Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Pension funds are increasingly allocating modest stakes (typically 1–2%) to crypto via regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs as infrastructure, custody and regulation mature. In 2025, BTC and ETH ETFs saw roughly $30 billion in net inflows, driven by large asset managers and improved custody solutions (eg, BlackRock-style products). Funds adopt small allocations to gain long-term diversification while limiting volatility and fiduciary risk. Risks persist: Bitcoin’s 2025 slide from near $120,000 to $80,000 highlights potential short-term losses that challenge pension fund risk tolerances. Institutional adoption brings benefits — deeper liquidity, stronger governance and higher custody standards — which historically correlate with reduced market extremes. Key points for traders: ETF inflows and pension allocations can provide steady, patient capital; small but broad institutional demand may lower short-term sell pressure and increase resilience; regulatory and custody progress is a major catalyst for further flows. Monitor ETF flow data, pension allocation guidance, and custody/regulatory developments for signs of sustained institutional engagement.

A large Chainlink (LINK) holder moved 366,364 LINK — roughly $4.5 million — out of Binance over a two-day period. On-chain trackers identified multiple withdrawals that aggregated to the total sum; funds were sent to external addresses rather than other exchanges. The activity drew attention because large exchange outflows by whales can signal intentions to hold in cold storage, prepare for OTC trades, or reposition assets. No linked announcements from Chainlink or Binance were reported. Traders should note the size and pattern: concentrated, rapid withdrawals across two days, which may temporarily reduce exchange liquidity of LINK and could increase short-term price sensitivity to buy or sell pressure. However, without accompanying on-chain movement toward known OTC, staking, or protocol addresses, the motive remains unclear.

Uniswap has permanently burned 100 million UNI tokens — roughly 10% of the protocol’s original 1 billion supply — in a single on-chain transfer valued at about $592 million. The transaction, tracked by Whale Alert and executed from a wallet tied to the Uniswap treasury, sent tokens to a provable burn address (e.g., 0x...dEaD), ensuring they cannot be recovered. The one-off burn is larger than typical scheduled burns and immediately reduces UNI’s maximum supply, creating deflationary pressure. Short-term market volatility followed the announcement; longer-term effects include increased token scarcity, possible value accrual for remaining holders, and a shift in governance voting power since burned tokens can no longer vote. Analysts view the move as a strategic treasury-management decision, comparable in intent to buybacks in traditional markets and aligned with broader DeFi trends of supply optimisation. The burn may prompt scrutiny of other protocol treasuries and attract regulatory attention around market effects and governance. Key facts: 100,000,000 UNI burned; ≈10% of 1,000,000,000 initial supply; ≈$592 million valuation at the time; transaction publicly verifiable on Ethereum.

China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress approved a revised Foreign Trade Law on December 27; the law takes effect March 1, 2026. The update expands legal powers to protect national sovereignty, security and development, and adds 11 chapters and 83 articles covering trade reform, digital trade, green trade, intellectual property protection and formal countermeasures for trade disputes. The law elevates measures such as negative-list management for cross-border services, support for new foreign-trade models including digital trade, and a legal push to align with — and help shape — high-standard international economic rules. Officials are now empowered to impose stronger legal responsibilities and countermeasures in trade conflicts. The revision comes amid a weakening industrial backdrop: China’s industrial profits fell 13.1% year-on-year in November 2025 (after a 5.5% drop in October), with overall 11-month profits up only 0.1%. Policymakers cite global rule shifts and the need to sustain foreign trade order and high-quality opening-up. Implications for markets include heightened regulatory tools for trade retaliation and a clearer legal framework for digital and green trade, which could influence supply chains, export-dependent sectors and geopolitical risk pricing.

Bitcoin briefly registered a deep wick to roughly $24,000 on Binance’s BTC/USD1 pair during Christmas, but the move was isolated to a thin, illiquid order book rather than a market-wide crash. Analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera reported the BTC USD1 pair plunged ~72% for about three seconds while BTC/USDT remained above $86,400; arbitrage quickly closed the gap. Perera linked the event to low sell-side liquidity after a Binance promotion (20% APY on USD1 deposits) drove traders from USDT into USD1, and warned of liquidity risks in newly listed stablecoin pairs. Separately, analyst PlanB highlighted Bitcoin trading near $87,500 — substantially below levels implied by historical correlations with U.S. stocks and gold. His regressions suggest fair-value analogues near $6,900 (stocks) and $4,500 (gold), marking an unusually wide model gap. PlanB noted a similar divergence before past multi‑fold rallies but cautioned that historical correlations may not reassert on a set timetable. Key takeaways for traders: the $24K wick appears exchange-pair specific and driven by thin liquidity and promotional flows, so on-chain and cross-exchange prices showed no systemic crash; the widening gap versus stock/gold models signals either dislocated correlations (possible upside if reversion occurs) or a changed regime (risk that historical signals no longer apply).

By late 2025 the crypto market is showing signs of structural maturation driven by institutional inflows, user growth and expanding utility of stablecoins. Market cap held above $3 trillion in mid-December, with Bitcoin spot ETFs attracting $22.66 billion in year-to-date net inflows and Ethereum ETFs $10.43 billion. Corporate treasuries now hold over 1.087 million BTC. Binance reported over 300 million users and onboarding of roughly 180,000 new users per day. Stablecoins accounted for about 30% of on-chain transaction volume and settled more than $4 trillion between January and July 2025; the stablecoin sector market cap reached $313.89 billion (up ~50% YTD). Tokenized real-world assets (RWA) grew to $18.61 billion (up 235% YTD). Industry leaders at Binance Blockchain Week 2025 highlighted regulatory clarity, ETFs, regulated custody and stablecoins as foundational rails for cross-border settlement and liquidity. The piece frames crypto’s evolution as a shift from speculation to integration with traditional finance, where Bitcoin is increasingly treated as institutional allocation and stablecoins serve as operational plumbing for payments, remittances and on-chain settlement.

China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) has updated its operating rules ahead of 2026, formalising a mixed settlement framework. Single renminbi cross-border payments will use real-time gross settlement (immediate, irrevocable finality), while batch transactions will clear via timed net settlement cycles. The CIPS operator can adjust netting frequency, settlement windows and processing schedules in response to transaction volumes and market conditions. The change emphasises reduced settlement risk for individual transfers and improved liquidity efficiency for high-volume batches. Oversight remains with the People’s Bank of China. The rules do not create a new payment rail but codify existing practices and align CIPS more closely with international payment standards as RMB internationalisation grows.

Galaxy Digital projects more than $50 billion in net inflows into U.S. spot crypto ETFs in 2026, up from roughly $23 billion in 2025. The firm attributes the expected surge to broader distribution access as wirehouses and large advisory networks relax restrictions, enabling financial advisers and managed portfolios to allocate to spot crypto ETFs. Galaxy expects continued product launches — including over 50 spot altcoin ETFs and roughly 50 additional crypto-related ETFs (multi-asset and leveraged) — driven by a pipeline of 100+ ETF applications and potential regulatory standardization. The outlook also forecasts at least 15 crypto companies pursuing U.S. IPOs or uplistings in 2026, signaling deeper institutional integration of digital assets. Key points: Galaxy Digital report; $23B net inflows in 2025; >$50B projected for 2026; distribution expansion at wirehouses/advisors as main catalyst; >50 spot altcoin ETFs and ~50 other crypto ETFs expected; 100+ ETF filings in progress; 15+ crypto IPOs/uplistings anticipated.

APEMARS has launched a whitelist for its staged token rollout, drawing early capital as major blue-chip cryptocurrencies consolidate. The project’s Stage 1 price is set at $0.00001699 with a modeled listing price of $0.0055, implying a projected return of ~32,269% (c. 1000x+ from early allocations). The whitelist grants priority access, lower pricing tiers, allocation clarity, and community entry before public sale. The article contrasts this early-access narrative with large-cap assets — Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP and Avalanche (AVAX) — arguing that while those coins offer liquidity and stability, their market caps limit exponential upside. Key takeaways for traders: APEMARS is marketing a high-asymmetry presale opportunity via whitelist access; projected returns are based on modeled listing prices and are speculative; whitelist status affects allocation and immediate entry price; risks remain high for new tokens and presales. Primary keywords: APEMARS, crypto whitelist, presale, next 1000x crypto. Secondary/semantic keywords included: early-stage crypto, tokenomics, listing price, market cap, blue-chip consolidation. Disclaimer: this is a paid press release; investors should perform independent due diligence.

Small allocations of pension and retirement funds — even just 1–2% — could materially change crypto markets by bringing institutional standards, improved custody, disclosure and regulatory clarity. The article argues that long-term, patient capital from pensions, sovereign wealth and retirement plans tends to reduce volatility, weaken extreme inflow–outflow cycles, and prompt exchanges and fund managers to adopt stronger governance and custody practices. Examples cited include the rapid adoption of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs that gathered roughly $30 billion in net inflows year-to-date and BlackRock’s role in professionalizing ETF products. Risks remain: crypto volatility (Bitcoin swings in 2025 from near $120k to ~$80k), uneven regulation, political and fraud risks, and underfunded pension constraints. Still, the piece concludes that modest allocations would make crypto systemically relevant enough to attract persistent institutional risk management and regulatory frameworks, accelerating market maturation without eliminating inherent risks.

Emerge has selected quantum computing as its 2025 Tech Trend of the Year, arguing the technology has moved from peripheral discussion to practical relevance. The announcement highlights recent advances in quantum hardware, increased corporate and government investment, and growing integration of quantum research with cloud and cryptography services. Emerge cites milestones such as improved qubit counts and error rates, broader availability of quantum cloud access, and pilot projects combining quantum algorithms with classical systems. The report stresses implications for encryption, optimization, and algorithmic trading: quantum progress could accelerate research into post-quantum cryptography and affect risk models that rely on computational assumptions. For traders, the key takeaways are increased institutional capital flows into quantum-related firms and cloud providers, potential volatility in stocks and tokens tied to cryptography and security services, and longer-term structural shifts as quantum capabilities mature. Primary keywords: quantum computing, post-quantum cryptography, quantum cloud. Secondary/semantic keywords: qubits, cryptography, hardware advances, algorithmic trading, institutional investment.

CoinGecko’s 2025 narrative report shows a divergence between market attention and returns. Meme coins and AI tokens — the most followed narratives of 2025 — posted average year-to-date losses of -31.6% and -50.2%, respectively, with many large meme and AI tokens plunging between roughly 45% and 84% YTD. DeFi (-34.8%), DEX tokens (-55.5%), Layer 2s (-40.6%), Gaming (-75.2%) and DePIN (-76.7%) also recorded substantial declines. By contrast, real-world assets (RWA) led gains, up an average 185.8% YTD driven largely by Keeta Network’s 1,794.9% rally, plus strong moves from Zebec and Maple; Layer 1 chains averaged gains of 80.3%, supported by rallies in Zcash and Monero and resilience from BCH, BNB and TRON. RWA and Layer 1 were the only narratives to post a second consecutive profitable year. The report suggests speculative mania around meme coins and AI cooled amid a choppy Q4, while tokenization and RWA narratives delivered outsized returns. Key trading takeaways: risk-on speculative sectors underperformed in 2025 despite high retail interest, while fundamentals-linked narratives (RWA, select Layer 1s) produced concentrated winners — signaling possible rotation opportunities and the need for position-specific risk management.

Solana co‑founder Anatoly Yakovenko publicly forecasted that global stablecoin supply could exceed $1 trillion by 2026, linking rapid growth to concurrent advances in blockchain infrastructure, artificial intelligence and robotics. Yakovenko also suggested limits to near‑term quantum and fusion progress and predicted roughly 100,000 humanoid robot shipments within the same timeframe. His projection contrasts with JPMorgan’s more conservative estimate of $500–$600 billion by 2028; JPMorgan notes current stablecoin supply is about $308 billion after roughly $100 billion growth this year, driven mainly by USDT and USDC and increased derivatives activity. JPMorgan cautions that higher transaction volumes can be met by faster circulation rather than proportionally higher supply, and that bank tokenized deposits and central bank digital currencies could compete with private stablecoins. The article notes Solana (SOL) traded around $123 with a market cap near $69.3 billion and technical commentary warning of a corrective phase — support at $120, with downside targets between $98 and $50 and long‑term bullish valuations cited between $500 and $1,000. Key takeaways for traders: a $1T stablecoin thesis implies materially greater liquidity in crypto markets if realized, which could support risk assets; differing institutional forecasts and potential competition from tokenized deposits/CBDCs present offsetting risks.

XRP is showing technical signs that a bullish trend reversal may be imminent. Daily charts indicate XRP is testing a descending resistance line in place since August 2025 while the MACD has produced a bullish crossover and the RSI sits near 37, suggesting oversold conditions. Analysts on social media compared the setup to a 2022 pattern that preceded a 150% rally from $0.30 to $0.80. Market context cited includes XRP’s resilience during Q4 2025 selloffs and ongoing institutional demand related to On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) and cross-border settlement, which may provide a structural floor. Traders are advised to watch for a confirmed break above the descending trendline, rising volume, and sustained MACD/RSI confirmation; these factors would increase the probability of a sharp rebound into 2026. The article stresses volatility remains and is not financial advice.

XRP has entered a consolidation phase, trading around $1.85 and forming a symmetrical triangle on short-term charts. Analysts (notably Ali Martinez) highlight the 15-minute triangle pattern, which often precedes sharp directional moves if confirmed by rising volume. Key technical levels: support near $1.77 and downside risk toward $1.50 if that level breaks. XRP currently sits below the 50-day and 200-day moving averages, reflecting short-term bearish bias, but consolidation suggests selling pressure may be stabilizing. Institutional signals contrast with the technical picture: since November 2025, U.S. spot XRP ETFs have seen continual inflows, pushing total net assets above $1.25 billion, and regulatory clarity after the 2024 SEC suit resolution plus Ripple’s national trust bank charter have supported longer-term demand. Analysts project a marginally bullish outlook if macro conditions remain calm, with potential targets between $2.50–$3.00 over 8–12 weeks, while warning that bitcoin stability and global liquidity remain key risk factors. Traders should watch triangle breakout direction and volume for near-term entries and monitor $1.77 support and moving-average resistance levels.

Bitcoin (BTC) traded around $87,532 on Dec. 27 as intraday gains of roughly 0.7% left the price facing local resistance at $87,702. If the daily candle closes near that resistance, a push toward the $88,000 zone is possible, but broader charts show neither bulls nor bears have decisive momentum. Mid‑term indicators place BTC in the middle of its channel, signalling limited volatility and a likely consolidation range between $87,000–$89,000 through the end of the month. Key trading considerations: watch the daily close near $87,700–$88,000 for a breakout signal; otherwise expect sideways action. Primary keywords: Bitcoin price, BTC price, Bitcoin consolidation.

DeBot reported a security incident on December 25, 2024, in which attackers drained about $255,000 from wallets that were generated or imported before December 10. On-chain analysis shows stolen funds were consolidated on Binance Smart Chain (BSC) and routed through Tornado Cash. The DeBot team says the core system was not compromised, secured post-December 10 addresses, and pledged full refunds for verified losses while conducting a detailed review. Security firm SlowMist warned that some risk addresses remained vulnerable and urged users to move assets immediately. The report places the incident in the wider context of rising crypto thefts — Chainalysis put 2024 losses at $6.75 billion — and follows similar wallet exploits such as the Trust Wallet breach. Key action points for traders: transfer funds out of pre-December 10 DeBot addresses, monitor DeBot’s verification for refunds, and use hardened wallet practices (updated clients, hardware wallets, multisig) to reduce exposure.

Ethereum derivatives activity surged to an annual record in 2025, with futures volumes on major exchanges totaling trillions. Pseudonymous analyst Darkfost reported that Binance saw $6.74 trillion in ETH futures volume — nearly double 2024 — while OKX recorded $4.28 trillion, Bybit $2.15 trillion and Bitget $1.95 trillion. Combined figures imply more than $15 trillion traded in ETH futures across top platforms. Darkfost noted a spot-to-futures ratio near 0.2 (about $5 in futures per $1 in spot), signaling a market heavily driven by leverage and speculative flows. That dominance of derivatives contributed to amplified, liquidation-prone price moves and helped explain why ETH produced only a marginal new all-time high in 2025. At the time of reporting ETH traded around $2,932, down ~1% on the day and more than 40% below its all-time high. Key keywords: Ethereum, ETH futures, derivatives volume, Binance, OKX, Bybit, Bitget, spot-to-futures ratio, leverage.

Galaxy Research says Solana’s proposed inflation reduction (SIMD-0411) will likely be withdrawn, meaning no inflation vote is expected in 2026. Community frustration over prolonged inflation debates has grown, and contributors are shifting priorities toward market microstructure, on-chain efficiency and sustainable app growth rather than tokenomics changes. Galaxy associate Lucas Tcheyan noted that unresolved inflation proposals distract builders from practical upgrades that improve liquidity and execution quality. Galaxy also projects Internet Capital Markets on Solana could grow from roughly $750 million to $2 billion as the on-chain economy matures and demand favors revenue-generating applications over meme speculation. In broader markets, analysts view Bitcoin volatility as compressed and derivatives pricing skewed to downside risk, while some still forecast BTC at $250,000 by end-2027. SOL price saw a modest uptick to about $123; technical/liquidation data indicates tight clusters: a move to $126–$130 could trigger short liquidations, while a drop below $120 risks accelerating long liquidations. Key implications for traders: reduced monetary policy uncertainty near-term, increased focus on infrastructure and trading conditions, and potential shifts in liquidity and order flow as market-structure upgrades proceed.

DeBot, an AI-driven DeFi trading bot and wallet tool, suffered a security incident in late December that saw attackers drain roughly $255,000 from vulnerable ‘risk’ wallets on BSC. On-chain tracing shows stolen funds were consolidated to several addresses and some routed through Tornado Cash. DeBot says its core secure wallet architecture was not affected; only wallets imported or generated before December 10 were vulnerable. The team posted updates on X, urged affected users to transfer assets from risk wallets to secure addresses, and pledged full refunds after a review and tally of losses. SlowMist’s founder warned that the risk addresses remain vulnerable and advised users to move assets. The exploit occurs amid a separate Trust Wallet extension breach that reportedly drained up to $7M, underscoring renewed risks from compromised browser extensions and imported wallets. Chainalysis data cited in the article notes crypto theft reached $6.75 billion this year and personal wallet compromises have increased substantially. Key takeaways for traders: confirm wallet generation/import dates, move funds from legacy or ‘risk’ addresses immediately, monitor DeBot’s compensation process, and maintain heightened caution around browser extensions and third‑party wallet integrations.

BitMEX co‑founder Arthur Hayes accumulated roughly $2.0 million split between LDO (~$1.03M) and PENDLE (~$0.97M) while both tokens traded inside compressed, post‑downtrend structures. PENDLE recently broke above a descending channel after defending a $1.67 demand zone and was trading near $1.88 as volume rose 29% to $78.9M and open interest increased 7% to $43.09M; MACD flipped positive, signaling improving upside momentum. Key level to watch for PENDLE: $1.95 (invalidation if lost). LDO bounced from a prolonged descending wedge, holding $0.55–$0.56 support and trading around $0.57; Binance long accounts rose toward 59–60% with a long‑short ratio near 1.5 and MACD showing short‑term bullish bias. Key LDO levels: resistance at $0.67 (near‑term breakout target) and $0.88 (higher target); $0.56 is the invalidation level. The concentration of Hayes’s spot buys into staking/yield DeFi primitives, alongside rising derivatives participation and improving technicals, suggests early, non‑crowded positioning and tilts short‑term skew toward continuation — but traders should wait for confirmations (PENDLE > $1.95, LDO > $0.67), monitor leverage growth, open interest and volume behavior to judge sustainability.

XRP suffered a significant 342.9% liquidation imbalance in the latest 24-hour session as long positions dominated recent wiping events. CoinGlass data show roughly $2 million in total liquidations, with about $1.62 million in longs liquidated versus $365,680 in shorts. XRP’s price has trended lower through 2025 — down about 11.3% year-to-date from a high near $3.65 to lows around $1.65 — and failed to sustain mid‑year gains. The liquidation skew toward longs and lack of inflows into spot XRP ETFs during the last trading session increase the probability of XRP closing 2025 in negative territory. Key data points: 342.9% liquidation imbalance, ~$2.0M total liquidations, ~$1.62M longs vs ~$365.7k shorts, YTD -11.3%, recent range ~$1.65–$3.65. Primary keywords: XRP, liquidation imbalance, CoinGlass, spot XRP ETF. Secondary/semantic keywords: long liquidations, market pressure, year-to-date performance.

Ethereum (ETH) traded sideways on December 27, holding around $2,928 with a 24‑hour change of +0.63%. On the hourly chart ETH sits mid‑channel between support at $2,921 and resistance at $2,938, while higher timeframes show a similar neutral bias. Trading volume is low, indicating limited buyer or seller conviction. Analysts expect continued consolidation around the current price and see little likelihood of sharp moves through the end of the week and into the midterm unless momentum or volume picks up. Primary keywords: Ethereum, ETH price, crypto price analysis. Secondary keywords: consolidation, trading volume, support and resistance.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson forecasts Bitcoin (BTC) could climb to $250,000 by the end of 2026, attributing the projection to BTC’s fixed 21 million supply and accelerating institutional, corporate and sovereign adoption. He cites ETF inflows from asset managers (BlackRock, Fidelity), growing TradFi integration (Morgan Stanley advisory access, JPMorgan/Goldman involvement), corporate treasury allocations, and potential retirement-fund small allocations (0.2%–1%) as sustained sources of demand. On-chain signals underpinning his view include exchange reserves at multi-year lows, expanding HODL waves, and DeFi yield products that let holders earn without selling — all tightening available supply. Hoskinson also frames recent price weakness as macro-driven (tariffs, policy uncertainty) and expects easing policy risks and reduced trade tensions to rotate capital into crypto over the next two quarters. Traders should monitor ETF flows, exchange reserve levels, HODL metrics, halving-related issuance shifts and institutional allocation news as near-term catalysts that could drive a steady, institution-led bull run toward the $250K scenario. Risks remain: macro volatility, regulatory moves, and the timing/scale of institutional inflows could delay or dilute the thesis.

Cardano (ADA) traded around $0.3569 on Dec. 27 as markets experienced a weekend correction. Hourly charts show local resistance near $0.3590; if bulls hold that level and the daily candle closes close to it, ADA could push to the $0.36 zone and potentially $0.37 by week’s end. Mid‑term indicators show no reversal signals, but the weekly close is pivotal: a close far from the formed support at $0.3466 raises the probability of a rebound toward $0.38–$0.40. Key technical levels: immediate resistance $0.3590, near‑term target $0.36–$0.37, support $0.3466, medium‑term upside $0.38–$0.40. Traders should monitor candle closures on daily and weekly timeframes and volume to confirm continuation or reversal.

Jesse Knutson, head of operations at Bitfinex, predicts tokenized real-world assets (RWA) will expand significantly in 2026, led by adoption in emerging market economies. Knutson argues that developing markets—hindered by legacy financial infrastructure—will embrace onchain capital formation, stablecoin settlement and asset fractionalization faster than developed markets. He notes that fixed-income tokenization (US Treasuries, money market funds) is currently most popular in developed economies, while real estate and commodities lead in developing markets. Bitfinex projects the tokenized RWA market could reach several trillion dollars over the next decade, contingent on major issuers moving from pilots to commercial products. Key challenges remain: legal enforceability of onchain contracts, liquidity and settlement without slippage, investor protections, and interoperability across blockchains and token standards. Overcoming these issues is essential for RWAs to be widely used as collateral in DeFi and to achieve mass adoption.

Midnight (NIGHT), a Cardano‑native privacy token, initially recorded an extraordinary surge in liquidity — briefly spiking to roughly $9 billion in 24‑hour trading volume after launch and entering top‑five volume rankings. Major exchanges (Binance, Bybit, Kraken and others) quickly listed NIGHT pairs, fueling heavy spot activity. In the days following the spike the token’s price rose to a six‑day high near $0.1198 before retracing to $0.07 and then stabilising. By the latest report 24‑hour volume had fallen about 45% to roughly $110.9 million while price held near $0.084 (up ~6.4% on the day, down ~15% week‑over‑week). Market capitalisation is near $1.4 billion, placing NIGHT close to the top 50 by market value; CoinGecko flagged it as a top trending asset. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson publicly praised Midnight and forecasts material DeFi integrations that could boost usage and TVL. Analysts attribute the sharp volume decline mainly to holiday thin liquidity and subdued market activity since October rather than waning project interest. For traders, the episode indicates very high short‑term liquidity and volatility for NIGHT immediately after listings, followed by a rapid normalization of volume — signalling opportunities for intraday liquidity plays but also elevated risk from fast moves, exchange delistings/re‑listings dynamics, and low off‑cycle liquidity.

Finance expert Stern Drew argues that claims XRP cannot exceed $10,000 misunderstand the token’s purpose. XRP is positioned as an institutional settlement layer and liquidity rail—not a retail trading asset—supporting Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) for cross-border payments. ODL and the XRP Ledger (XRPL) offer near-instant settlement, low fees, and high throughput, enabling institutions to move large volumes of value across corridors that can exceed Bitcoin’s annual settlement in a single day. Drew says valuing XRP by retail-market norms misses the operational math of high-volume settlement: higher unit prices can improve liquidity efficiency for institutions and change supply-demand dynamics as more XRP is locked or deployed for cross-border flows. The piece frames potential XRP valuation as tied to utility in global payments rather than retail speculation. Disclaimer: this is informational and not financial advice.

In 2025 governments moved from watching crypto to integrating Bitcoin and digital assets into state policy. Key actions included the U.S. creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and stopping automatic sales of seized BTC, signaling Bitcoin’s inclusion in federal balance-sheet planning. The UAE implemented comprehensive crypto rules (Dubai VARA, Abu Dhabi ADGM), attracting exchanges and custodians. El Salvador ended Bitcoin’s legal-tender requirement after IMF talks but retained and increased its BTC holdings to ~7,500 BTC following a recent ~$100m purchase. Pakistan allocated 2,000 MW of surplus power for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers and entered talks with Binance on a possible $2bn investment, framing mining as industrial use of unused electricity. The Czech National Bank ran a small BTC pilot and disclosed an $18m stake in Coinbase shares. Brazil focused on regulatory structure, introducing licensing for crypto firms and bringing stablecoin flows under FX oversight. Collectively, these actions reflect a shift from retail hype to policy execution: some states tightened controls, others committed capital or tied crypto to energy and financial strategies. For traders, primary takeaways are increased institutional and sovereign demand for BTC, clearer regulatory hubs (UAE, Brazil), and new supply-side influences from nation-backed mining initiatives that may affect market liquidity and volatility.