Sen. Elizabeth Warren has formally asked the U.S. Treasury and Justice Departments to disclose whether they are investigating decentralized exchanges (DEXs), explicitly naming PancakeSwap and Uniswap. In a letter demanding a response by Jan. 12, 2026, Warren cited national security and AML/CTF concerns — including potential money laundering, terrorism financing and alleged political influence tied to the Trump family’s crypto-related firm, World Liberty Financial. She referenced industry data and FinCEN guidance that extends AML expectations to DeFi. The inquiry arrives as U.S. crypto legislation stalls (the Responsible Financial Innovation Act markup delayed to 2026) and amid increasing global regulation such as the EU’s MiCA rules. The increased political and enforcement scrutiny of DEXs could shift regulatory priorities and enforcement focus. For traders, the request heightens risk for tokens and liquidity on named platforms: expect potential increases in risk premiums, higher volatility and possible liquidity constraints for assets primarily traded on PancakeSwap or Uniswap if investigations proceed or enforcement actions are announced. Key actors: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Attorney General Pam Bondi. Keywords: DeFi, PancakeSwap, Uniswap, AML, DEX regulation.
OpenSea has integrated the gameplay‑earned token POWER as a native payment option across its NFT marketplace, enabling players to spend rewards earned in Pixion Games’ Fableborne and other Power Protocol titles directly on NFT purchases without converting to ETH, WETH or stablecoins. Power Protocol functions as shared infrastructure so a single token can be used across multiple games; Fableborne currently drives most POWER activity. OpenSea framed the move as meeting rising demand for alternative on‑chain payment options and broader payment flexibility. The integration is among the earliest examples of a game‑earned token functioning platform‑wide on OpenSea and expands POWER’s utility beyond in‑game use into mainstream NFT commerce. Separately, OpenSea plans to launch its native SEA token in Q1 2026, proposing fee changes (1% for NFT trades, 0.85% for token trades) and allocating 50% of revenue for buybacks, a development that could affect platform economics and tokenomics.
Bybit has been named Best Centralized Exchange (CEX) and listed among the top exchanges in Latin America in BeInCrypto’s 2024 BeInCrypto 100 Awards. The awards evaluated platforms on liquidity, security, product range, fees, user experience and regional growth. Bybit’s recognition reflects strong market liquidity, competitive fees, broad product offerings (spot, derivatives, staking, copy trading and Web3 dApp access), and recent LATAM expansion through localized products, partnerships and community initiatives. The accolade — announced around Bybit’s seventh anniversary — reinforces its brand credibility and may support higher institutional and retail adoption in emerging markets. For traders, the award signals potentially deeper order books and improved execution on Bybit for major pairs, continued product innovation that may increase fee-earning opportunities, and stronger regional on-ramps that could gradually boost local inflows.
A prominent crypto analyst known as “Mr. Wall Street” published a technical breakdown warning that Bitcoin (BTC) has lost bullish structure and may enter a prolonged bear market. Key technical signals cited include a weekly close below the 50-week EMA, a bearish monthly MACD crossover and RSI divergence. He expects a final rebound to retest the weekly EMA50 in the $98,000–$104,000 zone, where he placed short positions targeting an initial decline to $74,000–$68,000 and a deeper fall to $54,000–$60,000 by Q4 2026 absent major liquidity injections. The analyst attributes downside risk to macro deterioration (weaker jobs and falling underlying inflation), delayed Fed easing leaving policy tight, stress in funding markets, heavy use of US repo facilities, tech/AI stock weakness, and potential BOJ rate moves that could unwind carry trades. He remains long-term constructive on Bitcoin’s finite supply, forecasting a recovery path (around $89,000 in 2027 and eventual upside toward $110,000–$160,000) but expects a multi-quarter correction unless large-scale QE is enacted. A second analyst, Doctor Profit, echoed that BTC remains in a strong bear market. Traders should note the suggested short-entry zone ($98K–$104K), initial targets ($74K–$68K), and the lower-range projection ($54K–$60K), while monitoring macro indicators, Fed/BOJ policy signals, funding liquidity, and technical confirmations (EMA50, MACD, RSI) for trade management.
Bearish
BitcoinBTC priceTechnical analysisBear marketCentral bank policy
SEC Chair Paul Atkins and commissioners hosted a crypto roundtable on financial privacy, AML/KYC and stablecoin adoption where industry figures—including StarkWare GC Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos and SpruceID CEO Wayne Chang—urged regulators to recognise legitimate, non-criminal uses of blockchain privacy tools. Speakers warned current KYC methods (for example, photographed IDs) are vulnerable to forgery and questioned whether manual checks remain effective in an AI era. They proposed cryptographic identity proofs and privacy-preserving solutions that verify legitimacy while minimising data exposure, enabling businesses such as stablecoin issuers and trading firms to keep strategic activity confidential. Wayne Chang argued privacy demand in stablecoins could move millions on-chain. SEC Chair Atkins cautioned against treating every wallet or protocol as a surveillance node — a “financial panopticon” — and called for balanced rules that preserve privacy without shielding illicit finance. No policy changes were announced; the session signals continued regulatory engagement as officials weigh rules to balance investor protection, AML risks and privacy. (Keywords: blockchain privacy, SEC roundtable, AML KYC, stablecoins, cryptographic identity)
Ripple plans to expand its $1.3 billion USD-pegged stablecoin RLUSD onto multiple Ethereum layer-2 networks using Wormhole’s Native Token Transfers (NTT) standard. A pilot will launch on Optimism, Base, Kraken’s Ink Chain and Uniswap’s Unichain, with a broader rollout planned for 2026 pending New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) approval. RLUSD is issued under an NYDFS trust charter and Ripple has also secured conditional approval for an OCC federal trust bank charter. Wormhole’s NTT enables native token transfers without wrapped assets, preserving liquidity and lowering friction for DeFi and dApps on faster, lower-cost L2s. Ripple previously integrated Wormhole for XRP Ledger interoperability and related cross-chain initiatives (for example, Hex Trust’s wrapped XRP). The move increases potential utility for RLUSD and XRP across Ethereum L2 ecosystems, which could boost liquidity and institutional DeFi activity. Key SEO keywords: RLUSD, Wormhole, Ethereum L2, stablecoin, Ripple.
Aave, a leading DeFi lending protocol, said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has closed a four-year investigation after discussions about potential consent terms. The SEC’s decision not to recommend enforcement does not amount to exoneration, and Aave did not disclose detailed settlement terms or monetary penalties. The project framed the outcome as a positive development for decentralized finance and reiterated its commitment to decentralisation and regulatory engagement. Traders should note: 1) the regulatory overhang for Aave and lending-focused DeFi protocols has been reduced, lowering short-term tail risk; 2) unspecified consent details leave legal uncertainty — future filings or precedent could still affect valuations; 3) the announcement may support near-term demand for the AAVE token, but traders must monitor official SEC filings or disclosures for any penalties or compliance obligations. Primary keywords: Aave, SEC, DeFi, AAVE token, regulatory investigation. Secondary/semantic keywords: consent terms, decentralized finance, TVL, lending protocol, regulatory risk.
Digital marketing entrepreneur Neil Patel labeled Shiba Inu (SHIB) a “dead investment,” arguing the token lacks real-world utility, suffers transparency and governance problems, and faces an oversized circulating supply that limits upside. Patel said SHIB’s price is driven more by market cycles and attention-driven trading than by fundamentals. He noted limited sustained demand from Shibarium, the Shiba metaverse and the project’s DEX, and reported waning community engagement. Transparency concerns intensified after K9 Finance DAO — SHIB’s liquid-staking partner — said SHIB developers ceased responding during recovery efforts following a Shibarium Bridge exploit. At reporting SHIB traded near $0.0000077–$0.0000082, roughly 90.7% below its October 2021 all-time high. Patel contrasted SHIB with assets he sees as having clearer use cases (e.g., BTC for macro monetary roles, ETH for tokenized real-world assets) and cautioned investors to prioritize tokens with stronger utility and governance. He also highlighted tokenomics risks: a circulating supply of about 589 trillion SHIB and reliance on voluntary burns reduce scarcity potential. For traders, the assessment underscores elevated downside risk for SHIB and suggests focusing position sizing, stop-losses and risk management on assets with clearer fundamentals.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has closed its four-year investigation into Aave Protocol without recommending enforcement action, Aave founder Stani Kulechov confirmed on December 16, 2025. The probe, opened in 2021, examined AAVE’s governance token, liquidity mechanisms and platform operations under U.S. securities law. The closure removes a major regulatory overhang for Aave and the DeFi lender sector, improving the long-term development outlook and reducing fundamental regulatory risk.
Technically, AAVE shows mixed-to-bearish short-term signals. After a three-week relief rally from about $147 to $185 (~+26%), price pulled back ~2.8% during U.S. trading and is trading inside an inverted-flag pattern. A bearish 4‑hour EMA crossover (50/200) and an RSI near 42 indicate selling pressure; a decisive break below the pattern’s lower trendline could target $149 and then $111. Traders should note that regulatory clearance is a positive fundamental catalyst for longer-term positioning, but near-term momentum and chart structure warn of potential downside. Monitor support near $149 and momentum indicators (EMA cross, RSI) for confirmation before adding exposure.
Primary keywords: Aave, AAVE price, SEC investigation, DeFi regulation. Secondary/semantic keywords: inverted flag, EMA crossover, RSI, support breakdown, price targets.
Cardano (ADA) has seen renewed downside pressure after the weekly SuperTrend indicator flipped bearish, flagged by analyst Ali Martinez. ADA traded near $0.40 following declines of roughly 6% in 24 hours and about 7–10% over the past week. Martinez points to the prior weekly SuperTrend flip in December 2021 — after three consecutive weekly red candles — which preceded an ~80–84% fall from near $1.38 to about $0.22 by June 2023. By that logic, a similar sustained bearish phase could push ADA toward early‑2020 lows near $0.064. Technical context: ADA remains inside a multi‑year descending channel and is trading close to the channel’s lower boundary, a level some traders view as a potential accumulation zone. Counterarguments from other analysts cite bullish scenarios: Quantum Ascend projects an impulsive upside with conservative targets above $5 and extended targets near $10 if momentum returns; Captain Faibik is accumulating with a medium‑term target around $0.70. The article also notes growing trader interest in newer meme‑style projects such as Maxi Doge (MAXI), signaling some capital rotation away from established altcoins. Traders should weigh the SuperTrend weekly signal — which uses ATR to mark trend shifts — against broader market conditions: a true retest of 2020 lows would likely require prolonged, market‑wide risk‑off sentiment. This content is informational and not financial advice.
The FDIC has published its first formal rule proposal implementing the GENIUS Act framework, establishing an application process for FDIC‑insured banks that want to issue dollar‑backed payment stablecoins through subsidiaries. The rule requires banks to apply to the FDIC with business descriptions, financials, governance and risk‑management plans. The agency must deem applications complete within 30 days and approve or deny within 120 days; rejections must include written reasons and can be appealed via a 30‑day hearing request with a final decision within 60 days. The FDIC is designated the primary federal regulator for eligible subsidiaries and has included a temporary safe harbor allowing limited waivers of certain statutory requirements for up to 12 months for early applications. Acting Chairman Travis Hill opened a 60‑day public comment period and said further rules on capital, liquidity and prudential risk management will follow. For crypto traders, the proposal provides clearer compliance pathways for bank‑backed stablecoins, which may encourage institutional issuance but could raise issuance costs and limit scale depending on forthcoming capital and liquidity requirements. Primary keywords: FDIC, bank-issued stablecoins, GENIUS Act, payment stablecoins; secondary keywords: subsidiary approval, application timeline, regulatory compliance, safe harbor, appeals process.
Neutral
FDICbank-issued stablecoinsGENIUS Actstablecoin regulationapplication process
Glassnode on-chain data show Bitcoin (BTC) fell about 26% over the past three months but outperformed other crypto sectors as total market capitalization dropped roughly 27.5% (CoinMarketCap). Ether (ETH) fell ~36%, DeFi tokens ~38% (CoinGecko), AI-related tokens ~48%, memecoins ~56%, and real-world-asset (RWA) tokens ~46%. Bitcoin’s relative strength reflects capital concentration toward BTC as investors reduce risk but remain in crypto. BTC dominance rose earlier in the year toward ~65% during BTC’s rally, later dipped when capital rotated into altcoins, then settled in a ~59–61% range after October deleveraging. On-chain flows were mixed: mid-sized holders (100–1,000 BTC) accumulated roughly 54,000 BTC in one week — the fastest pace since 2012, taking their total to about 3.575 million BTC — while very large long-term holders (>10,000 BTC) trimmed exposure. Analysts note institutional inflows and BTC’s established reputation support continued capital preference for Bitcoin. For traders: monitor BTC dominance and on-chain flows as rotation signals; sustained stress likely pushes capital into BTC (supporting BTC relative performance), while renewed altcoin leadership would lower dominance and present higher-risk, higher-reward trade opportunities. Key trading actions: adjust position sizing, emphasize risk management, and watch for early rotation indicators in altcoin volume and dominance shifts.
Spain’s securities regulator, the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), published a Q&A setting out how it will implement the EU Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCA). The guidance clarifies which crypto-asset service providers fall under MiCA, how national registration schemes and MiFID II entities interact with the new EU framework, and the procedures for authorization, notification and cross-border activities during the transition. Critically, Spain set an earlier national transition cutoff of December 30, 2025 — ahead of the EU-wide deadline of July 1, 2026 — meaning existing providers must obtain MiCA authorization by that date to continue operating in Spain or else cease services or change their business models. The CNMV also updated rules on how MiCA applies to funds, venture‑capital instruments and investor-acquisition practices. The move aims to reduce regulatory uncertainty and aligns Spain with other proactive EU states tightening transition rules. Implications for traders: expect increased compliance-driven consolidation among Spanish-registered or Spain-facing crypto firms, potential service disruptions for affected platforms, and local liquidity shifts as providers restructure or withdraw — factors that may affect trading access and spreads in affected markets.
Solana (SOL) experienced a large distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on December 9 that peaked at roughly 6 terabits per second (Tbps). The incident was confirmed on X by co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko and Solana Labs president Raj Gokal, who said the attack continued through the day but the chain remained operational without widespread latency, missed slots or transaction failures. Pipe Network — a Solana-based DePIN project — described the event as “industrial-scale” and ranked it among the largest recorded DDoS incidents; other firms (including Cloudflare references) have logged larger attacks in 2025. Observers noted that a sustained multi-Tbps DDoS would normally cause notable delays or missed confirmations, yet Solana showed limited visible stress. Yakovenko framed the network’s resilience as “bullish,” arguing the attacker may be expending resources comparable to on-chain revenue. Key points for traders: attack size ~6 Tbps; confirmations from Anatoly Yakovenko and Raj Gokal; Pipe Network’s classification as industrial-scale; Solana remained online with no major service degradation. Primary keywords included: Solana, SOL, DDoS attack, 6 Tbps, network resilience. Secondary/semantic keywords: network latency, missed slots, DePIN, Pipe Network, blockchain uptime.
Fresh US employment and preliminary PMI data jolted crypto markets. The unemployment rate held at 4.6%, while S&P Global’s preliminary PMI came in below expectations, signalling slower growth, weaker sales, stagnant services, falling factory orders and rising input costs — inflation at its highest since November 2022. Traders initially sold Bitcoin beneath $87,000 before BTC quickly recovered to about $87,600. Market commentators say the PMI slowdown could ease near-term Federal Reserve rate-hike pressure, a tailwind for risk assets; but the inflation detail in the PMI complicates the outlook and may cap upside. With the Fed decision imminent, traders see a possible short-term test of $90,000 if BTC sustains gains, yet elevated inflationary signals and mixed data introduce uncertainty that could limit a sustained rally. Disclaimer: not investment advice.
CoinDesk Indices reports the CoinDesk 20 index rose 1.7% to 2,734.85 since 4 p.m. ET Monday, with 18 of 20 constituents trading higher. Both SUI and AAVE led gains, each up 3.9%. Lagging assets included AVAX (-1.4%) and CRO (-0.4%). An earlier intraday update showed the index up 1.5 to 1.7% depending on the snapshot and highlighted broad-based short-term strength across the index, with most altcoins trading higher. Key data points for traders: CoinDesk 20 level (2,734.85), daily change (+1.7% / +46.14), number of assets up (18/20), top movers (SUI +3.9%, AAVE +3.9%), worst performers (AVAX -1.4%, CRO -0.4%). This update signals broad intraday momentum rather than isolated moves, useful for intraday positioning and scanning for momentum-led altcoin trades.
Dogecoin co‑founder Billy Markus (Shibetoshi Nakamoto) posted a sarcastic holiday meme as Bitcoin slipped below the key $87,200 support, trading around $87,400 after an intraday range from about $89,983 to $85,304. The break coincided with large ETF outflows and accelerated selling pressure. Some traders had expected a push toward $100,000, but analysts including Ali Martinez flagged a bearish scenario that could take BTC toward roughly $76,000. BTC has been range‑bound near $85,000–$95,000 over the past month. Market reaction blended humor and resignation across social channels. Institutional accumulation continues in the background — one firm added 10,645 BTC on Dec. 15, bringing reported holdings higher — which may provide structural support over the long term. For traders: expect elevated volatility, monitor ETF flows and macro/central bank developments for near‑term direction, watch $87,200 as a short‑term pivot (break risks more downside toward $76K scenario), and consider that ongoing institutional buying could underpin longer‑term bids.
Crypto.com has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dubai Multi‑Commodities Centre (DMCC) to explore tokenisation of real‑world commodities and blockchain‑based trading infrastructure. The partnership will pilot tokenised commodity models, evaluate custody frameworks, liquidity solutions and whether tokenised commodities can be listed on the Crypto.com Exchange (subject to regulatory approval and listing rules). Joint initiatives include technology and education programmes — workshops, hackathons and capability building — to support businesses experimenting with tokenised assets. The deal also contemplates digital‑asset payment use cases across DMCC platforms and members. DMCC, which oversees gold, diamonds, energy and other commodity trade and represents a meaningful share of Dubai’s FDI, has worked with Dubai’s VARA on tokenisation frameworks. Key executives quoted are DMCC CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem and Crypto.com President & COO Eric Anziani. Primary themes: tokenisation, tokenised commodities, custody, liquidity, market access and reduced settlement friction.
Visa will offer U.S. banks and fintechs the option to settle transactions with Visa using Circle Internet Group’s USDC stablecoin. The feature integrates stablecoin-based settlement into Visa’s existing treasury and payments operations, enabling faster, programmable settlement while preserving compliance and security controls. Visa frames the capability as an extension of fiat rails rather than a replacement: stablecoin settlement remains a small share of total payments (estimated about $3.5 billion annually versus Visa’s roughly $7.26 trillion payments volume). The move follows broader industry experimentation by major card networks to adopt blockchain and stablecoin settlement to boost efficiency and stay competitive amid decentralized finance growth. For banks and fintechs, benefits include reduced settlement times, improved treasury programmability, and potential cost efficiencies; risks include operational integration, regulatory scrutiny, counterparty and liquidity considerations. For crypto traders, the development increases institutional utility and on‑ramp demand for USDC, which could modestly support USDC flows and secondary-market interest in the short term while leaving overall payment volumes largely unchanged.
Dogecoin (DOGE) has moved deeper into a short-term downtrend across December 2025, slipping from roughly $0.14 on Dec 9 to $0.1289 on Dec 16. Price action: DOGE traded between $0.1274–$0.1374 on Dec 16 and closed below the daily Supertrend at about $0.152, a level bulls must reclaim for a clearer trend reversal. Technicals: momentum indicators are bearish — MACD sits below zero with the MACD line under the signal line (though flattening), and earlier readings showed RSI and Stochastic RSI signalling bullish exhaustion. Key levels: immediate support is the recent low near $0.1271; a break would open a deeper support zone around $0.1034. Near-term resistances are $0.132–$0.135 and $0.140, with the Supertrend at $0.152 as the primary resistance to flip to validate a bullish shift. Market activity: on-chain 24‑hour trading volume rose to roughly $1.30B (up ~36% vs prior), despite weekly token trading cooling versus multi-year peaks — signaling elevated short-term activity but weaker sustained demand. Macro/context: DOGE’s weakness has tracked broader crypto softness (e.g., Bitcoin retreat) and heightened market fear; prior commentary warned that a breach below $0.10 would risk deeper losses toward ~$0.05. Implications for traders: until a daily close above $0.152, the technical setup favours sellers — traders should watch for either a failed bounce at the listed resistances or a decisive reclaim of $0.152 which would reduce downside risk. This is for information only and not financial advice.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse publicly rebuked The New York Times after a Dec. 14 investigation reported the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has eased enforcement in over 60% of crypto cases since President Trump returned to office. Garlinghouse called the piece a "crypto hit piece," saying it repeated half-truths and omitted key court rebukes of the SEC that undercut prior enforcement actions. He pointed to federal judges — including U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn — who criticized the SEC’s conduct as "arbitrary and capricious" or faulted the agency for false statements. The NYT noted that some firms benefiting from reduced enforcement, including Ripple, have ties to Trump but found no evidence of direct presidential pressure. Industry figures such as Coinbase’s Paul Grewal and Galaxy Digital’s Alex Thorn echoed Garlinghouse’s critique, saying the article lacked evidence of corruption and risked misleading readers about the legality of earlier enforcement. For traders: the dispute sharpens debate over the SEC’s enforcement legitimacy and shapes public perception of regulatory risk for Ripple (XRP). Short-term volatility in XRP could increase on reputation-driven news flow and legal narrative shifts; longer-term price direction will still hinge on court outcomes and regulatory clarity. Primary keywords: Ripple, Brad Garlinghouse, NYT, SEC enforcement, court rebukes, crypto regulation.
Stellar Lumens (XLM) has declined for seven consecutive sessions amid broad crypto weakness, retesting June support near $0.217 and approaching April lows around $0.20. Derivatives data from CoinGlass show falling futures open interest, net bearish positioning as long liquidations outpaced shorts in the latest 24 hours, and a shift in the long‑to‑short ratio toward more shorts. Four‑hour technicals are bearish: RSI near oversold and MACD turned lower after a bearish cross. No on‑chain developments or project announcements accompanied the move. Key levels: immediate support $0.217, psychological/April support ~$0.20, deeper supports $0.1642 and the annual low near $0.16; upside resistance to reclaim sits near $0.2579. Traders should watch volume and open interest for confirmation — persistent OI decline with selling points to trend continuation, while rising OI on bids and failed new lows could signal a reversal. Primary keywords: Stellar Lumens, XLM price, futures open interest, long liquidations, RSI oversold, MACD bearish.
BingX reported a record 2025, doubling its user base to over 40 million (≈100% YoY) and reaching a peak 24‑hour trading volume above $26 billion. The exchange committed $300 million to integrate AI across its products, launching BingX AI Master, BingX AI Bingo and 15+ AI trading personas used by early adopters. BingX promoted a CeDeFi model via BingX Chainspot, expanded derivatives and spot offerings (top‑5 global derivatives ranking, 1,100+ trading pairs across ~170 chains), and introduced product upgrades like Separate Isolated Margin Mode, TradingView integration, WLFI pre‑market futures and RWA Index Perpetuals. Copy Trading 2.0 serves ~400,000 traders with $580M cumulative volume and 1.3B orders. Security and credibility measures include 100% public Proof of Reserves, a $150M Shield Fund, and ISO 27001 and PCI DSS v4.0.1 certifications. User initiatives and growth programs: zero‑fee VIP tier with concierge, BingX Academy 2.0, Shards rewards, BingX Labs’ $16M Web3 investments and the TalentX hiring initiative. To celebrate the milestone, BingX ran the “Beyond the Alpha” campaign (Dec 15–26, 2025) with prize draws, daily tasks and a branded music video. For traders: the updates signal continued product expansion, deeper AI tooling that may affect order flow and strategy automation, broader derivatives liquidity, and strengthened custody assurances — all factors that can influence execution, leverage availability and counterparty confidence.
Bullish
BingXAI in TradingExchange GrowthDerivatives LiquidityProof of Reserves
Ark Invest, led by Cathie Wood, increased holdings in crypto- and AI-linked equities on Dec. 16, 2025. The firm purchased 550,404 shares of Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) across multiple Ark ETFs including ARKK and ARKW, and added to its position in CoreWeave (CRWV). The trades form part of Ark’s thematic allocation to crypto mining and GPU-accelerated AI infrastructure, reflecting a ‘buy the dip’ stance amid recent market volatility. For traders, primary takeaways are: increased institutional demand for BMNR and CRWV could exert short-term upward pressure on their share prices; Ark’s ETF-driven purchases may attract momentum and ETF-related flows; and the moves reaffirm Ark’s conviction in crypto-mining and AI-capacity providers despite recent sell-offs. Primary keywords: Ark Invest, Bitmine, CoreWeave, crypto mining, AI infrastructure. Secondary keywords: Cathie Wood, ARKK, ARKW, buy the dip, institutional buying.
Bitwise’s Solana Staking ETF (BSOL) recorded its first net outflow since launch, withdrawing $4.6 million (about 36,860 SOL) and posting its lowest daily trading volume. The outflow coincided with broader year-end thin liquidity, rising macro uncertainty (including speculation around a potential Bank of Japan move) and falling trading volumes. Despite BSOL’s single-day redemption, other Solana ETFs saw continued inflows: Fidelity’s FSOL reported roughly $38.5–38.7 million of inflows the same day, and total spot Solana ETF category inflows were about $35 million, indicating selective capital rotation rather than a wholesale exit from Solana. SOL traded near $128, extending weekly losses; analyst Matthew Dixon flagged $120–$125 as near-term support (RSI ~38) with recovery targets at $145–$155 and $170–$180, and downside scenarios to $105–$110 or as low as $95–$100 under extreme stress. Key takeaways for traders: BSOL’s outflow signals short-term institutional risk-off and reduced liquidity that can amplify price moves, but continued inflows into competing Solana ETFs point to differentiated demand. Monitor ETF flows, SOL support at $120–$125, Bitcoin stability, and macro policy cues for near-term trade setups.
Bitcoin (BTC) surged above $87,000 (Binance USDT ~ $87,035) in a sharp rally that cleared prior resistance around $85,000. The move is attributed to rising institutional allocations, macroeconomic concerns driving demand for inflation hedges, and positioning ahead of the upcoming Bitcoin halving. Traders should watch for sustained volume above $87,000 to confirm the breakout; failure to hold could prompt a retest of the $85,000 area or lower. The next round-number upside target is near $90,000. Key trading guidance: manage risk with profit-taking plans, avoid emotional late entries at local highs, monitor on-chain flows, exchange volumes and sentiment for signs of a false breakout, and consider dollar-cost averaging or stop-losses given BTC’s historical volatility. Historical halving cycles and increased institutional flows have correlated with multi-month bullish trends, but short-term pullbacks remain possible.
Ark Invest, led by Cathie Wood, bought roughly $59.3–60 million of listed crypto-related equities on Dec. 15, 2025, continuing its established dip-buying strategy. Major purchases included about $16.3M (64,946 shares) of Coinbase (COIN) across ARKK, ARKW and ARKF; ~$10.8M of Circle Internet Group (CRCL); ~$17M of BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR); ~$9.9M of CoreWeave (CRWV); and ~$5.2M of Bullish (BLSH). The trades occurred amid a multi-day pullback in crypto stocks — on the cited day COIN fell ~6%, CRCL ~10%, BMNR >11% and CRWV ~8% — and complement Ark’s existing large exposures (approx. $609M in COIN, $323M in CRCL, $275M in BMNR, $194M in BLSH and $140M in CRWV). Technical notes cite COIN consolidating between its 50- and 100-week moving averages with support near $250. For traders, Ark’s activity signals continued institutional dip-buying in crypto equities, which can provide episodic support to sector sentiment and liquidity. Short-term effects may include transient buying pressure and reduced downside during drawdowns; traders should monitor institutional flows, block trades from ARK funds, and any liquidity shifts that could amplify volatility in listed crypto stocks.
CoinDesk analysis shows 75 of the top 100 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization are trading below both their 50‑day and 200‑day simple moving averages (SMAs), a signal of deteriorating short‑ and long‑term momentum across the crypto market. Bitcoin plunged from an early‑October peak above $126,000 to about $87,000, prompting capital outflows that dragged major tokens — including BTC, ETH, SOL, BNB and XRP — below key moving averages. Those large caps account for roughly 78% of the about $3 trillion market cap. Momentum indicators are weak: only eight tokens (PI, APT, ALGO, FLARE, VET, JUP, IP, KAIA) register oversold readings on the 14‑day RSI, implying most coins have room to fall before reaching panic bottoms. By contrast, traditional tech equities show healthier breadth — only 29 Nasdaq‑100 stocks sit below these SMAs — underscoring divergence between equities and crypto. Traders should expect higher downside risk, reduced appetite for leverage or risk‑on positions, and should monitor BTC and large‑cap SMA behaviour closely for signs of stabilization. (Not investment advice.)
Cboe has listed and begun trading the Invesco Galaxy Solana ETF (ticker: QSOL), a sponsor-backed exchange-traded fund that provides regulated exposure to the Solana ecosystem. The product, a collaboration between Invesco and Galaxy Digital, aims to improve price discovery and intraday liquidity for Solana (SOL) by offering a transparent, exchange-traded vehicle on Cboe’s infrastructure. Traders should monitor QSOL’s tracking efficiency, management fees, daily liquidity and spreads, as these will determine arbitrage opportunities and market-making behaviour. The listing may attract institutional flows into Solana-linked exposure, potentially increasing demand for SOL; however, token-specific risks and the inherent volatility of crypto-derived equity products remain. Short-term impacts will depend on initial fund inflows and liquidity provision; longer-term effects hinge on sustained institutional adoption and product performance versus spot SOL.