Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

The USDC Treasury (Circle) minted 250,000,000 USDC in a single on-chain transaction flagged by Whale Alert on April 10, 2025. Backed 1:1 by USD reserves, this mint increases USDC circulating supply and represents a notable liquidity event. Large-scale mints often signal institutional activity — exchanges, market makers, hedge funds or corporations preparing liquidity for trading, large asset purchases (e.g., BTC, ETH), OTC desks or DeFi deployments. On-chain transparency allows traders to monitor subsequent token flows to exchanges, DeFi protocols or custody wallets. The immediate market effect depends on deployment speed and destination: transfers to exchanges or trading desks can create near-term buying pressure on major crypto assets, while idle custody or redemptions would mute impact. Key data points: 250,000,000 USDC minted; recorded at the official USDC Treasury contract address. Historical context: prior multi-hundred-million USDC mints have coincided with institutional inflows and TVL increases but are not guarantees of instant rallies. For traders: treat the mint as a neutral on-chain indicator that becomes bullish if followed by visible exchange inflows or on-chain conversions into crypto. Track on-chain explorers and alert services for follow-through; watch for increased market depth and reduced slippage if funds are deployed as liquidity.

Ethereum is trading below $3,000 and remains capped by resistance after falling from cycle highs near $4,800. Price has compressed around ~$2,800–$3,000 for nearly a month, producing tight volatility and market indecision. On-chain indicators reinforce the cautious outlook: weekly ETH netflows on Arbitrum — a key Layer-2 proxy for smart-money and DeFi activity — are subdued and choppy, showing no clear inflow or outflow trend. Technicals remain bearish with lower highs/lows and price below major daily moving averages; the 111- and 200-day SMAs converge around $3,300–$3,600, forming a heavy supply zone. Key levels: support ~ $2,800 (break would accelerate downside); resistance cluster ~$3,200–$3,600 (reclaim and hold needed to shift momentum). Traders should watch Arbitrum cumulative netflow as an early signal: a sudden, sustained expansion could presage a decisive move. For now, muted on-chain flows and compressed price action suggest limited conviction — the market is coiling and a swift directional breakout (either direction) remains possible once volume returns.

Analysts say MicroStrategy (MSTR) is under significant dilution pressure after recent equity and debt-funded purchases of Bitcoin. CryptoQuant reports the company sold roughly $700M in stock last week and has raised over $900M year-to-date from at‑the‑market (ATM) offerings to finance BTC acquisitions. Basic shares outstanding rose about 20% year‑to‑date. The stock is down ~70% from its all‑time high, ~55% in 12 months and ~36% year‑to‑date, while Bitcoin itself is down about 3.6% this year. MicroStrategy’s market cap (~$45B) recently fell below the value of its BTC holdings (~$60B) at times, highlighting investor concerns over leverage and future dilution. The company also used convertible debt to fund a recent $1B Bitcoin purchase. Index inclusion risks add pressure: Nasdaq retained MicroStrategy in the Nasdaq‑100, but MSCI will decide in January whether to exclude digital‑asset treasury firms like MicroStrategy — a move analysts say could force sizable passive outflows (~$1.6B estimated) and broader re‑rating of similar firms. Traders should watch further ATM sales, convertible issuance, MSCI’s decision, and short‑term selling from newly issued supply as primary drivers of MSTR volatility and potential spillover effects into BTC sentiment.

Arthur Hayes, co‑founder of BitMEX, argues Bitcoin could surge to $200,000 within three months as central banks—particularly the US Federal Reserve—begin a subtle form of monetary easing. Hayes highlights the Fed’s Reserve Management Purchases (RMP), which buy Treasury bills mainly from money market funds, and contends RMP functions like quantitative easing (QE) by creating liquidity that can flow into Treasury issuance, the repo market and longer-dated bonds. He notes money market funds hold about 40% of outstanding T‑bills and says RMP’s liquidity effects will eventually support financial assets including Bitcoin. Hayes expects Bitcoin to consolidate around $80,000–$100,000 while markets recognize RMP as QE, after which BTC could first revisit prior highs (~$124,000) and then accelerate toward $200,000, potentially by March. He also suggests coordinated global easing and a weaker dollar could amplify the rally. The view rests on liquidity-driven price mechanics rather than on fundamental adoption metrics. Key names and figures: Arthur Hayes (BitMEX), Federal Reserve, Reserve Management Purchases (RMP); price targets: $124,000 and $200,000; consolidation range: $80,000–$100,000. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC price, Arthur Hayes, quantitative easing, Reserve Management Purchases. Secondary/semantic keywords: liquidity, Fed easing, Treasury bills, money market funds, dollar weakness.

The global iGaming sector is entering a transformative phase in 2026 as crypto payments, Web3 primitives and AI-driven safety tools converge with traditional online gambling. Key trends include wider crypto as a default payment method (BTC, ETH, USDT, SOL, USDC), on-chain RNG and provably-fair mechanics, instant withdrawals and stronger KYC/compliance driven by evolving EU, US and LATAM regulations. The article ranks 11 leading platforms by category: Stake.com (best overall, Lightning & Solana support), BC.Game (altcoin & bonuses), Rollbit (hybrid casino + trading + NFT), Roobet (entertainment & streamer partnerships), Cloudbet (licensed high-limit), TrustDice (provably fair), Bitcasino.io (best UX/mobile), Duelbits (low house edge), Sportsbet.io (sports & eSports), Ignition Casino (US-focused poker), and MetaWin (on-chain gaming transparency). It highlights licensing, cross-chain crypto payments, UX, payout history and transparency as primary comparison factors. AI-powered behavioral models and tokenized loyalty/NFT rewards are noted as shaping engagement and safer-gambling measures. For traders, the piece emphasizes that crypto-native payment rails and provable fairness increase on-chain utility and could influence crypto transaction demand in gaming verticals, while regulatory clarity may shift market access and liquidity across jurisdictions.

IREN Limited (IREN) emerged as the top-performing application software stock in 2025, according to a Seeking Alpha report dated Dec. 26, 2025. The information technology sector was the second-best performer year-to-date, rising about 25%, with the Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) up roughly 26.1%. The article highlights sector-wide strength in IT and application software subsectors that contributed to IREN’s relative outperformance. Key tickers mentioned alongside sector ETFs include VGT, XLK, IYW, FTEC and IXN, and several individual tech names are referenced. The piece is a short market note aimed at ranking top performers within the IT subsectors rather than detailing IREN’s fundamentals, guidance, or financials.

Strategy CEO Phong Le says Bitcoin’s fundamentals remain strong despite a roughly 29% drop from October highs. Speaking on the Coin Stories podcast (Dec. 23), Le urged investors to use disciplined, quantitative, long-term approaches — highlighting metrics such as mNAV (market cap vs. BTC treasury value), a dedicated Bitcoin treasury and a US dollar reserve. Strategy holds about 671,268 BTC (~$59B at reporting) and has set aside a $1.4B USD reserve for shareholder dividends. Le pointed to growing institutional and government engagement — meetings with US banks and talks in the UAE — and described significant US government support as a bullish catalyst toward 2026. Market context: BTC hit an all-time high in early October (~$125–126k) and traded near ~$87k at the time of reporting; the Crypto Fear & Greed Index has been in “Extreme Fear.” Key takeaways for traders: monitor mNAV and treasury metrics, expect elevated near-term volatility, prefer methodical, fundamentals-focused positioning, and watch for institutional or policy developments that could materially shift sentiment.

The Bitcoin–silver price ratio (XAG/BTC) is emerging as a macro risk indicator, measuring how many ounces of silver are needed to buy one Bitcoin. A falling ratio typically signals risk-on conditions—liquidity expansion and capital rotating into higher-volatility assets such as Bitcoin—while a rising ratio denotes defensive rotation into silver amid risk-off environments. Extreme ratio readings have historically preceded mean reversion and cycle shifts rather than serving as short-term trade triggers. Drivers include macro liquidity, real yields, industrial silver demand, inflation expectations, monetary policy and institutional flows into Bitcoin. Traders should view the ratio as contextual macro information to monitor alongside real interest rates, the U.S. dollar index and Bitcoin dominance; current silver strength suggests a defensive tilt that could prolong Bitcoin consolidation even as eventual rotations back to crypto occur.

Solana (SOL) has cooled below the key $150 level and is facing repeated rejections around $150–$160, with analysts saying the network’s large market cap and wide token distribution limit near-term explosive upside. Traders are rotating capital into earlier-stage DeFi opportunities seeking asymmetric gains. Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a lending/borrowing protocol issuing mtTokens to suppliers, is in a high-demand presale: current presale price ~ $0.035, Phase 6 reported ~99% allocated, roughly 825–820M tokens sold and about 18.6k holders. The project has raised about $19.3–19.45M and allocated ~1.82B (≈45.5%) of its 4B supply to presale. Mutuum’s launch price is set at $0.06, implying potential immediate upside; some analysts model 250–350% post-launch gains, with larger longer-term upside tied to adoption, listings and borrowing activity. Security signals include a CertiK token-scan score (90/100), an ongoing Halborn review, and a $50k bug bounty; community incentives (daily contributor rewards) and a buy-and-distribute mechanism are cited as demand-supportive features. Market commentators note increased whale allocations and tightening supply ahead of later presale phases. Implications for traders: SOL appears range-bound absent major catalysts, reducing near-term upside for large caps, while MUTM represents a high-risk, high-reward prelaunch opportunity that can move significantly on relatively small inflows — but it carries elevated execution, liquidity and listing risks. This report originates from a press release; traders should perform independent due diligence.

The 2025 End‑of‑Year report distills the dominant crypto narratives that drove market behaviour this year. Key themes include macro-driven volatility, regulatory milestones worldwide, the maturation of on‑chain data analytics, and renewed institutional interest in Bitcoin and select layer‑1 networks. Significant events highlighted are tighter U.S. and EU regulatory frameworks, several high‑profile token listings and delistings, notable protocol upgrades improving scaling and gas efficiency, and a rise in real‑world‑asset tokenization pilots. On metrics, Bitcoin regained market leadership with increased ETF inflows and higher on‑chain custody metrics, while select altcoins saw episodic volume spikes tied to major upgrades and partnerships. Traders should note heightened correlation between risk assets and macro indicators (rates, CPI), increased liquidity in regulated venues, and recurring short‑term volatility around regulatory announcements and protocol hard forks. Primary keywords: crypto market, Bitcoin, regulation, layer‑1 upgrades, on‑chain data; secondary keywords: ETF inflows, tokenization, market volatility, institutional adoption. This concise overview helps traders focus on catalysts likely to affect liquidity, order flow and risk management into 2026.

Aave founder and Aave Labs CEO Stani Kulechov denied accusations that he purchased roughly $15 million of AAVE tokens to influence a contested Aave DAO governance vote over transferring Aave brand assets (domain, social accounts, GitHub, naming rights) into DAO control. Kulechov said the tokens were not used to vote and that the buy reflected personal conviction. The dispute followed community concern that fees from a CoW Swap integration were routed to a wallet controlled by Aave Labs. The proposal — reportedly submitted by Aave Labs and attributed to former CTO Ernesto Boado, who says it was pushed to Snapshot without his consent — was rejected by voters (≈55% “nay”, ≈41% abstain, ~3.5% “yes”). Criticism centered on rushed process, concentrated voting power (top three wallets >58%, largest >27%) and prior token sales by Kulechov cited by critics. Kulechov acknowledged Aave Labs has not clearly disclosed its economic alignment with AAVE holders and pledged clearer disclosures. Traders should monitor AAVE liquidity, on-chain movements of large wallets, Snapshot/governance developments and market sentiment, since founder token purchases, governance disputes and concentrated voting can increase volatility and affect token demand and fee flows.

Crypto analyst BullRunners reviewed XRP amid holiday liquidity-driven market weakness, noting Bitcoin slid below $87,000 and ETF outflows accelerated. He said XRP lost key support near $1.90 and trades around $1.85–$1.86 with active short-term selling, but warned against panic. BullRunners disputed rapid-collapse narratives to $1.10 in the near term, identifying intermediate support zones at $1.51–$1.52 and moving-average support around $1.54–$1.55. Technically, XRP remains inside a multi-month descending wedge that began after July’s peak; price dips below support in Oct–Nov recovered back into the wedge, so a confirmed breakdown has not occurred. He flagged the late-Q1/early-Q2 2026 convergence of wedge resistance and support as a pivotal inflection. BullRunners also highlighted continued XRP ETF inflows as a positive divergence from heavy Bitcoin ETF outflows, calling the phase late-cycle deleveraging rather than structural failure. Overall, he leans bullish if the wedge resolves upward, while traders should watch $1.51–$1.55 support, moving-average crossovers, and ETF flow trends.

A whale moved 3,000,000 TRUMP tokens (~$14.88M) into Binance after roughly 50 days of accumulation, realizing an estimated $7.8M loss versus a prior withdrawal valued at about $22.68M, according to on-chain trackers (Lookonchain/Onchain Lens). The deposit signals capitulation and increased short-term sell-side supply, but the market absorbed much of the selling: spot price held above $4.80 and traded around a $5 pivot. TRUMP briefly broke a descending channel but failed to sustain gains above the $5.20–$5.25 resistance and has since reverted toward the $5 level. Technical indicators show neutral-to-weak momentum (RSI ≈ 46). On-chain and market metrics — including a positive 90-day CVD (CryptoQuant) and a CoinGlass 4-hour long/short ratio near 1.32 — suggest buyers have been absorbing supply without strong bullish follow-through. Liquidity clusters and liquidation heatmaps concentrate around $5.10–$5.20, making that band a likely test point and potential stop-run zone. Traders should monitor exchange inflows, spot CVD, liquidity bands, and price reaction at $5 support and $5.20 resistance for short-term volatility and possible additional selling pressure.

Cardano (ADA) has weakened after breaking short-term support levels, trading around $0.35 and consolidating just above $0.347–$0.35. Price sits below key short-term moving averages (7/21/30-day SMAs) and on the 4-hour chart is under downward-sloping averages; momentum indicators (MACD negative, RSI mid-30s) point to bearish pressure and possible oversold conditions. Recent stop-loss cascades accelerated the sell-off after the pivot broke. Immediate downside risk targets the 2025 low near $0.32 and, if bearish momentum persists, a deeper move toward $0.30. To regain upside momentum, buyers need to reclaim moving averages and resistances — near-term resistance includes the 23.6% Fibonacci at ~$0.45. Doji candlesticks have limited directional conviction recently. This is market analysis, not investment advice.

Market analysts flagged a sharp Bitcoin (BTC) sell-off and suspect institutional activity tied to ETFs and BlackRock. Analyst NoLimit observed large BTC transfers from BlackRock’s IBIT ETF into Coinbase Prime at U.S. market open — a pattern often associated with imminent selling or liquidity management. Technical analyst OxNobler and others reported rapid, large-volume sales across major platforms: Binance (~10,155 BTC), Coinbase (~10,113 BTC), Wintermute (~5,354 BTC), BlackRock (~4,945 BTC) and Kraken (~4,630 BTC) — totalling more than $2.5 billion of BTC moved within roughly 30 minutes. Bull Theory noted a $2,300 intraday BTC drop that liquidated about $66 million in long positions in 45 minutes and contributed to roughly $60 billion wiped from the crypto market. At the time of reporting BTC traded near $87,340, roughly 30% below October all-time highs. Analysts attribute the move to ETF-related redemptions or inventory management, low-liquidity timing, and risk reduction ahead of derivatives events, raising renewed manipulation concerns. Key takeaways for traders: monitor ETF flows (notably IBIT), watch exchange wallet movements and liquidity windows around market opens, tighten risk controls for high-leverage positions, and expect elevated volatility while institutional rebalancing and derivatives events occur.

Bitcoin showed robust onchain market structure through 2024–2025, yet shifting macroeconomic conditions capped further price gains in 2025. BTC rallied from ~$42,000 to above $100,000 in 2024, driven by strong stablecoin inflows ($38–$45B/month on average), sustained exchange outflows, and rising institutional/spot-ETF demand. The 365-day MVRV rose from 1.8 to ~2.2 in 2024, indicating structural strength without overheating. However, unlike prior bull cycles, US real yields stayed positive (roughly 1.6–2.1% in 2025) and the Fed shrank its balance sheet from $7.6T to $6.5T (2024–2025), increasing the opportunity cost of non-yielding assets. In 2025 stablecoin inflows fell about 50% from late-2024 peaks and exchange netflows became mixed, while MVRV stabilized between 1.8–2.2. Statistical analysis showed onchain flows explained under 6% of MVRV variation in 2024–2025, implying valuations were increasingly driven by macro variables. For traders: onchain metrics remain useful to assess market structure and downside protection, but major upside likely requires easing macro conditions (falling real yields or expanded liquidity). Monitor real yields, Fed balance sheet trends, stablecoin inflows, and exchange netflows for triggers to resume broad price discovery. This is not investment advice.

Polygon (POL) has seen substantial on-chain growth even as price sits near $0.10. Nansen data shows Polygon was the second-fastest-growing chain over the past 30 days: transactions jumped ~90% to 172 million and active addresses rose ~30% to 14.2 million — levels ahead of Arbitrum, Aptos and Ethereum. Stripe-related integrations and merchant activity are significant drivers; Polygon reported $70M+ lifetime Stripe payments and is becoming a core chain for Stripe stablecoin flows. DeFi activity is robust: DEXes on Polygon processed over $210M in 24-hour volume and about $5.72B in the last 30 days. Technically, POL fell from a November high of $0.766 to around $0.10 and has formed a head-and-shoulders (bearish) pattern while trading below the 50- and 200-day moving averages. Offsetting this, on-chain strength accompanies a falling wedge and bullish divergence on momentum oscillators (PPO, RSI), suggesting a possible rebound toward $0.1520; a decisive break above that level would confirm a bullish breakout. Key takeaways for traders: on-chain usage and merchant integrations indicate growing fundamental demand, but price remains technically weak — watch $0.1520 for confirmation of trend reversal and manage risk given prior large drawdown.

Market analyst Lark Davis argues the crypto bull run expected in 2025 was delayed and that 2026 is a more probable inflection point. Davis cites weak 2025 macro signals — notably a prolonged contraction in US manufacturing (ISM PMI at 48.2 in November, nine months of contraction, new orders in the mid-47s, employment near 44) — which kept sentiment pessimistic despite an AI-driven tech boom. He highlights large AI-related capital expenditure as a structural catalyst for 2026: US data-center spending exceeded $400 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach ~$600 billion in 2026 and >$700 billion by 2027, with over 2,000 new global data centers expected by 2030 and roughly $7 trillion in infrastructure spending over five years. Improved liquidity is anticipated as the Federal Reserve ends quantitative tightening and resumes balance-sheet operations around $40 billion monthly, while analysts forecast ~14% S&P 500 earnings growth in 2026. Davis concludes that manufacturing recovery, heavy AI infrastructure investment, and easier monetary policy could jointly create a stronger, bullish setup in 2026. Key names and figures: Lark Davis; ISM manufacturing PMI 48.2; US data-center spend $400B (2025) → ~$600B (2026); Fed balance-sheet ops ~$40B/month; S&P 500 earnings growth ~14% (2026 forecast).

ChartNerd, a crypto analyst on X (formerly Twitter), identifies a multi-month bullish RSI-price divergence on XRP that began after price weakened from its July high. Price formed a descending-triangle structure, lost horizontal support in October and made lower lows while RSI has produced higher lows since that October low — a classic momentum divergence signaling waning selling pressure. Key technical details: XRP repeatedly failed near the ~$2.70 resistance during rallies and is trading within a narrowing range bounded by a descending resistance and a lower trendline. The divergence remains intact so long as the RSI does not drop beneath the October low and XRP respects the lower trendline. Trading implications for traders: a clean breakout above the descending resistance could target a retest of the $2.70 area, while a decisive break below the lower trendline would likely delay any sustained recovery. This is technical analysis, not financial advice.

USD1, a stablecoin issued by World Liberty Financial (WLFI), surpassed $3.12 billion in market capitalization to become the sixth-largest stablecoin and rank among the top 32 cryptocurrencies by market cap. Rapid growth was driven primarily by Binance’s Booster Program, which offered a 20% APR on flexible earn products and swapped collateral into USD1 at a 1:1 ratio—creating sustained exchange-driven demand. Strategic integrations with Coinbase (retail access), FalconX (institutional flows), and Solana ecosystem projects including Bonk and Raydium have expanded liquidity and on-chain activity. Dune Analytics data cited a roughly 150% surge in total value locked (TVL) for USD1 in recent weeks. WLFI’s leadership, including co-founder Zach Witkoff, frames the milestone as an early step toward building broader financial rails. The token faces regulatory scrutiny due to reported political ties and a $2 billion Abu Dhabi MGX payment in USD1 to Binance, which drew attention from Senator Elizabeth Warren and critics calling for stronger safeguards. Key takeaways for traders: rapid exchange incentives and DeFi integrations have boosted USD1 liquidity and trading volume, but political/regulatory concerns could introduce volatility and oversight risk.

Bloomberg Intelligence senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas projects cryptocurrency ETF inflows of roughly $15 billion in a base case and up to $40 billion by 2026 under favorable conditions. The forecast is driven by demand for regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum exposure, expanding ETF product suites, and gradual onboarding of large institutional allocators such as pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, RIAs and endowments. Key macro catalysts include anticipated Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts that would lower opportunity cost for non-yielding assets and weaken the US dollar, alongside a clearer regulatory framework and approval of additional products (e.g., spot Ethereum ETFs). Historical ETF flow behavior during a ~35% Bitcoin correction—only ~4% outflows of ETF AUM and occasional net inflows—suggests ETF investors behave as patient allocation-focused holders, providing price support and dampening volatility. Reaching the $40 billion scenario likely requires multiple rate cuts, product expansion, and public allocation endorsements from major pensions or similar institutions. The outlook signals a potential structural shift toward institutional adoption of crypto via regulated ETFs, with a base-case $15B inflow and an upside path to $40B if macro and regulatory conditions align.

Hedera’s HBAR-linked spot exchange-traded funds recorded $898,670 in net inflows on Dec. 24, ending almost ten days of zero net ETF activity. The inflow raised cumulative ETF inflows to $83.70 million and brought total net assets across HBAR spot ETFs to $51.82 million (about 1.1% of HBAR market cap). Daily ETF trading value remained subdued at roughly $647,740, indicating creations drove the inflow rather than secondary-market trading. The report contrasts HBAR’s episodic, small-scale ETF flows with much larger inflows into Solana (SOL) and XRP (XRP) spot ETFs the same day — $1.48 million and $11.93 million respectively — leaving Solana and XRP with substantially higher cumulative inflows and net assets. HBAR’s more limited liquidity and market size are cited as structural reasons for smaller, allocation-driven inflow patterns. At the time of reporting HBAR traded near $0.114 (up ~4.6% over seven days) with a market cap around $4.9 billion and 24‑hour volume rising over 20%, suggesting modest short-term liquidity improvement.

Bitcoin recovered from a weekly low of $86,561 to trade above $88,600 amid thin year-end liquidity, while spot BTC ETFs registered modest outflows — about $175 million on Wednesday — marking five straight days of net withdrawals. In DeFi, Aave’s contentious governance proposal to transfer control of brand assets and IP to a DAO-controlled entity was decisively rejected: 55.29% voted “NAY”, 41.21% abstained and only 3.5% supported it. The episode underscores governance risks in DAOs where timing, participation and escalation shape outcomes. Other market developments noted: Hyperliquid’s HYPE token is touted by Cantor Fitzgerald to potentially reach $200 by 2035 amid HIP-3 optimism; Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao urged wallet-level defenses against address poisoning after an investor lost roughly $50 million to a phishing-style scam; Ethena’s synthetic dollar USDe has seen about $8.3 billion in net outflows since an October liquidation event; and Uniswap’s long-awaited fee switch (UNIfication) passed the vote threshold and is set to burn 100 million UNI and enable a Protocol Fee Discount Auctions system. Market breadth was generally positive with many top-100 tokens finishing the week higher. Key metrics: BTC weekly low $86,561, rebound above $88,600; Aave vote: 55.29% NAY, 41.21% abstain, 3.5% YEA; spot BTC ETF outflows ~$175M (single day).

Silver surged past $75 per ounce amid a broader precious-metals rally, while gold traded above $4,500–$4,600 after setting fresh records. As of the session, silver reached $75.14 before settling near $74.6 and shows a roughly 158% year-to-date gain; gold rose to $4,516.50 (U.S. futures at $4,547.70) and is on track for its strongest annual gain since 1979, up about 72% YTD. Drivers include expectations of U.S. rate cuts, a weaker dollar, thin year-end liquidity, heightened geopolitical risk, central-bank purchases, ETF inflows, and structural supply tightness in silver (plus its U.S. critical-mineral status). Market commentary notes a possible long-term shift in the gold-to-silver ratio after decades of gold dominance. Analysts warn volatility may persist due to low liquidity and speculative flows; some forecasts project gold could target $5,000–$5,500 and silver approach $90 in 2026 if supply constraints continue. Key implications for traders: elevated momentum and rapid moves increase both upside opportunity and short-term risk; monitor liquidity, dollar/rates signals, ETF flows, and physical demand in China/India for trade entries and risk management.

Ethereum network activity has surged sharply from 2023 into 2024–2025, with transaction counts climbing toward the high end of historical scales. On-chain charts (growthepie data) show a steep rise in transactions since early 2024, though transaction count alone does not specify unique users or value transferred. Technically, analysts highlight a possible macro inverse head-and-shoulders reversal on ETH weekly charts: a left shoulder in late 2024, a deeper head in early 2025 and a prospective right shoulder after the mid-2025 peak. A rising neckline marks resistance — a decisive break above it would confirm a larger bullish reversal; failure to hold the right-shoulder area would invalidate the setup. Shorter-term indicators show ETH trading near its 50- and 200-day simple moving averages (50 SMA turning down toward the 200 SMA), with price stabilizing near the mid-range and the 14-day RSI at neutral levels. Together, the on-chain activity spike plus the weekly pattern and moving-average consolidation point to heavier network use while price sits at a critical decision zone for traders. Primary keywords: Ethereum, ETH, on-chain activity, inverse head and shoulders, breakout, moving averages. Secondary/semantic keywords: transaction count, weekly chart, RSI, SMA, network usage, breakout confirmation.

Hyperliquid and Digitap (TAP) are positioning for a shift in 2026 where banking-focused narratives may outcompete perpetual futures (perps) products. Hyperliquid, priced at $24 in the article, emphasizes integration with traditional banking rails, regulatory-compliant custody, and on-chain settlement features that aim to attract institutional capital. Digitap (TAP) targets high-leverage perp traders and retail liquidity through low fees and deep orderbooks. Key differences: Hyperliquid leans on banking partnerships, compliance, and fiat on/off ramps to capture institutional flows; Digitap focuses on derivatives volume and retail market share. The article argues that macro conditions expected in 2026 — tighter regulatory scrutiny, demand for regulated custody, and institutions seeking lower counterparty risk — favor platforms that bridge crypto and traditional finance. For traders, this suggests a potential rotation from leverage-driven perp venues to venues offering fiat rails and institutional-grade custody, which could reduce perp volumes and volatility while increasing demand (and potential price support) for tokens tied to regulated, bank-integrated platforms. Primary takeaways: 1) Market narrative may shift toward compliance and banking integration in 2026. 2) Perp-focused growth could slow if regulators clamp down on leveraged products or if institutions prefer bank-integrated platforms. 3) Short-term volatility may rise as traders reposition; longer-term liquidity and market depth could improve for bank-linked platforms. Relevant SEO keywords: Hyperliquid, Digitap, TAP, perpetual futures, perps, banking integration, institutional flows, crypto custody.

XRP dipped to $1.83 on Dec 26, 2025, then staged a mild rebound and was trading near $1.87. Short-term momentum is fragile: support sits at $1.80 (daily close below risks $1.70–$1.60) while immediate resistances are $1.94 and $1.98 — a break above $1.98 could push XRP toward $2.10–$2.20. ETF-driven interest provides background support but holiday liquidity and profit-taking limit bullish moves. 2026 price forecasts vary widely: CoinCodex predicts a narrow $1.84–$1.87 range; DigitalCoinPrice projects ~ $4.01 (average $3.59); WalletInvestor forecasts $2.53–$3.50 (average ~$3.02). Key drivers for 2026 performance include adoption, investor sentiment, broader crypto market trends, and liquidity conditions. Traders should watch $1.80 support and $1.98 breakout level for short-term entries and monitor on-chain adoption indicators and macro/ETF flows for longer-term conviction.

Equity’s podcast team forecasts major tech themes for 2026: the practical deployment of AI agents, blockbuster AI-related IPO candidates, and structural shifts in venture capital. AI agents—autonomous systems using world models for planning and interaction—are expected to move from hype to usable applications in robotics, autonomous systems and complex decision-making. Startups will shift away from stealth toward greater transparency and varied funding sources; “physical AI” (robots, AVs, smart infrastructure) will require different capital and safety considerations than software-only firms. OpenAI and Anthropic are highlighted as 2026 IPO candidates with estimated valuations of roughly $80–100B and $15–25B respectively, contingent on regulatory clarity, revenue growth and enterprise adoption. The podcast also notes entertainment industry pushback on AI-generated content and evolving IP/regulatory debates. Venture capital will face liquidity constraints, longer holding periods, more focus on profitability, and increased use of alternative funding, accelerating the rise of “AI-native” companies. For traders, the forecasts imply heightened market attention on AI equities and tokenized projects tied to robotics, AI infrastructure, and enterprise AI adoption—factors that may drive volatility around IPOs, regulatory decisions and funding announcements.

Exchange on-chain and perpetual futures data from analytics firm Alphractal indicate a notable shift in trading activity from Bitcoin (BTC) to Ethereum (ETH). BTC perpetual trade counts have fallen sharply from their August–November leveraged peak (historical single-day highs across ~19 exchanges) to a 7-day average near 13 million trades, while ETH trade activity remains higher — with a 7-day average around 17.5 million and a 2025 peak near 50 million trades. Alphractal ties the divergence to a post‑October liquidation-driven caution around Bitcoin leverage and records the largest open‑interest drawdown in BTC history, suggesting BTC is in a “reset” phase before institutional and whale demand returns. Short-term market metrics showed BTC trading near $88,875 with elevated volume (+43% 24h). For traders, the key takeaways are increased ETH perpetual flow and conviction versus reduced BTC leveraged activity, implying rotation of liquidity and short-term trader focus toward Ethereum.