Trump hasn’t confirmed who he will have replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell with next year, but two recent hints, taken together, point to his crypto-friendly adviser.

Kevin O’Leary said he is not positioning his investments around expectations that the US Federal Reserve will cut rates in December.

This partnership could accelerate institutional adoption of crypto by aligning staking services with traditional finance standards and security.

The post Deutsche Bank-backed Taurus partners with Everstake to enhance institutional crypto staking appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Tokenization's potential to revolutionize financial systems could reshape market dynamics and investment strategies, impacting global asset management.

The post BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Brian Armstrong to discuss tokenization at DealBook Summit appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The consensus is leaning heavily toward the Bitcoin price heading into another drawn-out bear market after hitting its $126,000 all-time high back in October. However, some analysts have shared that this will not happen in a straight line. But rather, there will be short relief rallies that send the price higher before moving into the next phase of the bear market. One of these analysts is TradingShot, who has shared what they refer to as ‘realistic’ price targets that the Bitcoin price can still hit before slipping fully into the bear market.

Bitcoin’s Tendency To Recover

TradingShot’s analysis does not go against the idea of a bear market, but rather points to the fact that Bitcoin is yet to enter a new Bull Cycle. The analysis focuses on the sell-offs that the cryptocurrency has suffered since hitting its all-time high, pushing it into a bearish leg. The analyst draws similarities between the current market structure and what was seen in the market decline between January 20 and April 7, showing that they are both part of a “Channel Up” formation.

Another interesting fact about the current trend is the fact that, just like the January-April trend, it has also completed a 1-Day MACD Bullish Cross. This was a formation that led to a brief recovery back in March, and the same could be the case this time around.

Such a rally, the analyst explains, is known as a counter-trend rally, and another one could be underway. If this is the case, then the Bitcoin price could be gearing up to retest the Lower Highs trendline, putting the contact points at significantly higher price levels than Bitcoin is currently trending at.

The Targets That Could Materialize

In the event that this Bitcoin price counter-trend rally does play out, TradingShot outlines two major targets that the cryptocurrency could hit. The first of these lies at $95,850, which coincides with the 0.382 Fibonacci level. This level is the rejection point for the April 2025 rally, making it an important play.

Above this first target lies the second and final target of $106,450. This target, interestingly, lies outside of the Lower Highs trendline, but remains a viable option. It would occur in a situation where the Bitcoin price makes contact with the 1D MA200. The analyst explains that “This is where the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement level is, which was also Target 2 for the April fractal and where the second consolidation took place.”

Bitcoin has fallen back below the $90,000 level after another wave of selling pressure and leveraged long liquidations, signaling that the market remains firmly on the defensive. Each attempt to stabilize has failed, with sellers quickly overwhelming buyers and forcing price into lower ranges. Fear and uncertainty continue to dominate sentiment, and traders increasingly prepare for the possibility of a deeper continuation of the downtrend as volatility accelerates.

Amid this weakness, a new signal has started to attract the attention of analysts. According to Maartunn, one of the market’s most respected on-chain researchers, old coins are waking up again. Dormant Bitcoin—specifically coins held for 3 to 5 years—has begun to move on-chain in noticeable spikes. Historically, this type of activity often reflects structural shifts in holder behavior, appearing during periods of stress, capitulation, or preparation for major market pivots.

While the direction of these moves is not always immediately clear, rising activity among long-dormant coins adds another layer of complexity to an already fragile market. As Bitcoin continues to struggle below $90K, the behavior of these older coins could help determine whether the current decline deepens—or sets the stage for a larger transition ahead.

Old Coins Start Moving as Macro Fear Collides With Policy Shifts

Maartunn highlights a notable rise in activity from 3–5 year-old Bitcoin, a cohort that typically remains dormant unless underlying conditions begin to shift. The Spent Output Age Bands show a sharp increase, jumping from 2,030 BTC earlier today to 3,475 BTC now. These spikes rarely happen randomly. Maartunn believes that “something’s stirring beneath the surface,” suggesting that long-term holders may be reacting to mounting market stress—or positioning ahead of a potential macro inflection.

This awakening of older coins comes at a moment filled with conflicting signals. Fear around Tether’s reserves has resurfaced, sparking concerns over liquidity stability across exchanges. At the same time, renewed headlines about a supposed China Bitcoin ban have circulated again, despite offering no new policy information. These narratives have added yet another layer of anxiety to an already fragile market.

Yet the macro backdrop also contains reasons for cautious optimism. The Federal Reserve is expected to bring its quantitative tightening (QT) program to an end, and markets are increasingly pricing in a potential interest rate cut this December. Such shifts historically improve liquidity conditions and support risk assets.

As long-term coins begin to move and macro forces pull in opposite directions, Bitcoin enters a complex environment—one that could precede either deeper volatility or the early stages of a larger transition.

Bitcoin Struggles to Recover as Daily Trend Remains Firmly Bearish

Bitcoin’s 1-day chart continues to reveal a market trapped in a strong downtrend, with price failing to reclaim the key moving averages that define higher-timeframe momentum. After breaking down from the $115,000 region, BTC plunged directly through the 50 SMA, 100 SMA, and 200 SMA, creating a steep momentum shift that sellers still control.

The current price action around $86,000–$88,000 shows hesitation and a lack of follow-through from bulls, even after several attempts to rebound.

The 50 and 100 SMAs both slope sharply downward, confirming a bearish trend structure. Meanwhile, the 200 SMA has flattened and now sits far above price, highlighting just how aggressive and extended the selloff has been. BTC continues to print lower highs and lower lows, a clear signal that the market has not yet found a stable bottom.

Volume spikes on major red candles suggest a mix of forced liquidations and panic-driven exits, while green candles remain smaller and less convincing. The lack of strong buy volume shows that investors remain cautious despite the magnitude of the correction.

If Bitcoin fails to break back above $92,000–$95,000, the market risks another leg lower. The next major supports sit between $80,000 and $78,000, levels that align with previous consolidation zones. For now, the bears still control the daily trend.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

Bitcoin was launched fifteen years ago. The industry has ballooned into a nearly $4 trillion ecosystem, yet Satoshi’s vision of everyday payments remains largely unfulfilled. The hope for peer-to-peer payments has shifted to stablecoins. But rather than replacing banks, stablecoins risk becoming bank-like infrastructure. Stronger regulation in the U.S. and Europe may push them toward centralized rails rather than open money.

Regulation turning stablecoins into regulated payment networks

In America, the GENIUS Act established a federal framework for payments with stablecoins—who can issue them, how to back them up, and how they’re regulated. In Europe, MiCA regulation (Markets in Crypto-Assets) became applicable in 2024 and set strict requirements for stablecoins under categories like “e-money tokens” and “asset-referenced tokens.”

These regulations foster legitimacy and safety, but at the same time push stablecoin issuers into the world of banks. When issuers need to comply with reserve, audit, KYC, and redemption requirements, the structure and essence of stablecoins shift. They become centralized gateways rather than peer-to-peer money. Over 60% of corporate stablecoin usage is cross-border settlement, not consumer payments. Stablecoins are becoming more institutional tools and fewer tokens for individuals.

The danger: becoming the next SWIFT

What does it mean to “become the next SWIFT”? It means evolving into the go-to rail for institutions; efficient yet opaque, centralized yet indispensable. SWIFT transformed global banking by enabling messaging between banks; it did not democratize banking access. If stablecoins mirror that evolution, they’ll deliver faster rails for existing players rather than empowering the unbanked.

Crypto’s promise was programmable money—cash that moves with logic, autonomy, and user control. But when transactions require issuer permission, compliance tagging, and monitored addresses, the architecture changes. The network becomes compliant infrastructure, not money. That subtle but profound shift may make stablecoins less radical and more reactionary.

A better path to open rails with compliance baked in

The challenge is not regulation; it’s design. To uphold the promise of stablecoins while adhering to regulatory demands, developers and policymakers should embed compliance in the protocol layer, maintain composability across jurisdictions, and preserve non-custodial access. Back in the real world, initiatives like the Blockchain Payments Consortium provide a glimpse of hope that standardizing cross-chain payments is possible without sacrificing openness.

Stablecoins must work for individuals, not just institutions. If they serve only large players and regulated flows, they won’t disrupt—they’ll conform. The design must allow true peer-to-peer movement, selective privacy, and interoperability. Otherwise, the rails will lock us into old hierarchies, just faster.

Stablecoins still hold the potential to rewrite money. But if we allow them to become institutionalized rails built for banks rather than people, we will have replaced one central system with another. The question isn’t whether we regulate—stablecoins will be regulated. It’s whether we design for inclusion and autonomy, or lock in yesterday’s system behind digital wrappers. The future of money depends on which path we choose.

The following is a guest post and opinion from Joël Valenzuela, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Dash.

The post Stablecoins were built to replace banks but on course to becoming one appeared first on CryptoSlate.

XRP spot ETFs have posted one of the most consistent inflow streaks of this quarter, attracting roughly $756 million across eleven consecutive trading sessions since their Nov. 13 launch.

Yet the strength in the ETF demand contrasts with XRP’s price performance.

According to CryptoSlate’s data, the token has fallen about 20% over the same period and currently trades near $2.03.

This divergence has prompted CryptoSlate to examine how XRP’s ownership structure is shifting beneath the surface.

The strong ETF inflows alongside falling prices point to a market absorbing two opposing forces of steady institutional allocation on one side and a broader risk reduction on the other.

Essentially, this pattern reflects a more complex process in which new, regulated demand is entering the ecosystem as existing holders adjust their exposure.

XRP dominates crypto ETFs flow

The inflow profile of XRP products is statistically remarkable, particularly against a backdrop of net redemptions elsewhere.

During the reporting period, Bitcoin ETFs saw over $2 billion in outflows, and Ethereum products recorded nearly $1 billion in withdrawals.

Even high-flying competitors like Solana have managed only about $200 million in cumulative inflows. At the same time, other altcoin ETFs have drawn smaller totals, with Dogecoin, Litecoin, and Hedera products each holding between $2 million and $10 million.

In this context, XRP stands alone for its consistent accumulation, with the four products now holding about 0.6% of the token’s total market capitalization.

Considering this, market participants attribute the demand to the ETF’s operational efficiency. The four XRP funds offer institutional allocators a compliant, low-friction path into the asset, bypassing the custody headaches and exchange risks associated with direct token handling.

However, the fact that these inflows have not translated into upward price pressure suggests that other market segments may be reducing exposure or managing risk amid elevated macro and crypto-specific uncertainty.

This phenomenon is not unprecedented in crypto, but the scale here is distinct.

The selling pressure is likely originating from a combination of early adopters cashing out after years of volatility and potential treasury movements. The ETF boom has essentially created a liquidity bridge, allowing large-scale entities to offload positions without crashing the order book instantly.

Consolidation or centralization risk?

Meanwhile, the ownership data below the surface reinforces the view that the asset is undergoing a radical centralization.

Data from blockchain analysis firm Santiment indicates that the number of “whale” and “shark” wallets holding at least 100 million XRP has plummeted by 20.6% over the past eight weeks.

This pattern of fewer large wallets with more combined assets can be interpreted in different ways.

Some market observers have framed this as “consolidation,” arguing that supply is moving into “stronger hands.”

However, a risk-adjusted view suggests rising centralization risk.

With nearly half of the available supply concentrated in a shrinking cohort of entities, the market’s liquidity profile is becoming increasingly fragile.

This centralization of supply means that future price action is heavily dependent on the decisions of fewer than a few dozen entities. If this group decides to distribute, the resulting liquidity shock could be severe.

Simultaneously, spot exchange balances are thinning as tokens move into the regulated custody solutions required by ETF issuers.

While this theoretically reduces the “float” available for retail trading, it hasn’t triggered a supply shock. Instead, the transfer from exchange to custodian appears to be a one-way street for now, soaking up circulating supply sold by the shrinking whale cohort.

The benchmark race

The inflow streak has renewed discussion about which asset could emerge as the benchmark altcoin for institutional portfolios.

Historically, regulated crypto exposure has centered almost exclusively on Bitcoin and Ethereum, with other assets attracting minimal attention. XRP’s recent flow profile, which has significantly exceeded the cumulative inflows of other altcoin ETFs, has temporarily shifted that dynamic.

Part of the interest stems from developments around Ripple. The firm’s licensing expansion in Singapore and the significant adoption of RLUSD, its dollar-backed stablecoin, give institutions a broader ecosystem to evaluate.

At the same time, Ripple’s acquisitions across custody, brokerage, and treasury management have created a vertically integrated framework that resembles components of traditional financial infrastructure, offering a foundation for regulated participation.

Still, analysts caution that a short inflow streak does not establish a new long-term benchmark.

XRP will need to sustain demand across multiple market phases to maintain its position relative to peers such as Solana, which has gained attention for its growing tokenization activity, and to assets that may attract larger flows once new ETFs launch.

For now, XRP’s performance within the ETF complex reflects early momentum rather than structural dominance.

The flows highlight genuine institutional interest, but the asset’s price behavior reflects the broader challenges large-cap cryptocurrencies face amid macroeconomic uncertainty.

The post How XRP became the top crypto ETF trade despite price slides toward $2 appeared first on CryptoSlate.

A six-year data review shows five large and mid-cap cryptocurrencies often gain during December. However, their “Santa rally” success is clustered in specific bull and recovery years, not every Christmas.

The analysis covers December performance from 2019 to 2024. It focuses on USD returns for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, Litecoin and Monero.

Bitcoin: Big December Moves in Bull Cycles

Bitcoin delivered its strongest December in 2020, rising about 48% from roughly $19,700 to $29,000. It posted another solid December gain in 2023, adding about 12% as ETF optimism returned.

By contrast, Bitcoin fell about 5% in December 2019 and nearly 19% in 2021. It slipped around 4% in 2022 and slightly over 3% in 2024.

The pattern is clear. Bitcoin’s December rallies appear mainly in strong bull or recovery phases, not during tightening or late-cycle stress.

Around Christmas, the biggest moves usually came after the holiday. In 2020 and 2023, the week after Christmas outperformed the week before.

Ethereum: Follows Bitcoin’s Cycle, With Strong 2020 and 2023

Ethereum showed a similar December profile to Bitcoin, with standout gains in 2020 and 2023. In December 2020, ETH climbed about 21%, from around $615 to $750.

During December 2023, Ethereum added roughly 11%, tracking the broader market recovery. Both rallies coincided with improving macro sentiment and stronger network activity.

Yet Ethereum fell sharply in bearish or late-cycle years. It dropped about 15% in December 2019, 20% in 2021 and around 8% in 2024, with a smaller 8% decline in 2022.

Overall, Ethereum tends to rally in December when liquidity is ample and risk appetite is high. When macro conditions tighten, its December performance turns negative quickly.

BNB: Explosive December Rallies in 2020 and 2023

The formerly labeled Binance Coin shows some of the most dramatic December gains in the dataset. BNB rose about 19% in December 2020 as Binance volumes surged late in the bull run.

Its biggest move came in December 2023, jumping roughly 37% from around $228 to $312. That rally followed improving clarity around Binance’s legal position and a rebound in spot volumes.

However, BNB also suffered heavy December drawdowns. It fell about 13% in 2019, 18% in 2021 and another 18% in 2022 during exchange-related FUD.

BNB’s December record is high beta. When sentiment swings positive, its rallies outpace Bitcoin, but its losses are deeper in stress periods.

Litecoin: Classic High-Beta December Play

Litecoin behaved like a leveraged bet on the market’s December mood. Its strongest month was December 2020, when LTC surged about 42%, from roughly $88 to $125.

That move tracked Bitcoin’s breakout and followed greater payment support, including PayPal’s crypto rollout. It cemented Litecoin’s role as a “digital silver” trade during bull-market holidays.

Litecoin then struggled in later years. It dropped about 13% in 2019, nearly 30% in 2021 and around 12% in 2022.

Even so, it posted modest gains of about 5% in December 2023 and an estimated 7% in 2024. These smaller rallies show Litecoin still benefits from late-year risk-on phases, especially around halving narratives.

Monero: Quiet but Consistent Holiday Strength

Monero stands out for its defensive but positive December pattern. It rose around 15% in December 2020 and roughly 9% in December 2022 while many coins fell.

Monero also gained about 10% in December 2023, moving from the mid-$160s toward $180. Its December drawdowns in other years were relatively mild compared with major altcoins.

This resilience likely reflects steady transactional demand and its privacy use case. Monero tends to act as a defensive crypto asset during periods of exchange or regulatory fear.

Across 2019–2024, Monero avoided extreme December crashes and often finished the month higher. That makes it one of the more consistent late-year performers among mid-cap coins.

Santa Rallies Are Selective, Not Guaranteed

The data shows these five coins have delivered multiple strong Decembers, especially in 2020 and 2023.

However, every coin also logged negative December returns in at least one year.

Rallies cluster in bullish macro environments and recovery phases. Meanwhile, bear-market Decembers reward more defensive assets like Monero and, at times, Litecoin.

For traders, the message is clear. Historical December strength exists, but each year’s macro backdrop and project-specific news still decide whether Christmas turns green.

The post Five Cryptocurrencies That Often Rally Around Christmas appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Shares of American Bitcoin Corp., the mining company tied to the family of US President Donald Trump, experienced a sharp decline on Tuesday, despite a broader recovery in the cryptocurrency market. 

The company faces continued challenges following a significant decrease in stock value over recent months.

American Bitcoin Corp. Faces Losses

As crypto markets rejoiced amid Bitcoin’s recent price recovery, American Bitcoin Corp. continued to see its shares slide. 

Google Finance reports that the Bitcoin mining company’s stock has dropped 37% in the last 24 hours, priced at $2.22 at the time of writing. Over the past six months, this decline has reached almost 60%.

The mining venture’s poor performance recently isn’t good news for the Trump family. The creation of American Bitcoin Corp. occurred a couple of months after Trump assumed office, as a spin-off from Hut 8 Corp.

Under the arrangement, Hut 8 supplied the majority of the mining infrastructure and retained an 80% stake in the project. At the same time, American Bitcoin Corp. became the platform through which Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., control approximately 20%.

As a result, the mining company’s poor stock performance is directly tied to its profitability, affecting the Trump family’s financial interests.

What is striking about today’s events is that, despite Bitcoin’s price rebound, the company’s shares saw the opposite effect, continuing their decline.

Bitcoin’s Struggles Continue Despite Price Recovery

Bitcoin’s price has performed poorly over the past two months. Since peaking at $126,000 in October, its price has sharply declined. Less than two weeks ago, it fell to $82,800, the lowest since April.

Bitcoin regained its $90,000 level on Tuesday, improving market sentiment. However, this shift wasn’t enough to lift the stock price of Bitcoin-based companies like American Bitcoin Corp.

The inverted reaction suggests that a short-term price recovery alone may not suffice to improve the company’s performance. Given the broader context of the crypto industry, this conclusion is not surprising.

The uncertainty is compounded by MicroStrategy’s potential decision to sell its Bitcoin holdings if its stock remains below the value of its Bitcoin reserves. This could erode confidence in the asset.

Ethereum has underperformed more than Bitcoin, further indicating market weaknesses.

Key economic factors also fuel the volatility. The Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates and the Bank of Japan’s monetary policy have particularly added further uncertainty. 

The post Why Trump-Backed Mining Company Struggles Despite Bitcoin’s Recovery appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Chainlink is approaching a decisive moment as its price compresses within a well-defined triangle structure. The pattern remains strong, but the market is signaling that a major move is imminent. Everything now hinges on a single trendline break, one that will determine whether LINK is ready to reverse higher or sink into a deeper correction.

B-Wave Extension Back In Focus: Is The Triangle Still Intact?

According to crypto analyst More Crypto Online in a recent update on Chainlink, it is crucial to step back and examine the bigger picture of the asset’s price action. The analyst believes the market is likely still extending the yellow B-wave correction. At the moment, the analyst is considering that this B-wave may be unfolding as a complex triangle pattern, as seen in the “yellow scenario.”

Despite the triangle hypothesis, the analyst emphasizes that there is currently no evidence that a definitive low has formed. To confirm a structural reversal, LINK requires a clear 1-2 setup to the upside, which would signal the start of a new impulsive trend. As stated in previous updates, a confirmed bottom hinges on a break above the first yellow trendline.

The triangle pattern, which typically unfolds as a 5-wave structure (A–B–C–D–E), remains valid for now, without a confirmed low. This pattern suggests that the price will continue to consolidate sideways, trapping both bulls and bears. 

More Crypto Online defined the critical invalidation point for the primary count. If the price were to break below the Monday, April 4th, low at $10.20, the current triangle microstructure would be entirely invalidated. Meanwhile, the broader B-wave correction would still be theoretically possible, but would likely unfold in a different structural path.

Critical Support Cluster: $10.70, $8.94, And $6.90 In Focus

More Crypto Online went further to highlight the next crucial support levels if the current triangle structure fails, which are located at $10.70, $8.94, and $6.90. The analyst cautioned that a definitive break below the $6.90 mark would significantly increase the probability of an alternative scenario for Chainlink: the unfolding of a larger degree Wave 4.

For now, the immediate focus is on how the price reacts within the key Fibonacci support zone defined by the boundaries of $6.90 and $10.70. The analyst concluded by stating the necessary condition for a structural low: the earliest sign of a reversal would be a break above the yellow trendline. Until that happens, the trendline continues to act as firm resistance, keeping the local downtrend structurally intact and signaling that caution remains necessary.

Bitcoin has opened December 2025 on the back foot, and market structure around the new monthly candle is already drawing close scrutiny from traders.

How Will Bitcoin Perform In December?

Sharing a year-to-date chart on X, trader Daan Crypto Trades highlighted a recurring pattern in 2025: Bitcoin often sets its monthly extreme early. “We know by now that the first move does often create the monthly high or low within the first ~12 days,” he wrote. “This happens about 80% of the months.” His chart marks how February’s low, March’s high, April’s low, May’s low, July’s inflection, and the key October and November pivots all occurred within that window, with June and August flagged as exceptions.

December, so far, is conforming in form if not yet in outcome. “Price has taken a quick dive straight from the candle open so far in December, leaving no wick above either,” Daan noted. “This doesn’t make for the strongest high.” That kind of immediate one-sided move, he argues, is often revisited: “Good to watch closely in the 1–2 weeks ahead. Often these instant moves from the open, do end getting retested. October was a good example of that recently.”

Zooming in, Daan’s second chart sets out the key levels. After bottoming near $80,714 on November 21, Bitcoin staged roughly a +15% relief rally into a thick prior support-turned-resistance zone in the low-$93,000s. That first test failed, with price rejected and rolling back over.

“BTC rejecting from the previous support & resistance area,” he wrote. “Not something you want to see as a bull. Price saw a decent +15% relief rally but has lost steam again after a week already.” On that same chart he plots a short-term Fibonacci retracement from the $93,175 local high down to the $80,714 low. The 0.786 retracement level sits around $83,381, close to spot at the time of posting.

“It is early in the week/month,” he added, “and we do often see sharp moves straight from that new monthly candle. These often aren’t the strongest highs/lows set straight at the start of a new month. So good to watch in the days ahead. (You guys also know I love my .786 fib retests so watching closely around this area).”

That leaves a clear tactical map: immediate downside levels around the 0.786 retrace and the prior low, with upside conviction only returning if price can re-enter and reclaim the mid-to-high-$80,000s former support zone.

A separate post from Daan situates this setup within December’s broader historical profile. Sharing a Coinglass table of Bitcoin’s monthly returns from 2013 onward, he described December as “pretty mixed but [one that] has seen some big outliers with a lot of volatility.”

The data support that: past Decembers range from large gains above 30–40% to deep drawdowns exceeding -30%. The average December return sits in modest positive territory (+4.75%), while the median is slightly negative (-3.22%), underscoring that there is no simple “Santa rally” effect; instead, dispersion and volatility dominate.

For Daan, part of that behaviour is structural. “Don’t be surprised if you see some weird flows at the end and start of the year,” he warned. “Generally this is a period where large holders/funds and such rebalance their books. We might also see the effect of tax loss harvesting at some point.” Those portfolio adjustments and tax-driven trades can magnify moves in both directions, particularly in an asset that still trades with pockets of thin liquidity.

His practical takeaway is deliberately conservative: “Good to just be allocated in a way that feels comfortable for you. Whatever the end of 2025 and start of 2026 will bring.”

At press time, BTC traded at $87,323.