Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Fund manager Dan Tapiero says a possible Kraken US IPO and rising crypto mergers-and-acquisitions could attract TradFi capital and reinforce what he calls Bitcoin’s “mid-cycle.” Kraken reportedly raised $800 million in private funding at a $20 billion valuation and has filed for a US IPO. Bitcoin reached an October all-time high above $126,000 before a $19 billion liquidation event and has since eased to about $87,000 (CoinGecko), dropping roughly 6% over two weeks. Tapiero views IPOs and M&A as medium-term tailwinds for institutional inflows and market structure. Contrasting views: Fidelity’s Jurrien Timmer expects a down year for Bitcoin in 2026 with a local support range near $65k–$75k, calling 2026 a potential “rest year.” Axis COO Jimmy Xue argues that the traditional four‑year cycle now interacts with macro liquidity and sovereign adoption, meaning cycles may be prolonged and higher lows could form if liquidity remains favorable. On‑chain analytics give mixed signals: Nansen reports “smart money” net-short positions across most major tokens, except pockets like AVAX and some Pump.fun‑related tokens. For traders: the Kraken IPO and M&A wave are potential bullish structural catalysts that may draw institutional inflows, but divergent analyst forecasts, smart‑money net‑short positioning and recent volatility imply higher short‑term risk. Maintain risk management, monitor institutional activity and on‑chain flows, and watch liquidity conditions for signals of sustained bullish follow‑through.

Ethena’s yield-bearing stablecoin USDe recorded roughly $8 billion in redemptions over two months following the October 2025 market crash, cutting protocol TVL from about $14.8 billion to $7.4 billion. The largest wave occurred in October when $5.7 billion exited after a temporary USDe depeg on Binance amplified liquidations. Competing yield stablecoins such as Sky’s sUSDS and Maple’s syrupUSDC captured inflows as investors reallocated. Ethena’s native token ENA plunged about 62% to below $0.20, revisiting prior lows; on‑chain metrics show reduced ENA supply on exchanges and increased holdings off‑exchange, suggesting some dip buying (reports indicate Arthur Hayes bought ~1.22M ENA). Ethena has said it will improve hedging mechanisms after the depeg. For traders: monitor USDe redemption trends and peg stability, protocol TVL recovery, ENA exchange supply and off‑exchange accumulation, and capital flows into competing yield stablecoins — these indicators will signal whether investor confidence is returning or risk aversion persists. Short term, continued redemptions and weak sentiment raise the risk of further ENA downside and elevated volatility; longer-term recovery is possible if redemptions slow and the peg is restored.

U.S. XRP spot ETFs recorded net inflows of $11.93 million on Dec. 24 (US Eastern), driven mainly by Franklin’s Franklin XRP ETF (XRPZ), which saw $11.14 million of inflows that day and now has cumulative net inflows of $231 million. Canary’s Canary XRP ETF (XRPC) contributed $0.79 million on the day and has cumulative inflows of $385 million. Total assets under management (NAV) across XRP spot ETFs stand at $1.25 billion, with XRP making up 0.98% of net assets. Historical cumulative net inflows into XRP spot ETFs have reached about $1.14 billion. Data source: SoSoValue; figures are market information and not investment advice.

Kraken plans to launch a dedicated prediction market in 2026 as part of a broader push into tokenized equities following its acquisition of Backed Finance, operator of the xStocks tokenized-stock platform. Mark Greenberg, Kraken’s global head of consumer, told CNBC the move aims to diversify revenues beyond spot trading and expand retail access to tokenized assets by integrating xStocks across Kraken’s ecosystem. The exchange framed the remarks as market information, gave no specific launch date beyond 2026, and positioned the initiative alongside development of related financial services. For traders: expect increased product breadth (tokenized equities and prediction markets), potential new liquidity venues, and regulatory and execution risks tied to tokenized securities and prediction products.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said the most successful Bitcoin buyers typically accumulate during periods of fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD), not at all-time highs (ATHs). He argued that discipline and contrarian psychology—buying when sentiment is negative during regulatory scares, market drops or bad press—often lead to better long-term returns than attempting precise market timing. CZ recommended practical steps for traders: learn Bitcoin’s fundamentals, use dollar-cost averaging (DCA) to automate purchases, write and follow a clear investment plan, mute sensationalist news during volatility, diversify exposure, and secure assets on reputable wallets and exchanges. The guidance stresses risk management in volatile crypto markets and suggests using verifiable indicators rather than social-media-driven signals. For traders, the takeaway is to prioritise disciplined accumulation strategies (DCA, steady capital allocation) over chasing peaks; this advice is general investing insight, not personalized trading advice.

Onchain-Lense reported that a Bitcoin address inactive since 2016 (starting with 1N8x4) transferred 400 BTC (≈$34.92 million) to the OKX exchange. The coins were acquired or mined when BTC traded below $1,000, implying an estimated realized profit of roughly $30.4 million at current prices. The on-chain deposit to a centralized exchange signals a possible intent to sell or rebalance. Such large transfers from long-dormant wallets often draw market attention and can increase short-term volatility. Traders should monitor exchange inflows and whale movement as potential sell-pressure indicators, check liquidity and order-book depth on OKX before trading, and maintain risk management and exit strategies. Primary keywords: Bitcoin whale, 400 BTC, OKX, dormant wallet. Secondary keywords: whale movement, exchange inflow, profit-taking, on-chain analytics.

Nvidia has agreed to acquire Groq’s processor architecture and related assets for about $20 billion in cash, excluding GroqCloud, marking Nvidia’s largest acquisition to date. The deal is structured as an asset purchase and a non-exclusive technology licensing arrangement rather than a full-company takeover. Groq’s founder and several senior engineers, including CEO Jonathan Ross, will join Nvidia to help integrate Groq’s low-latency AI inference design into Nvidia’s AI platform; Groq’s CFO Simon Edwards will become Groq’s new CEO and continue running the remaining company independently. Key points for traders: ~$20B cash deal; GroqCloud excluded; Groq’s LPU/low-latency inference IP targeted for integration; partial talent migration to Nvidia; ongoing independent Groq operations under new leadership. Market implications include further consolidation of AI compute supply around Nvidia, potential downstream effects on pricing and availability for GPU-dependent services, and renewed competitive responses from AMD, Intel and cloud providers. For crypto traders, primary considerations are possible changes to access and cost of high-performance inference/GPU resources used by blockchain and decentralized-AI projects, plus increased regulatory scrutiny and integration risk that could affect supplier capacity and timelines.

Oliver Michel, CEO of Tokentus Investment AG, says recent XRP price weakness reflects a timing and sentiment mismatch rather than deterioration in Ripple’s business. Speaking on DER AKTIONÄR TV, Michel noted XRP traded near $1.85 after a roughly 10% one‑month decline, while Ripple continues to expand via acquisitions, pursue regulated banking channels and roll out new products including stablecoins. He highlighted strong institutional interest: five spot XRP ETFs launched since November have attracted about $1.13 billion in net inflows and now hold roughly $1.25 billion AUM combined. Michel argues institutional flows and business growth have not yet been priced into XRP, attributing the divergence to short‑term sentiment, liquidity and macro factors. No timeline was given; he expects the gap to be temporary and for fundamentals to eventually drive repricing. (Not financial advice.)

Top venture capitalists from Pantera, Hash3 and Variant identified Robinhood’s crypto arm, stablecoins and prediction markets as the standout winners of 2025. They attribute Robinhood’s rapid market-share gains to clearer regulation, a retail-friendly interface and swift execution once regulatory clarity arrived. Stablecoins — led in discussion by Tether — showed massive on-chain transaction growth, high issuer profitability and increasing real-world use in payments and remittances. Prediction markets (for example Polymarket) drew significant institutional capital, with reports of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) deploying large investment, signalling strong traditional-finance interest. Major losers included Do Kwon and Terra/Luna following the collapse and subsequent legal penalties, and firms hit by aggressive prior SEC enforcement that pushed founders and projects overseas. Policy developments in 2025 — notably passage of the GENIUS Act establishing a U.S. federal framework for stablecoin issuance and a market-structure bill delayed until 2026 — reinforced a shift toward regulatory clarity. Key takeaways for traders: favour projects with clear regulatory compliance, demonstrable real-world utility and institutional backing; monitor stablecoin flows and volumes as liquidity and market-stability indicators; watch institutional moves into niche sectors such as prediction markets for momentum and arbitrage opportunities; remain cautious around legacy fraud cases and adversarial enforcement that can trigger sharp outflows. Overall, the outlook points to a maturing market shifting from pure speculation to utility- and infrastructure-led winners.

MicroStrategy sold ~4.5 million Class A shares through its at‑the‑market (ATM) program during Dec. 15–21, raising about $747.8 million net. The company did not purchase bitcoin that week, keeping its holding at 671,268 BTC with an aggregate cost of roughly $50.33 billion and an average cost basis near $74,972 per BTC. No new perpetual preferred shares were issued; MicroStrategy still has substantial remaining issuance capacity on preferred and common stock programs (reported ~$20+ billion on STRK preferred program and ~$11.8 billion common-stock capacity). The firm increased its USD cash reserve — set up to cover preferred dividends and interest on debt — from early-December levels (~$1.14B) to about $2.19B as of Dec. 21, improving near‑term liquidity. Traders should note the dual signal: the company raised cash without selling BTC (no change to BTC supply), but paused buys and bolstered cash buffers, which could reflect precaution against debt/dividend obligations and reduce immediate upside demand from MicroStrategy in the short term. Key SEO keywords: MicroStrategy, Bitcoin, BTC, stock sale, cash reserve, ATM offering, liquidity.

Moon Hash, a UK-registered cloud-mining platform founded in 2016, has launched a global Christmas cloud-mining campaign offering lowered entry barriers and cash rewards of up to $30,000. The promotion centers on a “Christmas Carnival” contract: users who buy designated contracts during the event are automatically enrolled in a rewards program with payouts credited directly to their platform accounts. Rewards can be withdrawn or reinvested. New users receive a $15 signup bonus. Deposits accept multiple cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, USDT, XRP and DOGE. Moon Hash says it automates daily profit settlement through intelligent resource allocation and real-time on-chain recording of mining earnings. The platform highlights security and compliance measures — cold/hot wallet separation, SSL/DDoS protection, multilingual 24/7 support, on-chain auditability and international security/financial certifications. The announcement is presented as a sponsored press release and not investment advice. Traders should note this is a marketing-driven product launch that could attract new mining participants and extra deposit flows into supported tokens, but it does not change underlying network fundamentals or guaranteed returns.

Bitcoin dropped 22.8% in Q4 2025 and is consolidating just above $85,000 amid thin holiday liquidity and slowing demand. The main near-term catalyst is a large options expiry on Dec. 26 (Boxing Day). Open interest shows declining $85K put exposure while $100K calls remain, creating a pin between $85K–$90K with roughly $300m in gamma exposure. Liquidation heatmaps reveal upside short‑liquidity clusters at $90K–$95K and downside pools near $84K, raising the chance of sharp intraday moves once options settle. On-chain data from CryptoQuant signals demand growth has cooled since October and now runs below trend, flagging interim support near $70K and a potential cycle bottom around $56K. Analysts expect choppy trading through the holiday period; post-expiry order flow, shifts in puts vs calls, gamma exposure and exchange flows will determine whether traders get a volatility-driven bounce or renewed selling pressure. Key trading considerations: monitor open interest and gamma around $85K–$90K, liquidation and short‑liquidity clusters, post-expiry flows on Dec. 26, and broader demand indicators for signs of extended downside.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson says Midnight — a newly launched, privacy-focused network with the NIGHT token — is designed to extend Cardano’s capabilities rather than replace ADA. Describing Midnight as the “ChatGPT of privacy” for Cardano dApps, Hoskinson argues the protocol will add privacy rails to Cardano-native apps, enable privacy-preserving yield and credit, and help smaller projects compete with larger DeFi incumbents. He emphasized ADA holders received preferential access in the NIGHT distribution and that Cardano secures Midnight, keeping ADA holders tied to the ecosystem. Early on-chain signals show rising DeFi activity after NIGHT’s airdrop: DEX Hunter reported explosive trading volume and aggregators noted surges in swaps. Cardano’s overall DeFi TVL remains low (about 31st per DeFiLlama), but core ecosystem groups proposed an infrastructure budget to support stablecoins, custody, analytics, bridges and oracles. The Midnight Foundation reportedly received a legal contract from a stablecoin partner, prompting speculation about USDT or USDC listings that could further drive usage. Hoskinson avoided specific price targets but suggested Midnight could attract Bitcoin-linked capital into Cardano DeFi—partly because both Cardano and Bitcoin use the UTXO model—potentially creating structural capital flows into non-spot Bitcoin DeFi. At publication ADA traded near $0.35–$0.36. Key SEO keywords: Cardano, ADA, Midnight, NIGHT token, privacy DeFi, Bitcoin DeFi, airdrop, stablecoin integration.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged three crypto platforms (Morocoin Tech Corp., Berge Blockchain Technology Co., Ltd., and Cirkor Inc.) and four AI-branded investment clubs for an alleged coordinated AI-themed retail investment fraud that misappropriated at least $14 million from U.S. investors between January 2024 and January 2025. Promoters recruited victims via social media adverts, private WhatsApp group chats and closed messaging funnels, claiming AI-driven trading with guaranteed high returns. They used deepfakes, impersonations of financial figures, fake dashboards and tampered trade histories to simulate profits and build trust. Victims were prevented from withdrawing funds and pressured to pay bogus “taxes,” “administrative fees” or additional deposits; operators routed proceeds through domestic and international accounts to obscure flows. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement with interest from the platforms and civil penalties against all defendants, and issued an investor alert on AI-assisted group-chat fraud. FINRA has reported a surge in complaints about closed-chat investment groups, underscoring regulators’ concerns about social-media-to-messaging-app funnels as a growing vector for crypto scams. For crypto traders: monitor regulatory enforcement, be skeptical of AI trading claims and group-chat solicitations, avoid platforms with unverifiable trade execution, and expect continued scrutiny that could pressure risky, retail-focused crypto products.

Coinglass data shows roughly $182 million in crypto liquidations over the past 24 hours, with long positions accounting for about $121 million and shorts about $60.35 million. This represents a shift from an earlier report that recorded near-even liquidations (~$125M split roughly $60.7M longs / $64.26M shorts), indicating a later concentrated squeeze on bullish (long) derivatives. The higher long-side liquidations — about two-thirds of the total — point to concentrated margin pressure on leveraged long positions, raising the risk of continued downside moves and heightened volatility across major tokens. Traders should monitor open interest, funding rates and liquidity metrics closely: persistent long squeezes can amplify short-term selling pressure and force funding-rate adjustments, while risk managers may opt to lower leverage or rebalance hedges to reduce margin-call exposure.

Anthony Pompliano told CNBC that Bitcoin’s reduced daily volatility and the absence of a year‑end blowoff top make a deep 70–80% drawdown less likely into Q1 2026. Bitcoin ended 2025 trading near $87k after strong multi‑year gains (roughly +100% over two years and ~300% over three), but it missed several aggressive 2025 price targets. Pompliano argues lower volatility and limited extreme leverage reduce forced liquidations and tail risk, even if upside momentum is muted. Some analysts remain cautious: Peter Brandt warned of a potential fall to $60k by mid/late 2026, and Jurrien Timmer (Fidelity) suggested a pause year around $65k. Mid‑range analysts expect early 2026 to show whether consolidation continues. Key takeaways for traders: monitor volatility metrics and leverage measures (funding rates, open interest); expect weaker short‑term blowoff rallies and smaller forced‑liquidation risks; plan for consolidation or modest pullbacks while the long‑term secular bull case remains intact.

Binance added World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin to its limited-time Booster (Earn) program, offering up to a 20% APR on the first 50,000 USD1 deposits between Dec 24, 2025 and Jan 23, 2026. The announcement coincided with a surge in USD1 demand: World Liberty Fi minted roughly 45 million new USD1, pushing circulating supply to about 2.79–2.85 billion and lifting market capitalization by roughly $150 million to near $2.9 billion, making USD1 one of the top stablecoins by market cap. Trading activity spiked — daily volume reached about $1.39 billion and Binance order interest showed more than $150 million in buy orders on the USD1/USDT pair. USD1 is now available via Binance P2P Express and in DeFi venues (PancakeSwap, Uniswap, Venus) though APYs there are lower. World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is also developing a retail app and Visa-style debit card with Apple Pay integration, planned for early 2026, which may increase utility for USD1. For traders: the Binance Booster listing and high advertised yield produced immediate demand and improved liquidity on Binance but carries risks — the offer’s short subscription window, the 50,000-USD1 per-user cap, and increased centralization of supply could create redemption or peg stresses once the promotion ends. Monitor on-chain minting/redemption flows, orderbook depth on USD1/USDT, and any changes to Booster terms; yield-driven inflows can reverse quickly when promotions expire.

XRP has dropped below $2 to around $1.80, turning Evernorth’s Oct–Dec 2024 accumulation (388.7 million XRP purchased for about $947.1m) from a roughly $71m unrealized profit into an approximately $225m unrealized loss, according to CryptoQuant on‑chain data. The decline reflects sustained selling pressure from retail traders and whale holders that has outpaced institutional buying. Despite the weakness, XRP spot ETFs continue to record steady net inflows, pushing combined assets above $1.25 billion and signaling ongoing institutional interest. Market indicators (TradingView, Sosovalue) show negative capital flow metrics (capital flow ≈ -42, strength ≈ -14) and a red Accumulation/Distribution Money Flow, suggesting sellers remain dominant. Analysts warn that continued selling could push XRP toward $1.50, while a sustained recovery requires institutions to reclaim and hold $2 as support. For traders: monitor ETF inflows and outflows, large on‑chain transfers and whale activity, volume spikes, and whether XRP can retake $2 — these signals will help gauge short‑term downside risk versus medium‑ to long‑term accumulation opportunities.

Aptos native token APT slipped to $1.56 amid a broader market pullback and thin holiday trading. Over 24 hours the token traded between $1.62 and $1.56 (about 3.6% intraday volatility). Technical models identify immediate resistance near $1.58–$1.66 (with a tighter resistance band at $1.63–$1.66) and support at $1.56 and primary support at $1.52, where a recent double-bottom completed before a modest rebound. Volume signals were mixed: overall 24‑hour activity fell roughly 11%–29% versus the 30‑day average across the two reports (indicating trader fatigue), but both summaries note short-term spikes in intraday volume — one to ~4.69 million APT (about 71% above the 24‑hour average) and another brief peak of 5.7 million APT (about 102% above the 24‑hour average) that accompanied selling from session highs or a breakout attempt. CoinDesk models suggest the recent moves largely tracked broader market momentum rather than fresh token‑specific fundamentals. Key levels for traders: near‑term support $1.56 (break risks $1.52), resistance $1.58–$1.66 (immediate $1.58–$1.585, confluence $1.63–$1.655). The pattern implies consolidation with limited conviction; renewed buying on stronger volume would be needed to target the upside resistance confluence.

Bybit EU, the MiCAR‑licensed European arm of Bybit based in Vienna, launched an EU‑only #7UpBybit Birthday Blast running from 26 Nov 2025 (10:00 UTC) to 5 Jan 2026 (10:00 UTC). Eligible EEA users can join the EU Daily Treasure Hunt to earn Bybit Points by completing tasks — daily check‑ins, KYC with a first top‑up, daily spot trading, referrals and other actions. Points are redeemable for limited rewards, most notably a one‑time redemption of 150 days’ complimentary access to ZEN.COM PRO (valued at €34.50) for first‑time ZEN.COM registrants who open a new account and activate it; Bybit EU issues a unique redemption code. The campaign also includes USDC airdrops, trading‑fee savers, and 100,000 first‑come, first‑served scratch cards. Bybit EU operates under MiCAR as a licensed Crypto‑Asset Service Provider across the EEA (excluding Malta). Terms and eligibility apply. For traders: the promotion is marketing‑focused rather than financial guidance, may increase short‑term user activity and spot volume on Bybit EU, and could slightly lift demand for on‑platform stablecoin flows (USDC) and ZEN.COM usage during the campaign period.

Kalshi Research compared Kalshi prediction-market implied forecasts to Wall Street consensus for year‑over‑year CPI across 25+ monthly releases from Feb 2023 to mid‑2025. Key findings: Kalshi market‑based forecasts delivered a 40.1% lower mean absolute error (MAE) on average versus analyst consensus across the sample. During inflation “shocks” (surprises >0.1–0.2 percentage points) the MAE advantage widened — about ~50% one week before release and ~56–60% one day before release. When Kalshi’s price and consensus diverged by >0.1pp one week out, the probability of a significant surprise rose to roughly 81–84%, and Kalshi forecasts were more accurate in about 75% of such cases. Authors attribute the edge to participant heterogeneity (wisdom of crowds), stronger monetary incentives in prediction markets (profit/loss alignment vs. reputational herding), real‑time pricing and broader information aggregation. Limitations include a relatively short 25‑month sample and few extreme tail events, which constrain statistical confidence for rare shocks. For traders, the report implies prediction markets like Kalshi offer earlier, more accurate signals of CPI surprises; measurable divergence between market prices and Wall Street consensus can serve as a quantitative early‑warning indicator to adjust macro risk positioning, volatility hedges and rate‑sensitive crypto exposure. Primary keywords: prediction markets, CPI forecast, Kalshi; secondary keywords: market‑based forecasting, Wall Street consensus, real‑time pricing, Phantom integration.

Brett Harrison, former president of FTX US, has raised $35 million to launch AX, an exchange operated by Architect Financial Technologies and regulated in Bermuda. The Series A round was led by Miami International Holdings and Tioga Capital and values the company at roughly $187 million; it follows a prior $12 million round in 2024 that included Coinbase Ventures. AX plans to offer crypto-style perpetual futures on traditional assets such as stocks and forex, using non-expiring, non-custodial contracts to avoid holding underlying assets. The platform aims at institutional and professional clients outside the U.S. to navigate U.S. regulatory constraints after Harrison’s 2022 resignation from FTX US. AX promises 24/7 continuous trading, deeper liquidity, improved price discovery and advanced leverage products. Key near-term challenges include obtaining regulatory approvals in Bermuda and other jurisdictions, ensuring robust compliance and risk controls, and managing reputational scrutiny tied to Harrison’s FTX past. For traders, AX could change market structure and liquidity if adopted by institutions, but uptake depends on regulatory sign-off and counterparty acceptance.

Bitcoin Treasury Capital (BTC AB) completed a directed placement of 60,400 Preference A shares, raising about SEK 7.2 million (~$786k). Proceeds will primarily be used to buy additional Bitcoin for the company treasury, and may also cover operating costs and future dividend payments. BTC AB currently holds 187 BTC (≈$16M). Under a previously agreed interest-free, Bitcoin‑denominated convertible loan signed in August, full conversion could increase holdings to 271 BTC. The new Preference A shares pay a monthly dividend structure equivalent to a 10% annual yield, making them attractive to income-focused investors while increasing shareholders’ Bitcoin exposure. Management said the directed issue was chosen for speed and to minimize market disruption; CEO Christoffer De Geer described the raise as strengthening the balance sheet and supporting BTC AB’s long-term strategy of disciplined Bitcoin accumulation with institutional custody and high security standards. Traders should note continued, albeit measured, corporate accumulation of Bitcoin and the potential for modest incremental buy pressure if proceeds are deployed into the market.

Five US-listed spot XRP ETFs from Canary, 21Shares, Grayscale, Bitwise and Franklin Templeton have recorded uninterrupted daily net inflows since their November 13 launch, amassing about $1.13 billion in cumulative inflows and roughly $1.125 billion in combined assets as of Dec 23. Franklin Templeton’s fund is a major holder (≈101.55M XRP, ~ $193m). The inflow streak reached 33 trading days and included a $43.9m single-day intake on Dec 22 — the largest daily inflow in the period. Despite steady institutional accumulation, XRP’s spot price has lagged, trading around $1.84 (≈1.7% 24h decline; ~10.6% month-to-date drop). Social metrics (Santiment) show unusually high negative sentiment toward XRP; historically, extreme retail FUD has sometimes preceded sharp rallies. Analysts note a rotation of capital from some BTC/ETH ETFs into XRP ETFs, suggesting shifting institutional interest, but also warn of weak short-term price action and technical risks (e.g., double-top patterns). For traders: persistent institutional inflows supply a bullish underpinning for XRP’s longer-term outlook, but the current negative price momentum and elevated retail pessimism increase short-term volatility and downside risk. Watch ETF flow data, on-chain transfers into/out of custody, short interest, and key technical levels for trade signals.

A market downturn has exposed large divergences between private VC valuations and public market capitalizations across multiple VC-backed crypto projects. CryptoRank and Fundraising Digest data show projects once priced near $1 billion in private rounds now trade at steep discounts — examples include Humanity Protocol (~$1B VC → ~$285M market cap), Fuel Network (~$1B → ~$11M), Bubblemaps (~$1B → ~$0.6M), Plasma (~$500M → ~$224M), ICNT (~$470M → ~$247M), DoubleZero (~$400M → ~$373M), Camp Network and Treehouse (each ~ $400M VC → ~$15–16M market caps), Everlyn (~$250M → ~$26M) and SoSoValue (~$200M → ~$152M). Fundraising Digest attributes the gap to aggressive VC pricing during bull markets and fading narratives that trigger valuation resets. Venture funding remains weak into late 2025 — November saw only 57 disclosed deals — with a few large outlier rounds (e.g., Revolut $1B, Kraken $800M pre-IPO) masking an early- and mid-stage slowdown. For traders, the divergence signals elevated valuation risk for VC-backed tokens, higher probability of further downside for narrative-driven projects, and possible liquidity and development slowdowns as VC support tightens. Primary keywords: crypto market, VC valuations, market capitalization, venture funding, valuation reset. Secondary keywords: funding slowdown, investor sentiment, liquidity, market correction.

Prediction market Polymarket confirmed a security incident after multiple users reported unauthorized logins and drained balances. The company attributed the breaches to a vulnerability introduced by an unnamed third‑party authentication provider, said the issue has been remediated, and promised to contact affected users. Social posts reported losses ranging from test accounts to roughly $2,000; one user said their balance dropped to $0.01 despite active two‑factor authentication and no device compromise. Community members have speculated the provider might be Magic Labs — a popular email‑based login and wallet-creation tool — but Polymarket did not name the vendor and neither Polymarket nor Magic Labs immediately responded to media inquiries. Polymarket posted a Discord notice saying there is no ongoing risk. For traders: this incident highlights custodial and third‑party authentication risk, could create short‑term reputational pressure on platforms using the same provider, and may temporarily slow new user onboarding or deposits until confidence is restored. Key actions for traders: enable all security features, monitor accounts for unusual activity, use unique passwords and hardware or app‑based 2FA, and limit reliance on single third‑party auth solutions.

Trend Research bought 46,379 ETH, bringing its reported treasury to about 580,000 ETH and making it one of the largest private Ethereum holders. On-chain trackers link the purchases to Jack Yi of LD Capital, whose accumulation began in October. Yi signalled plans to deploy an additional $1 billion to continue buying ETH and publicly urged traders not to short, signaling further buy-side pressure. Trend Research now ranks behind SharpLink Gaming (~859,853 ETH) and BitMine Immersion Technologies (~4,066,062 ETH) among known treasuries. Separately, BitMine plans to stake large holdings via a U.S. validator network, targeting roughly 5% of ETH supply across its operations to capture staking yield and increase influence over consensus. Some listed treasuries have trimmed positions: ETHZilla sold about 24,291 ETH (≈$74.5M) and FG Nexus conducted smaller redemptions or buybacks to meet financing needs. Analysts say corporate accumulation plus staking is concentrating liquid ETH with strategic players, turning treasuries into yield-generating infrastructure and potentially shifting network influence. Key data points for traders: Trend Research +46,379 ETH → ~580,000 ETH; SharpLink ~859,853 ETH; BitMine ~4,066,062 ETH; ETHZilla sold ~24,291 ETH (~$74.5M). Market implications include increased buy-side demand from a large private buyer preparing further purchases, offset by selective sell-offs from listed treasuries that can provide temporary liquidity. Traders should watch on-chain flows, staking announcements, and large wallet movements for short-term volatility and potential longer-term supply concentration.

Hong Kong-listed China Properties Investment Holdings (0736.HK) has approved a plan to buy BNB (Binance Coin) on the open market using the company’s own available cash and hold the tokens as strategic reserve assets. The board framed BNB and other suitable digital assets as an emerging, low-correlation asset class to diversify group reserves and strengthen long-term risk resistance. Purchases will be executed in batches depending on market conditions, within Hong Kong law and the company’s internal risk controls; any acquisition that meets Hong Kong listing disclosure thresholds will be publicly announced. The filing cites confidence in BNB’s underlying ecosystem, technology and industry competitiveness, and stresses the decision is for treasury/reserve purposes rather than short-term trading. The company warned of digital-asset volatility and potential for significant losses. Key details for traders: issuer 0736.HK, asset BNB, funding from internal cash, staggered purchases, and regulatory disclosure as required.

President Donald Trump urged the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates after U.S. Q3 2025 GDP unexpectedly rose 4.3% (consensus 3.3%). Trump argued stronger growth should prompt more accommodative monetary policy to sustain the expansion. Former White House NEC director Kevin Hassett publicly supported rapid cuts, citing AI-driven productivity gains and tariff-related trade improvements as evidence that inflationary pressures are easing. The debate comes as Fed leadership faces turnover: Jerome Powell’s term ends in May 2026 and the White House is expected to nominate a successor, raising the prospect that a Trump appointee could shift policy toward earlier cuts. Markets will watch Fed appointments, rate guidance and any move toward easing closely because earlier-than-expected rate cuts would likely increase liquidity and risk appetite, with potential implications for crypto and other risk assets. Key SEO keywords: Fed rate cuts, US GDP 4.3%, monetary policy, Fed leadership, crypto market liquidity.