication of pursuing recovery. The post was shared amid a separate December 2025 address‑poisoning phishing case in which a user lost about 49,999,950 USDT (~$50M) after copying a spoofed address. On‑chain investigator Web3 Antivirus and security firm SlowMist confirmed the attack used similar start/end characters and exploited UIs that truncate addresses. The attacker converted stolen USDT to ETH and split funds, moving some through Tornado Cash. The victim has engaged law enforcement and demanded 98% restitution within 48 hours or promised to escalate civil and criminal action. The Ethereum Community Foundation urged wallets and explorers to stop truncating addresses to reduce such scams. Primary keywords: Wang Chun, F2Pool, phishing, 490 BTC, USDT, address poisoning. Secondary/semantic keywords: wallet compromise, on‑chain forensics, Tornado Cash, wallet UI truncation. This report highlights operational security risks for large holders and the persistence of address‑poisoning scams — relevant for traders monitoring whale behavior and on‑chain fund flows.

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan said Bitwise’s newly launched XRP ETF received stronger early institutional demand than Ethereum ETFs did at launch. Hougan noted rapid inflows into XRP products during a weak market, citing Canary Capital’s XRP ETF reaching $58 million in first-day trading and combined assets under management (AUM) surpassing $1 billion with 30+ days of net inflows. He described XRP as a "simple story" familiar to many investors and suggested sustained, long-term demand. Crypto commentator X Finance Bull highlighted the contrast between institutional participation and cautious retail, arguing that price weakness masks institutional positioning. The article links recent whale activity and ETF flows as evidence of growing institutional exposure to XRP. Disclaimer: this is informational and not financial advice.

Wall Street analysts at Bank of America, Bernstein and Jefferies reaffirmed buy ratings on Nvidia (NVDA) despite valuation concerns, rising competition from Broadcom, AMD and Google TPUs, and U.S.–China export uncertainties. Bank of America’s Vivek Arya raised his price target to $275 after a meeting with Nvidia’s investor relations, citing management’s view that 2024 Blackwell GPUs will put Nvidia at least one generation ahead and that the company has visibility into at least $500 billion of combined demand across Blackwell, Rubin and networking for 2025–2026. Bernstein’s Stacy Rasgon kept a $275 target, noting potential upside because the $500 billion estimate excludes major deals with OpenAI, Anthropic/Microsoft and Middle East projects; Bernstein also said Nvidia believes it is roughly two years ahead of Google’s TPU program. Jefferies’ Blayne Curtis stayed bullish with a $250 target while highlighting Broadcom as a top pick for ASIC momentum; Curtis expects Rubin and other product ramps in late 2026 and raised NVDA EPS forecasts for 2026–2027. Analysts emphasized benchmarks (MLPerf, InferenceMAX) favoring Blackwell for efficiency, flagged pending China export licenses for H200 chips, and noted potential upside from new AI deals. Despite macro and geopolitical noise, Wall Street’s consensus remains bullish, with multiple price targets between $250–$275 and TipRanks continuing to rate NVDA highly.

Solana (SOL) is showing signs of weakening despite ongoing institutional inflows: US-based SOL ETFs have gathered $636 million since July and some firms added >20 million SOL to their treasuries, yet SOL’s price fell 32% in November versus a 21% altcoin drop. On-chain metrics have deteriorated — weekly transaction fees declined from $7M to $4.5M and dApp revenue fell ~30% to $26M/week — prompting whale selling and concerns about Solana’s competitive position versus Ethereum layer-2s like Base and Arbitrum. Against this backdrop, the press release highlights Mutuum Finance (MUTM) as an alternative DeFi project. Mutuum’s presale has raised $19.5M with 18,550 holders; phase 6 is ~99% sold at $0.035 (up 250% from $0.01 in phase 1). Phase 7 will raise the price to $0.04, with a fixed launch price of $0.06 implied. Mutuum promotes audited smart contracts (Halborn review in process), a live dashboard and daily leaderboard with $500 MUTM rewards. The piece frames Mutuum as a limited window for early investment as SOL whales offload and on-chain activity shifts, urging potential investors to consider MUTM before phase prices rise. Note: the article is a press release and advises readers to perform due diligence.

US President Donald Trump’s pledge of an upcoming “largest tax refund season” in 2026 triggered a notable rally across major cryptocurrencies. Following his comments, Bitcoin climbed intraday from about $85,107 to a high near $89,412, and Ethereum rose nearly 4% in 24 hours. BNB reached an intraday high of $850; SOL and DOGE gained roughly 2%, while ADA added about 1%. Market-wide liquidity increased: global crypto market capitalization reached roughly $2.99 trillion and 24‑hour trading volume jumped ~30% to $148 billion. Analysts attribute the move to anticipated retail liquidity from tax refunds, historical patterns of refunds flowing into risk assets, and on-chain signals showing traders front-running the expected inflows. The article notes parallels to prior stimulus and rebate events (including 2020 stimulus checks and earlier tariff rebates) that boosted retail demand and prices. Key short-term drivers are increased retail buying and improved market structure; longer-term effects will depend on actual size and timing of refunds and macroeconomic responses.

Mithril (MITH) is a blockchain-based social media platform that incentivizes content creation through a "Social Mining" mechanism. Creators earn MITH tokens when their posts generate engagement—likes, shares, and comments—with rewards distributed transparently on the blockchain. MITH is tradable on multiple exchanges and can be used within the Mithril ecosystem for tipping, purchasing premium content and other utilities. The project has formed partnerships with other blockchain platforms and exchanges to expand utility and market access. The article positions Mithril as an interest point for social media users and content creators seeking tokenized rewards, but it includes a standard investment disclaimer and no price forecasts or technical metrics.

Bitcoin (BTC) has edged lower to roughly $87.6–87.8K, slipping about 0.2%–2% in short-term reads and roughly 3.6% over the week in earlier reporting. Hourly charts show sellers pressing near a local support band around $87.6K (with a secondary floor near $87K); failure to hold could push price toward the $87K zone. Higher timeframes (daily, weekly) show low directional momentum and declining volume, indicating neither bulls nor bears currently dominate and limiting the likelihood of sharp moves. Both updates point to accumulation on longer frames and reduced volatility in the near term. The consolidated outlook for traders: expect narrow-range consolidation between $85,000 and $95,000 through the end of the month, monitor $87.6K and $87K as immediate supports and the $89.7–$89.8K area as short-term resistance. Key data for trading decisions: BTC ≈ $87.8K, 24h change ~-0.2%, short-term channel ~$87.6K–$89.8K, medium-term consolidation $85K–$95K, and low volume signaling muted volatility.

Solana Foundation partnered with Project Eleven, a Google‑led research initiative, to assess and prototype post‑quantum (quantum‑resistant) digital signatures for the Solana blockchain. Project Eleven completed a comprehensive quantum‑threat assessment covering validator identities, wallets and “harvest now, decrypt later” risks, then deployed a production‑like Solana testnet running post‑quantum signatures. The prototype showed the scheme is viable with current technology and reported no major performance trade‑offs despite higher computational demands. Solana’s VP of Technology, Matt Sorg, and Project Eleven CEO, Alex Pruden, framed the work as proactive preparation for future quantum threats. The announcement aligns with wider industry moves—Bitcoin developers are testing NIST post‑quantum standards and hybrid signatures, while the Ethereum community is prioritizing quantum defenses—though experts disagree on the immediacy of the risk. For traders: this signals Solana’s emphasis on long‑term cryptographic resilience without disrupting near‑term network performance, which may improve institutional confidence but is unlikely to create immediate price volatility.

Bitcoin prices oscillated around $88,000 with sharply reduced trading volume during the holiday week. Altcoins dropped up to 4%, and ETH remains below $3,000. Analyst Altcoin Sherpa says a local bottom may be in but expects one more brief wick down toward the $70–75k area, which could act as a trigger for a sustained long-term move. Market weakness is attributed to a bear-flag breakdown, negative January news flow, low crypto volume, and continued ETF outflows. Conversely, a rising Russell 2000 index signals growing appetite for risk assets; analysts note small-cap stocks are priced for aggressive earnings recovery, and if macro conditions hold, this could support crypto and altcoin resurgence once liquidity improves. The article concludes with a standard investment disclaimer. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, trading volume, Russell 2000, Altcoin Sherpa, altcoins, ETH, ETF flows.

The U.S. Department of Justice sentenced Magdaleno Mendoza, a senior promoter for IcomTech, to 71 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and illegal reentry. IcomTech, launched in mid‑2018, marketed supposed crypto mining and trading products promising “guaranteed” daily returns but operated as a multi‑level marketing Ponzi scheme. Promoters recruited largely Spanish‑speaking, working‑class investors via expos, community meetings and high‑profile events. Investors saw simulated online “profits,” were blocked from withdrawals and ultimately suffered losses when the scheme collapsed by late 2019. Mendoza collected cash at events, helped promote a worthless proprietary token called “Icoms,” and funneled investor funds to pay earlier participants and promoters’ personal expenses. Prosecutors say operators collected significant sums from roughly 190,000 individuals across the U.S. and other countries; earlier sentences include founder David Carmona (121 months) and former CEO Marco Ruiz Ochoa (60 months). Mendoza was ordered to pay approximately $790,000 in restitution and forfeit $1.5 million, including interest in a California property. For traders: this case underscores ongoing regulatory and law‑enforcement pressure on fraudulent crypto schemes, highlights the reputational risk of small, proprietary tokens (Icoms), and serves as a reminder to perform rigorous due diligence on yield promises and MLM‑style crypto offerings.

Chainlink (LINK) could rally toward $46 driven by real-world asset (RWA) tokenization demand and historical consolidation-breakout patterns, according to market analysts. LINK is trading near the lower band of an uptrending channel, with prior post-accumulation moves targeting $23 and $31. Growth in RWA tokenization — where Chainlink’s oracle services provide off-chain data to on-chain contracts — is cited as a key fundamental driver, with on-chain analytics showing LINK integrated into a majority of major RWA protocols and RWA market capitalization exceeding $5 billion in recent quarters. Analysts warn of short-term downside pressure after on-chain reports of roughly 10 million LINK transferred to exchanges like Binance, which could increase liquidity and temporarily cap upside. Key trading signals highlighted for crypto traders: monitor on-chain flows and exchange balances, watch broader crypto market recovery for breakout confirmation, and consider RWA adoption and institutional inflows as longer-term bullish catalysts. Primary keywords: Chainlink, LINK price prediction, RWA tokenization, on-chain transfers. Secondary keywords: oracle services, institutional flows, exchange inflows.

Dogecoin (DOGE) slipped 1.52% in the past 24 hours and traded around $0.1296. On the hourly chart, DOGE found local support near $0.1287; a failure to rebound before day‑end could trigger a break and push price toward the $0.1250 area. On the higher timeframe, DOGE repeatedly failed to hold above the $0.1330 resistance. If daily/weekly candles close well below that level, a further decline toward $0.12–$0.1250 is likely. No clear midterm reversal signals are present; traders should watch the weekly bar close for confirmation. Key points for traders: monitor $0.1287 support, $0.1330 resistance, and potential target zone $0.12–$0.1250 for downside continuation.

Former BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes says the Federal Reserve’s Reserve Management Purchases (RMP) — which he and some market observers view as a form of quantitative easing — could materially boost liquidity and push Bitcoin (BTC) much higher. Hayes expects BTC to trade in a choppy $80,000–$100,000 range through late 2024, reclaim $124,000, and then surge toward $200,000 by around March 2025, followed by a corrective pullback with a local bottom still above $124,000. He stresses that RMP-driven asset-price expectations should peak around early 2026 in one account and that the size of Treasury purchases relative to today’s money supply limits the credit impulse. Separately, on-chain analyst CryptoQuant warns of downside risk: if demand growth slows, BTC could fall toward roughly $56,000 with intermediate support near $70,000. At publication BTC was trading near $88,000, roughly 30% below its all-time high. Traders should monitor FOMC guidance, RMP implementation, liquidity metrics and on-chain demand signals — these will likely determine the magnitude and timing of BTC flows and volatility. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, Fed liquidity, quantitative easing, RMP, BTC price target.

Major research teams disagree on Bitcoin’s 2026 outlook, citing wide uncertainty around macro events, elections and post-halving dynamics. Fundstrat warned of choppy markets and a possible dip to $60K–$65K driven by ETF inflow exhaustion and miner selling, while Tom Lee (Fundstrat head) publicly predicted $200K by early January. Galaxy Research’s Alex Thorn called 2026 “too chaotic to predict,” noting options markets price broad outcomes (e.g., equal odds of $70K or $130K for June month-end; $50K or $250K by year-end 2026) and set a $250K target by 2027 if momentum returns above $100K–$105K. Bitwise and Grayscale expect a new all-time high in H1 2026, citing safe-haven demand and renewed ETF inflows. Near-term, roughly $23 billion in BTC options expire on Dec. 26, creating potential end-of-year volatility; funds have been hedging around the $85K–$90K wall that expiry may clear. ETF flows have been muted since October and saw nearly $500 million withdrawn last week, reflecting risk-off sentiment. Analysts expect the market’s next directional move to be decided after Dec. 26, with mixed potential outcomes ranging from further consolidation to sharp rallies or pullbacks.