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A crypto analyst is pushing back on growing chatter that Bitcoin’s “supercycle” is already underway, arguing the biggest breakout is still to come — and explaining exactly what would have to happen for a true supercycle to begin. On December 27, market commentator Killa posted a long-term thesis on X challenging the notion that a mere price surge equals a supercycle. He says a genuine Bitcoin supercycle won’t be defined by short-term outperformance or headline-grabbing rallies, but by a structural, generational rotation of capital away from traditional safe-havens — namely Gold — into BTC as the preferred long-term store of value. Killa’s trigger is specific: Gold must enter a sustained, multi-year downtrend while Bitcoin simultaneously soaks up those flows and breaks into new highs driven by what he calls “absolute scarcity.” In his view, that moment would mark a decisive shift in which older capital remains parked in Gold while a new generation reallocates into Bitcoin as a distinct asset class. To illustrate the thesis he compared Gold’s market structure in 1972 with Bitcoin’s today. Killa showed a chart of Gold consolidating after a strong advance, pulling back into key retracement zones before launching into an extended, multi-year outperformance. He argues Bitcoin’s price action — trending inside a rising channel and recently retreating from the channel’s upper boundary — mirrors that historical setup, suggesting current weakness could be consolidation rather than trend failure. Market-cap math is central to his bullish case. Killa notes that even if Bitcoin reached $200,000, its market capitalization would still be roughly six times smaller than Gold’s. With Gold valued near $31.7 trillion versus Bitcoin’s roughly $1.83 trillion, he sees significant structural upside remaining if BTC captures even a fraction of Gold’s store-of-value role. Killa also warns that new waves of fear are likely to unsettle investors before any major move: his post singles out quantum computing and AI as the latest concerns after earlier cycles of anxiety over regulation, energy use and volatility. He expects those fears to push many participants out of the market just ahead of a potential breakout, describing the current cycle as perhaps the last chance to accumulate BTC below $100,000. Despite the risks, Killa says he will continue buying Bitcoin and is positioning for what he expects to become a decisive upward trend. As with all macro theories, his thesis hinges on large-scale capital rotation and is speculative: it frames a possible path for BTC but is not a guaranteed outcome. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

South Korea’s landmark crypto bill — the Digital Asset Basic Act (DABA) — has run into a major roadblock as regulators clash over who should be allowed to issue won-pegged stablecoins. At the center of the dispute is a proposal from the Bank of Korea (BOK) that would require stablecoin issuers to be majority-owned (51% or more) by banks. The BOK argues that banks are best placed to ensure solvency, meet anti-money‑laundering standards and protect financial stability — essential safeguards for fiat-backed tokens that could have systemic implications. But the Financial Services Commission (FSC), which leads financial policymaking, has pushed back. The FSC says a strict 51% ownership rule risks shutting out fintechs and crypto-native firms that have the technical expertise to build scalable blockchain infrastructure, potentially stifling competition and innovation. Regulators pointed to international models — the EU’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) regime and Japan’s fintech-driven yen stablecoin projects — where licensed nonbank digital-asset firms play a central role in stablecoin issuance. The disagreement has spilled into politics. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) opposes the BOK’s 51% requirement, with DPK lawmaker Ahn Do‑geol telling the Korea Times that most experts fear the rule would suppress innovation and that there are few global precedents for mandating majority ownership by a specific sector. He added that the BOK’s stability concerns can be addressed through regulatory safeguards and technology, a position reportedly shared by many policy advisers. Foreign-issued stablecoins are another flashpoint. An earlier FSC draft would allow foreign stablecoins only if the issuer is licensed and maintains a local branch or subsidiary — a requirement that would force issuers such as Circle (maker of USDC) to establish a Korean presence for legal use of their tokens in the country. Because of these unresolved issues, passage of DABA has been pushed back. Analysts cited by AInvest expect the bill’s progress to be delayed until at least January, and full implementation now appears unlikely before 2026. If enacted, DABA would mark a major policy shift: South Korea is moving away from nearly a decade of strict anti‑crypto stances toward a formal regulatory framework for digital assets. The current impasse underscores a broader global debate — whether banks or fintech firms should control fiat‑backed stablecoins — a choice that will shape competition, innovation and how central banks supervise digital money. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

David Beckham–backed health-sciences company Prenetics has abandoned its plan to keep buying bitcoin and will instead concentrate all resources on scaling its fast-growing IM8 business. What changed - Prenetics, which raised $48 million earlier this year (partly with the stated intention of building a bitcoin treasury), launched a bitcoin-accumulation strategy in June modeled after Michael Saylor’s Strategy Inc. approach. That plan included buying 1 BTC per day as the company aimed for $1 billion in combined revenue and bitcoin within five years. - After a sharp crypto sell-off in October and prolonged market weakness, Prenetics said in a statement on Tuesday that it stopped buying bitcoin on Dec. 4 to “focus its resources exclusively on IM8.” Why the pivot - IM8—Prenetics’ core product—has outperformed expectations, generating more than $100 million in annualized recurring revenue (ARR) since its launch 11 months ago. - CEO and co-founder Danny Yeung said the board and management concluded the best way to create sustainable shareholder value is to devote full attention to IM8. What remains on the books - Prenetics won’t allocate any existing or new capital to further bitcoin purchases, but it will retain its current bitcoin holdings: 510 BTC, valued at nearly $45 million as of Tuesday afternoon ET. Context and market moves - The company’s October funding announcement—made by Yeung—listed investors including Kraken, Exodus (EXOD), GPTX and American Ventures; proceeds were slated to help scale IM8 globally while supporting the bitcoin accumulation plan. - Prenetics shares have climbed about 189% year-to-date. By contrast, Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy (MSTR) is down roughly 48% YTD and bitcoin has dipped about 5.6%. Why it matters - Prenetics’ reversal highlights the tradeoffs companies face between deploying capital into operating growth versus speculative treasury assets. Its decision reinforces that, for some firms, scaling a rapidly growing core business can trump the appeal of a corporate bitcoin treasury strategy. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Crypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO is circulating a new technical framework he says is still shaping XRP’s bigger-picture price action — a “White Fractal” that, so far, matches this year’s moves with roughly 82% accuracy. The model is explicitly conditional, not deterministic: it maps a sequence of possible price zones tied to declining probabilities the higher XRP climbs, and it will lose validity if price action strays outside certain key levels. What EGRAG calls the White Fractal is the clearest of several fractal versions he’s tracking. Unlike earlier, more static iterations, this one is treated as an evolving structure that must keep aligning with on-chain accumulation patterns, breakout formations and interactions with exponential moving averages to remain credible. Because it hasn’t met the stricter criteria for his higher-confidence “blue” or “green” fractals, EGRAG keeps expectations tempered. His projected roadmap — conditional on the fractal holding — assigns the following probability-weighted targets: - ~$3.20 — most likely near-term outcome, ~75% probability if the fractal continues to play out. - ~$8 — continuation scenario with ~65% probability, requiring more momentum and participant involvement. - $15–$16 — a more speculative zone at ~55% probability. - $20–$27 — the highest, most ambitious expansion phase, with roughly a 50% probability. EGRAG pins the projected final expansion to a tentative calendar window between June and October 2026, should the fractal remain valid and markets support the move. Crucial caveats: the analyst stresses these are conditional scenarios, not guarantees. A sustained break below $1.60 would meaningfully reduce the odds of the fractal playing out; a deeper drop under $1.30 would, in his view, invalidate the model entirely. In short, the White Fractal offers a structured, probability-weighted roadmap for upside — but it remains subject to real-time price behavior and can be overturned by significant downside movement. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Ethereum remains stuck in a tight trading range as whale activity reshapes short-term outlook Ethereum (ETH) has spent the past week trapped in a narrow corridor, oscillating between roughly $2,900 and $3,000 — a price band that looks increasingly like a market decision point. At the time of writing, ETH was changing hands at $2,949, down 2.87% on the day. What’s been happening - After ETH pulled back from its October highs, whale activity surged through December. TradingView’s Whale Hunter indicator registered sustained whale signals during price dips of 3–8%, showing heavy involvement from large holders. (Source: TradingView) - Paradoxically, those same whales have repeatedly sold into strength: every time the token tried to rebound, large holders offloaded into the rallies, absorbing retail bids and capping any sustained upside. The result is a period of consolidation and muted price action. A Bitcoin OG whale shifts massive ETH exposure - Lookonchain tracked moves from a prominent Bitcoin “OG” whale that holds $749 million in long positions. The whale recently deposited 112,894 ETH (about $332 million) into Binance; days earlier it moved another 100,000 ETH (≈$291 million) to the exchange. (Source: Lookonchain) - That OG’s long book is showing a floating loss of about $50 million. Although these deposits greatly increase on-exchange ETH balances, the coins have not yet been sold. Such transfers often signal liquidity preparation (tokens staged for potential sale), or alternatively, repositioning to hedge spot exposure. Supply dynamics — scarcity creeping back - On-chain data provider Santiment reports Ethereum’s Stock-to-Flow Ratio (SFR) jumped to 47 — a two-week high — suggesting less immediate sellable supply and increased accumulation among holders. (Source: Santiment) - Meanwhile, CoinGlass shows Ethereum’s Spot Netflow has registered a positive reading only five times in the last 30 days and has been negative for seven straight days, sliding to −$10.6 million. The persistent negative netflow has been interpreted as aggressive accumulation (net withdrawals from exchanges), which is typically bullish if demand holds. Why it matters - The market is effectively at a fork: if demand persists and whales stop selling into rallies, ETH could flip $3,000 into support and aim for the next resistance zone around $3,324 — an area tied to prior whale momentum. - Conversely, if major sellers (notably the Bitcoin OG whale) decide to liquidate, ETH risks breaking down from its tight range toward roughly $2,784. Bottom line Large holders are both providing buying pressure on dips and taking profits on rebounds, keeping ETH pinned in a narrow band. On-chain metrics suggest accumulation and tighter supply, but the recent big on-exchange deposits from an OG whale are a wildcard — they may be liquidity preparation or a precursor to hedging or selling. Traders should watch exchange flows and whale activity closely for signs of a decisive breakout or breakdown. Disclaimer: AMBCrypto's content is informational and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading is high-risk; do your own research before making any decisions. © 2025 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

The XRP Ledger closed 2025 with tangible momentum on several fronts — smart contracts, interoperability and tokenization — but builders say 2026 must prioritize removing user friction, boosting DEX liquidity and funding apps that can scale beyond the core community. Progress made in 2025 - Smart contracts: Vet, a validator on XRPL’s eligible UNLs, called 2025 “great,” noting the smart-contract alpha testnet has moved from theory to practice. Developers can now deploy and experiment, and community awareness has grown, turning curiosity into early development activity. - Interoperability: Bridges shipped in earnest. Wormhole and Axelar went live and bridged yield-bearing issued assets to XRPL. Vet pointed to zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) as a likely technical path for more trust-minimized bridging going forward. - Tokenization: Issuance picked up, led by the RLUSD stablecoin and several smaller stable and tokenized-fund launches. But distribution remains a bottleneck — assets need liquidity, wallet integrations and consumer pathways to drive real utility. - App layer and UX: Existing wallets and dApps polished features and integrations, improving retention. However, there was no single “killer” app that captured the broader community and drove new waves of adoption. - DeFi activity: After a meme-coin-fueled burst coming out of 2024, DeFi activity cooled across 2025. Still, baseline DEX activity is higher than before, which Vet framed as a foundation to build on in 2026. Builders’ wishlist for 2026 Anodos Finance co-founder and CEO Panos Mekras laid out concrete priorities for the year ahead: ship batch transactions and sponsored fees/reserves (critical for reducing friction and enabling mass consumer onboarding); attract more high-quality assets, especially real-world-assets (RWAs) such as yield-bearing stablecoins, tokenized stocks and commodities; and launch a serious incentive/grant program backed by XRPL Foundation resources to fund developer tools and consumer apps that can bring millions of users. He also flagged DEX/AMM liquidity as a “serious issue” constraining growth. Vet publicly agreed with those priorities. Why these things matter - Batch transactions and sponsored fees/reserves lower onboarding friction and reduce costs for end users, essential for consumer-facing use cases. - Stronger distribution and liquidity turn token issuance into usable money inside apps and DEXs. - Bridges that minimize trust through ZKPs would reduce counterparty risk and improve cross-chain composability. - Grants and incentives help move projects from niche community tools to mainstream products. Market snapshot At press time, XRP traded at $1.86. Outlook XRPL’s 2025 advances make 2026 a year for execution: turning alpha releases and bridge integrations into smooth user experiences, deeper liquidity and funded, scalable apps. If the ecosystem addresses the practical bottlenecks builders identified — user friction, distribution, liquidity and funding — the network could translate technical progress into broader adoption. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Ethereum may be setting the stage for a major rebound as on-chain signals point to renewed confidence among holders and institutions. New data shows validator deposits have finally outpaced withdrawals after months of higher exit activity — a shift many traders and analysts view as a potential supply-tightening catalyst that could help ETH push toward or above $4,000. Staking demand surges According to ValidatorQueue, the validator entry queue has climbed to roughly 788,310 ETH (about $2.3 billion at current prices) with an estimated activation wait time of 13 days and 16 hours. By contrast, the exit queue is much smaller at roughly 312,091 ETH (about $916 million) as of writing. This is the largest amount queued for staking since late November, and it marks the first time in six months that deposits have outstripped withdrawals — a pattern historically associated with bullish price action for Ethereum. Treasuries and big stakers leading the flow A major driver of the spike in entry-queue volume has been large treasury staking. LookOnChain data shows Ethereum-focused firm Bitmine staked 342,560 ETH (roughly $1 billion) on December 28 as it prepares to launch its Made in America Validator Network (MAVAN) in 2026. Large-scale staking by treasuries typically reduces ETH’s liquid supply, which can support upward price pressure. Network participation and upgrades ValidatorQueue also reports more than 983,060 active validators on the chain, with roughly 35.5 million ETH (about 29.29% of total supply) currently staked. The recent Pectra upgrade has smoothed the staking experience and raised validator limits, making it easier for large balances to restake and for institutions to participate. Price implications and historical context Analysts note that when validator entry queues have exceeded exits in the past — most recently in June 2025 — ETH saw sharp rallies, with prices doubling over a short span. Ethereum is currently testing the $3,000 area from a base above $2,930; if the renewed staking trend and demand persist, some market watchers say ETH could re-accelerate toward and potentially past $4,000 in 2026. Caveats On-chain staking flows are only one of many factors that influence price; macro conditions, liquidity, and market sentiment also matter. Still, the recent shift toward deposits over withdrawals, driven in part by large treasury staking, is a meaningful signal that traders will be watching closely. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Bitcoin’s demand picture has brightened, but January looks set to stay choppy as several key market participants and macro catalysts converge. What changed on-chain - Long-term holders (LTHs)—investors holding BTC for more than five months—have significantly eased a persistent sell-off that began in July. According to Glassnode, the LTH monthly outflows peaked at over 400,000 BTC in mid-December but have since tapered and flipped net positive. CryptoQuant analyst DarkFost says that kind of reset “could trigger a firm bottom or a recovery,” noting that similar shifts often precede consolidation phases or bullish recoveries depending on the broader trend. (Sources: Glassnode, CryptoQuant) - U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs put additional downward pressure from November as they became net sellers, but that institutional sell-off has also slowed. Glassnode suggests a renewed flow into BTC from institutions could provide the lift needed to push prices above $85,000. (Source: Glassnode) Why January could be volatile - Short-term technicals and tax-driven flows: Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas points out that BTC has been whipsawing below $90K as large players sell at a loss to manage tax liabilities, characterizing the action as “ETF heartbeat trades”—short-term, tax-motivated moves that aren’t necessarily reflective of broader sentiment. (Source: Bloomberg/X) - Calendar catalysts: Several scheduled events could move markets in mid- to late January: - Jan. 15: MSCI’s decision on whether to keep “Strategy” and other BTC-treasury firms in its global index — the market is pricing the risk that Michael Saylor’s Strategy could be removed. (Source: X) - Jan. 28–30: The Federal Reserve rate decision and the U.S. government funding deadline, which together will help set the macro tone for Q1 2026. A favorable outcome—MSCI retaining Strategy and a crypto-friendly bill advancing out of the Senate—would be bullish. Conversely, a funding stalemate or a delayed crypto bill (possibly tied up by 2026 election dynamics) would increase downside risk. The Fed chair transition could also influence bond yields and inflation expectations, adding to the volatility mix. How traders are positioning - Hedging data shows participants are bracing for downside: put volume (hedges) has spiked around $80K–$83K and some are even preparing for a drop to $75K. On the upside, notable call interest sits at $88K and $94K, implying many traders expect muted price action below $95K in the medium term. (Source: Arkham) Bottom line The on-chain picture has improved—LTH outflows have eased and ETF selling has slowed—but January’s cluster of index, regulatory, fiscal and Fed events leaves BTC vulnerable to short-term volatility. A sustained recovery will likely require positive institutional flows and favorable rulings on the MSCI index and U.S. policy progress. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading is high-risk; do your own research before making financial decisions. © 2025 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

XRP is flashing multiple warning signs as price weakness deepens, with technical structure and derivatives metrics lining up against bulls. Quick snapshot - Price: ~$1.86 (down ~2% 24h) - 24h trading volume: >$1.9B (+19% daily) - Open Interest: $3.26B (-8.43%) - Funding (OI-weighted): about -0.0010% (negative) Sources: TradingView, CoinGlass What’s happening Volume spiked but price didn’t follow. Trading activity jumped above $1.9 billion — a 19% daily rise — yet XRP failed to break higher. That divergence matters: healthy uptrends typically see volume back the move. Here, sellers absorbed demand near resistance, and short-lived bounces keep stalling, signalling fading buyer control. Chart structure: textbook distribution XRP has formed a classic head-and-shoulders on the daily: - Left shoulder ~ $2.30 - Head ~ $3.00 - Right shoulder peaked near $2.50 and failed The neckline sits between $1.85–$1.80, and price is trading at that support now. XRP is already below the right-shoulder trendline and faces descending resistance near $1.95. Until bulls reclaim $2.00, bearish control remains intact. A clean break under $1.80 would likely open the door to deeper downside. Derivatives tell the same story Open Interest has fallen sharply (-8.43% to $3.26B), indicating traders are de-leveraging rather than adding exposure. In strong rallies, OI normally expands; here longs are trimming as the rebound fails to stick. Funding rates have flipped negative (~-0.0010%), meaning shorts are effectively paying to hold positions — a sign of confident short-side positioning. With funding remaining negative across sessions, rallies into the $1.90–$1.95 area repeatedly attract selling. Liquidity and liquidation risks CoinGlass’s liquidation heatmap shows concentrated liquidity just below current price levels: - Major clusters around $1.85 - Deeper pockets between $1.80–$1.77 Upside liquidity thins quickly above $1.95. If momentum rolls over and price breaches $1.85, that could accelerate liquidations toward $1.80; a failure of $1.77 would expose $1.60–$1.50 next. In short, downside liquidity sits ready to pull price lower if support gives way. Bottom line Structure (H&S), shrinking leverage (OI), negative funding, and stacked downside liquidity all point to a tilted risk profile favoring sellers. Volume is rising without upside continuation — a hallmark of distribution. Key levels to watch: support at $1.85–$1.80 (break = risk of faster declines), resistance to reclaim at $2.00 (needed to shift momentum). If bearish conditions persist, lower psychological levels, including $1.00, remain possible over the medium term. Disclaimer: This content is informational only and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading is high-risk; do your own research. © 2025 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

A potential governance shift inside Shiba Inu could reshape how crypto projects handle losses — and it’s already in motion. After a $4 million bridge exploit in September that shook investor confidence, Shiba Inu’s core developers are moving beyond promises and toward on-chain restitution. On December 29, lead developer Kaal Dhairya introduced “Shib Owes You” (SOU), a radical financial restructuring that turns verified user losses into tradable, dynamic NFTs — effectively converting written-off claims into liquid on-chain assets. What SOU does - Verified user claims are minted as dynamic NFTs on Ethereum, audited by Hexens. - Each debt NFT updates automatically as revenue flows into a centralized restitution pool, giving holders real-time on-chain visibility. - Claims can be held, split, merged, or sold on a secondary market, allowing victims fast liquidity or enabling larger backers to consolidate claims. “This isn’t a promise in a database somewhere. It’s cryptographic proof that you own a claim, recorded permanently on the Ethereum blockchain,” Dhairya said — underscoring the shift from opaque ledgers to public, verifiable ownership. Austerity and accountability To sustain the model, Dhairya has mandated that all SHIB-related revenue feed the SOU pool — including funds from partner platforms, social channels, and ecosystem ventures. The change is explicitly designed to target “value extractors” and pivot the project from marketing-first strategies to a restitution-first governance framework. “If we’re going to ask the community to be patient while we rebuild, then everyone who has access to ecosystem resources needs to be held to the same standard,” Dhairya added. Security-first rollout and risks The recovery plan is cautious by design. The Plasma Bridge has been hardened with a seven-day withdrawal delay and hardware-based custody, but the SOU portal itself is not yet live. While the debt tokens exist in code now, claims will remain locked until comprehensive security testing finishes. Dhairya also warned the community to watch out for fake recovery sites looking to capitalize on confusion. The phased approach is meant to prevent another exploit, but it does mean users must wait for the full system to go live before claiming or trading assets. Market reaction and on-chain behavior Despite the overhaul’s gravity, markets have shown buying support rather than panic. CoinMarketCap reported SHIB trading at $0.057149, down 4.15% in the past 24 hours at the time of writing. Beneath that modest dip, however, institutional activity has been notable: on December 10, 406 large transfers moved over 1.06 trillion SHIB into exchanges — typically a bearish signal. Instead of collapsing, SHIB has held key support levels, which observers interpret as both retail “Shib Army” defenders and institutional players actively protecting positions. What matters now The SOU framework is novel and potentially precedent-setting: mandatory revenue redirection could force every participant in an ecosystem to “have skin in the game.” But its ultimate success depends on flawless execution — secure implementation, transparent audits, healthy secondary-market functioning, and clear communications to avoid scams. For now, the community appears resolute and the project has not capitulated. Disclaimer: AMBCrypto's content is informational and not investment advice. Trading cryptocurrencies is high-risk; readers should do their own research before making decisions. © 2025 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Bitcoin’s near-term fate is increasingly tied to macroeconomic conditions as investors await signs of where capital will flow next. Sluggish price action has been more pronounced across crypto while equities have held modest gains — a divergence that may not last. Incoming U.S. economic data, especially Housing Starts (a leading indicator of new residential construction), could trigger a rotation of capital that reshapes Bitcoin’s trajectory over the coming months. Why Housing Starts matter - Housing Starts have been trending lower. Historically, falling housing activity has often preceded easier monetary policy expectations and improved liquidity — conditions that tend to support equities, particularly the S&P 500. By contrast, rising Housing Starts have sometimes aligned with tighter financial conditions. - João Wedson of Alphractal says this is “a constructive signal for risk assets,” but cautions that timing is uncertain: “This is one of those leading indicators that tends to move before the S&P 500 reacts — although it can take months or even years to fully reflect in prices.” In other words, any broader rally tied to this dynamic could unfold slowly and potentially peak well into 2026 depending on how liquidity and economic conditions evolve. History shows a strong — though variable — link between Bitcoin and equities - An analysis of annual returns from 2012–2024 shows Bitcoin and the S&P 500 have mostly moved in the same direction, especially during liquidity-driven, risk-on environments. When both fall, Bitcoin typically suffers larger drawdowns; when risk appetite returns, Bitcoin usually delivers stronger upside. - Notable divergences: in 2014 Bitcoin plunged roughly 50% while the S&P 500 gained about 29%; in 2018 Bitcoin dropped ~72% while the S&P posted a near-flat return (~0.15%). Current snapshot and what’s needed for a breakout - Year-to-date, Bitcoin is down about 32% while the S&P 500 is up roughly 5.8%, underscoring the current disconnect. - Global M2 money supply — a broad measure of available liquidity — has been rising and sits near $147 trillion. That represents a large pool of capital capable of flowing into risk assets, but rising liquidity alone won’t lift prices: capital must actually rotate into risk assets, supported by easing financial stress and improving risk sentiment. - The Financial Stress Index remains slightly bearish (in negative territory). Historically, negative readings have coincided with speculative assets like Bitcoin trading near the lower end of their ranges. Near-term outlook - Until macro indicators (liquidity, financial stress, and risk appetite) begin to converge toward a more stimulative mix, Bitcoin is likely to remain range-bound. The analysis puts Bitcoin trading in a consolidation zone between $85,000 and $90,000, with meaningful upside possibly delayed until liquidity conditions and investor risk appetite improve — potentially well into 2026. Bottom line Macro data — especially Housing Starts and broader liquidity measures — will be important to watch for clues about a potential capital rotation back into risk assets. The signals suggest a constructive backdrop for equities and, eventually, crypto, but any material rally for Bitcoin may take time to materialize. Disclaimer: This content is informational and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading carries high risk; readers should do their own research before making decisions. © 2025 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Micron Technology closed out 2025 on a tear, with shares hitting a fresh all-time high near $295 as momentum from a blockbuster year carried into the final trading hours. Why the surge mattered: a Dec. 24 SEC filing showed Micron’s CFO and EVP, Mark Murphy, moved 35,000 Micron shares into a grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT) — an often-used estate-planning vehicle. The filing listed the transfer price as $0 and named Murphy and his spouse as trustees. The disclosure helped push the stock higher last week and reinforced investor enthusiasm into year-end. The bigger picture - A standout rally: MU is up more than 250% year-to-date in 2025, far outpacing most semiconductor and broader tech peers. - Earnings strength: Micron’s most recent quarter beat expectations, reporting revenue of $13.64 billion and adjusted EPS of $4.78. - Market context: The stock has handily outperformed the S&P 500 (up 16.5% YTD) and even trounced Nvidia’s 38.5% return this year. - Valuation and growth: Despite the run, Micron remains cheaper than the S&P 500 and most chip peers, while posting significantly higher revenue growth. The company operates in memory and storage segments that saw explosive demand tied to AI data-center buildouts — an industry slice that reportedly grew 88% in 2024. Investor sentiment and reaction - Retail interest surged: Stocktwits sentiment hit “extremely bullish” territory at 93/100, with message volume jumping 566%. - Mixed takes from pros: Hedge fund manager Ryan Lee called Micron’s earnings beat “pivotal,” noting the company overcame “lofty expectations” after a recent 41% monthly jump. Still, some investors are cautious about how sustainable the rally will be. What traders will watch next - Key tests include whether Micron can hold these gains as the market evaluates the duration of the memory supply crunch and how quickly competitors expand capacity. - Analysts remain bullish overall: Wall Street price targets span from $275 (Barclays) to $500 (Rosenblatt), implying upside from the current price around $294.37 and reflecting varying views on durable AI-driven demand. Bottom line: Micron’s 2025 performance—propelled by stronger-than-expected results and surging AI-related memory demand—has turned the stock into one of the year’s breakout winners. The near-term question for traders is sustainability: can the company translate demand tailwinds into steady, long-term growth as capacity dynamics and competition play out? Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Tesla surprised markets by posting its own Wall Street consensus for Q4 and full-year deliveries on its investor relations site — an uncommon move that has analysts and investors scrutinizing the EV maker ahead of its official report. Key figures from Tesla’s self-compiled estimates: - Q4 deliveries: 422,850 vehicles globally, a 15% decline year-over-year. - Bloomberg’s compiled estimate: about 445,000 vehicles (roughly a 10% year-over-year drop). - Tesla’s reported median estimate: 420,399. - Full-year deliveries: 1,640,752 vehicles, down 8% from 2024 and marking a second consecutive year of sales declines. Market reaction and context: - TSLA shares were little changed immediately after the preview, but have fallen about 5.5% over the past five trading days. - Despite the delivery headwinds, Tesla stock is trading near record levels in the closing days of 2025, having rallied roughly 28% from November lows. That rally and the company’s recent developments have prompted several Wall Street firms to issue bullish 2026 forecasts. Analyst takeaways and implications: - Some analysts read Tesla’s pre-release of consensus figures as an effort to soften the blow of a weaker-than-expected delivery report. - The softer deliveries raise the risk of a disappointing earnings print that could pressure the stock despite recent gains. - Divergent analyst views persist: Morgan Stanley’s Andrew Percoco recently downgraded Tesla to Equal-weight from Overweight, while price targets range widely — Wedbush sits at the high end with $600, and Piper Sandler and Cantor Fitzgerald are nearer $500. Why crypto traders might care: - Tesla and CEO Elon Musk are high-profile influencers in broader risk-asset sentiment, so material weakness in Tesla’s outlook can ripple into equities and crypto markets alike. Market participants tracking cross-asset flows will be watching how investors price the delivery data into risk assets heading into 2026. Also read: TRON Defies Market Trend: Turns Green Amid Crash. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

They’re not a passing trend — real-world assets (RWAs) have arrived in DeFi’s spotlight. Quick take - RWAs have vaulted into the top ranks of DeFi, overtaking DEXs to become the fifth-largest category by TVL with just over $17 billion (DeFiLlama). - That growth is concentrated: a handful of issuers — Tether Gold, Securitize, Paxos Gold, Circle’s USYC, and Ondo — now account for the bulk of RWA TVL, while smaller projects’ share continues to shrink (DeFiLlama). - Ethereum has emerged as the dominant host chain, holding more than $12 billion of RWA value on Mainnet — over half the market — after briefly ceding ground to newer chains (rwa.xyz). Why it matters - RWAs are the best-performing crypto narrative of 2025 so far, posting a 185.8% year-to-date gain — well ahead of other sectors (CoinGecko). - Only Layer 1 tokens (+80.3%) and “Made in USA” tokens (+30.6%) remain in positive territory; DeFi, DEXs, AI, and gaming have all seen losses (CoinGecko). - A few breakout winners have driven much of RWA’s returns: Keeta Network (+1,794.9%), Zebec (+217.3%), and Maple Finance (+123%) helped lift the sector, though overall gains are more modest than 2024’s 819% surge, suggesting the market is maturing (CoinGecko). What’s being tokenized - Gold-backed tokens lead the RWA charge. Tether Gold ($2.29B) and Paxos Gold ($1.6B) dominate the category, offering the institutional checklist — redeemability, attestations, custody, and liquidity — that large investors demand (DeFiLlama; Token Terminal). - Tokenized equities are also scaling quickly: market cap has climbed past $1.2 billion to a new all-time high, signaling growing interest from capital markets actors (Token Terminal). Bottom line Tokenization is turning traditional balance-sheet assets into blockchain-native, institution-friendly commodities. Concentration among a few major issuers and the strong foothold on Ethereum underscore that this market is consolidating even as it grows — a sign that RWAs may be moving from experiment to established corner of DeFi. Sources: DeFiLlama, rwa.xyz, CoinGecko, Token Terminal. Disclaimer: This content is informational and not investment advice. Trading crypto is high risk — do your own research before making decisions. © 2025 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

As 2026 approaches, Shiba Inu (SHIB) enters the new year at a crossroads — coming off a bruising 2025 and searching for catalysts that could reignite its rally. Where SHIB stands After a difficult year, SHIB spent much of 2025 trading below $0.0000010, sinking to what many observers called its lowest levels to date. That persistent weakness has prompted renewed debate over whether the memecoin can ever reclaim its former momentum. The bearish take Mainstream outlets have been blunt. A recent Motley Fool piece argued that Shiba Inu typifies the meme-coin lifecycle — sharp spikes followed by steep crashes — and questioned SHIB’s long-term value. “This is a common pattern with meme coins, which is why I prefer cryptocurrencies with a genuine use case…. Shiba Inu hasn’t demonstrated a unique use case or any legitimate source of value. I see no reason it will be worth more in the future than it is today,” the article said, later describing memecoin trading as complicated and calling Shiba a “joke” of an investment. The bull case Not everyone agrees. Crypto analyst Javon Marks has been more optimistic, pointing to on-chain and chart signals he interprets as bullish divergence. Marks predicts a sizeable recovery, forecasting SHIB could climb back toward about $0.000032 — a gain of roughly 234% from current depressed levels — if momentum shifts in its favor. A potential catalyst: SHI stablecoin One development market participants are watching closely is the planned SHI stablecoin within the Shibarium ecosystem. Still in development and not yet launched, proponents say SHI could add stability and utility to the Shibarium layer — factors that might improve investor confidence and reshape SHIB’s narrative if executed well. Bottom line Shiba Inu’s outlook entering 2026 is mixed. Skeptics point to the classic risks of memecoins and a lack of clear utility, while optimists highlight technical divergences and upcoming ecosystem projects like the SHI stablecoin as potential upside drivers. As with all speculative assets, outcomes will hinge on execution, market sentiment, and broader crypto macro trends — making SHIB a watchlist asset rather than a guaranteed recovery story. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Maxine Waters demands SEC chair testify after agency drops or stalls major crypto cases Rep. Maxine Waters has formally asked House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill to hold an oversight hearing with Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins, arguing the agency must explain a string of enforcement decisions that she says weaken securities-law protections for investors. In a letter delivered to Hill on December 29, 2025, Waters — the committee’s ranking Democrat — says the SEC has recently terminated or stayed several high-profile crypto enforcement actions that were well into the agency’s process. The letter reportedly names cases involving Coinbase, Binance, Justin Sun, Kraken and Ripple as among those of concern, and it asks for a public accounting of why those enforcement choices were made. Waters’ request presses the SEC on nine specific areas where recent conduct raises questions for lawmakers, including: - Whether case closures or delays reflect legal judgments or were influenced by outside pressures; - What internal analyses and evidence supported those decisions; - Whether staff reductions or broader policy shifts curtailed enforcement capacity. “The public deserves clarity about changes to enforcement strategy and how investor protections will be preserved,” Waters wrote, according to reports. She urged Hill to set a date “as soon as possible” so Atkins can answer lawmakers’ questions in public. Political and regulatory context Waters’ letter highlights a broader worry among Democrats and some industry observers: the SEC’s handling of crypto cases since President Donald Trump took office appears to differ from earlier enforcement patterns, raising concerns about politicization and the possible erosion of investor safeguards. The story has received wide media and social-media attention as Congress and the industry digest a year of significant policy shifts and new legislation that have reshaped the U.S. crypto regulatory landscape. What a hearing could do If Hill agrees, a hearing would give the committee a platform to press the SEC for documents, internal analyses and sworn testimony explaining why major matters were dropped or delayed and whether those decisions signal a long-term change in enforcement priorities. How quickly that happens will depend on the committee’s schedule and Hill’s willingness to call a public session. Why it matters Investors, industry groups and lawmakers across the aisle are watching to see if recent SEC moves represent case-by-case decisions or a broader pivot in how crypto is regulated and policed. A public hearing with Chairman Atkins would be the clearest way for Congress to get answers — and could influence how enforcement and oversight evolve in the months ahead. We’ll continue following developments, including whether Hill schedules the requested oversight hearing and how the SEC responds. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Stablecoins had a banner year in 2025 — and regulators deserve a lot of the credit. Market snapshot The stablecoin sector surged 49% this year, expanding from about $205 billion in January to roughly $306 billion by the end of November, per DeFi Llama data. That rise made 2025 the biggest year on record for tokens that promise a steady peg to fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar or the euro. Why it blew up Several concrete catalysts combined to accelerate adoption: - A U.S. regulatory framework: The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act — the GENIUS Act — moved rapidly through Washington. Introduced by Sen. Bill Haggerty (R–TN) in May, it cleared the Senate in June and was signed into law by President Donald Trump in July. The law created the first federal framework for stablecoins in the United States, removing a major source of regulatory uncertainty that had long held back broader institutional use. - European clarity: The rollout of MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) in the EU provided further legal certainty for stablecoin activity across Europe. - Institutional adoption: Large payments firms, exchanges and banks continued to fold stablecoins into core services and balance-sheet strategies. A primer — and the incumbents Stablecoins are digital tokens that aim to maintain a 1:1 peg with fiat money. Issuers hold reserves of cash and other assets and promise that tokens can be redeemed for the underlying currency on demand. Two of the most dominant names are Tether (USDT, operational since 2014) and Circle (USDC, launched in 2018). GENIUS Act’s impact “The passage of the GENIUS Act was quite important. That created a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins that we haven't had,” Timothy Massad, former CFTC chairman, told Decrypt. He added that the framework provides market clarity and could address some of the sector’s risks — a key reassurance for institutions weighing deeper exposure. Institutional moves that mattered Adoption from mainstream payment providers helped push stablecoins into everyday infrastructure. In May, Stripe announced plans to support stablecoin rails across more than 100 countries. PayPal expanded its stablecoin PYUSD onto Tron and Avalanche in September, at a moment when that token crossed $1 billion in circulation. Circle’s long-anticipated public listing also became a watershed event: its CRCL stock debuted on the NYSE on June 30 and was so feverishly traded that the exchange halted trading three times in the first hour as the share price more than tripled. Not all smooth sailing Growth hasn’t erased concerns. In November, S&P Global Ratings downgraded Tether’s USDT stability assessment to “weak,” citing the inclusion of Bitcoin in Tether’s reserves as a risk that could magnify losses if BTC fell sharply. Tether has faced scrutiny before — notably around its use of commercial paper in 2021 — and the company said it had removed commercial paper from reserves by late 2022. Toward a banking-backed future Regulatory moves have progressed beyond rules into banking infrastructure. Several major stablecoin issuers have received provisional approval for national bank charters from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Approved entities include Circle, Ripple, Paxos, and BitGo; Fidelity — which experimented with a stablecoin earlier this year but is not a stablecoin issuer — also received provisional approval. Jonathan V. Gould, Comptroller of the Currency, framed these entrants as a boost to competition and consumer choice: “New entrants into the federal banking sector are good for consumers, the banking industry and the economy,” he said. Next steps: FDIC rulemaking Regulatory work is continuing. In December, FDIC Acting Chairman Travis Hill told lawmakers the agency “has begun work to promulgate rules to implement the GENIUS Act,” with an application framework expected imminently and prudential standards slated for early next year. What it means going forward 2025’s rapid expansion shows stablecoins moving from niche crypto plumbing toward mainstream financial infrastructure — driven by clearer rules, bank chartering pathways and big tech adoption. But the sector’s next phase will hinge on how regulators set prudential guardrails and how issuers manage reserve transparency and risk. If policymakers and firms can balance growth with robust safeguards, stablecoins may anchor more financial services and liquidity on-chain in the years ahead. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

After a string of missed 2025 price calls, the Bitcoin forecast for 2026 is less about single “price targets” and more about scenario ranges — mostly bullish, but with a long bearish tail that stretches as deep as $10,000. A Wu Blockchain roundup published Dec. 29 argues that last year’s “collective miss” has dampened the market’s appetite for definitive targets. Still, banks, asset managers and industry executives continue to map out scenarios that could push Bitcoin higher or send it sharply lower over the next 12 months. Big-picture center band: $150,000–$250,000 The midpoint of the debate sits in a familiar six-figure band — roughly $150,000 to $250,000 by end-2026 — a range backstopped by expectations of sustained institutional allocation and smoother spot-ETF channels. Notable bullish calls and the logic behind them: - Fundstrat: Tom Lee has repeatedly pointed to $200,000–$250,000 by end-2026, arguing that growing institutional allocation and improved plumbing (especially ETFs) can reshape cycle dynamics. Fundstrat’s Sean Farrell added a tactical caveat: he sees the possibility of a deeper pullback in early 2026 with BTC at $60,000–$65,000 (and ETH at $1,800–$2,000; SOL at $50–$75). - Ripple: CEO Brad Garlinghouse told a Binance Blockchain Week panel he expects BTC at $180,000 by the end of 2026. - JPMorgan: Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou’s team produced a volatility-adjusted BTC-to-gold relative valuation that implies a theoretical price near $170,000 — presented as a model-based upper reference rather than a strict year-end target. - Standard Chartered: once more aggressive, it pared back expectations to about $100,000 by end-2025 and $150,000 in 2026, citing softer market drivers and reduced buying pressure. - Bernstein and BSTR (Katherine Dowling): both see ~ $150,000 by end-2026, tying the thesis to clearer U.S. regulation, potential monetary easing (an end to QT and eventual rate cuts) and ongoing ETF penetration — with some banks already recommending small advisory allocations (roughly 1%–4%) to Bitcoin ETFs. - Citi: with BTC around $88,000 in its note, the bank projected about $143,000 over the next 12 months (roughly 62% upside), anchored to expected ETF inflows and possible U.S. digital-asset legislation. Citi flagged $70,000 as a key support level and sketched a bearish case near $78,500 versus a bullish outcome at $189,000. - Arthur Hayes: in an essay tying price to central bank balance-sheet activity, Hayes suggested BTC could push past roughly $124,000 and test about $200,000 in 2026 if global money creation accelerates. - Asset managers: Grayscale expects a new all-time high in H1 2026 based on sustained institutional demand and clearer U.S. regulation. Bitwise’s outlook likewise leans bullish, arguing institutional adoption and regulatory progress could outweigh late-cycle pullback dynamics. Bearish scenarios — multiple failure modes The down-side map is fragmented: rather than one unified thesis, bearish views are framed as several failure modes — from cooling demand and weaker derivatives appetite to broken technical structures and macro liquidity tightening. - CryptoQuant: argues demand growth may have slowed enough that Bitcoin could already be sliding into a bear phase, with a nearer-term move toward ~$70,000 and a deeper pullback to ~$56,000 if institutional demand and derivatives risk appetite wane. - Peter Brandt: a veteran trader who focuses on technicals, Brandt warned that a parabolic structure has broken; based on historical cycle decay, he cited an ~80% drawdown from the ATH, which would point to about $25,000. - Mike McGlone (Bloomberg Intelligence): the most extreme stress-case, McGlone warned BTC could collapse to roughly $10,000 in 2026 in a macro shift toward “post-inflation deflation,” tighter liquidity and a speculative-asset reset. - Barclays and VanEck: neither set hard targets, but both described a muted 2026 absent new catalysts — more consolidation than breakout, with attention shifting to mining economics, stablecoin payments and second-order developments rather than headline price action. What it all means Taken together, the 2026 outlook reads less like consensus and more like a stress test. If ETF and institutional channels continue to compound and policy tailwinds materialize, six figures remain the modal forecast. But if demand stalls or macro liquidity tightens, the debate over $70,000, $56,000, $25,000 — or the remote $10,000 scenario — will be just as important for positioning. At press time, BTC traded at $88,027. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

CryptoInsightUK analyst Will Taylor says XRP still has room to deliver a blowout leg higher this cycle — but only in a “non-base-case” scenario driven by a deep altcoin rotation. In his Dec. 27 Weekly Insight, Taylor outlined a thesis that combines macro flows, market structure and XRP’s long technical compression. His core idea: if capital chasing breakouts in traditional markets eventually rotates into crypto, the smaller aggregate market cap of digital assets could magnify returns — and altcoins, not Bitcoin, could capture a disproportionate share of that upside. In that setup, Taylor calls XRP his “core position.” What Taylor is assuming - Total crypto market capitalization could reach roughly $10 trillion this cycle — a level he says is consistent with past cycles. - If Bitcoin dominance slides into the 35.3%–31.5% range, that would put Bitcoin at about $3 trillion–$4 trillion, leaving room for roughly $6 trillion to flow into altcoins. - XRP could be a primary beneficiary if altcoins claim a meaningful slice of that upside. Targets and risk framing - Taylor’s base case: he sees a mid-cycle target zone between $8 and $12 (potentially stretching to $15–$16), and says he would take significant profits in that range. - Non-base-case upside: he considers an “outside maximum” of around $28 if an altcoin-led cycle and market sentiment align, though he repeatedly stresses $28 is not his primary expectation. - He referenced a pinned conversation on X with trader Credible Crypto that discussed a $26 outcome as an example of how high-cycle targets can form when liquidity, positioning and sentiment converge. Why XRP? Taylor argues XRP’s price structure sets it apart from many large-cap altcoins. He highlights a multi-year “compression” and claims XRP has broken an eight-year trend while using a prior seven-year resistance as new support — technical conditions he says leave room for an outsized move if risk-on flows arrive. He also notes that a friendlier U.S. policy narrative — mentions of US companies, the proposed US Clarity Act and Ripple remaining U.S.-based — could act as an accelerant in a euphoric phase. Full disclosure and risk management Taylor openly acknowledges his bias: XRP makes up roughly 90% of his portfolio. He says he plans to “heavily de-leverage” between $8 and $13, but won’t fully exit his position because he accepts the outside possibility of higher targets like $28. At time of publication XRP traded around $1.86. Bottom line: Taylor frames $8–$12 as his practical target and profit-taking zone, and treats $28 as a high-end, non-base-case outcome that depends on a large-scale rotation into altcoins and favorable shifts in market structure and sentiment. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Zcash is back in the headlines after a sharp run-up that’s catching the attention of traders and institutions alike. ZEC is trading around $537.45, up about 3.0% in 24 hours and a striking 28.5% over the past week, as a mix of supply dynamics, whale activity and renewed demand for privacy-focused assets push liquidity lower and prices higher. What’s driving the rally - Whale accumulation: The top 100 ZEC addresses now control roughly 66% of the supply. Large withdrawals from exchanges — including more than $31 million worth of ZEC taken off Binance — have shifted coins off-exchange and out of easy circulation. - Shielded adoption: On-chain privacy features are being used more: roughly 30% of ZEC is held in shielded addresses, and shielded transactions now represent about 27% of total supply. That reduces the float available to traders and intensifies a classic supply squeeze. - Institutional interest: Grayscale’s reports show Zcash was among the best-performing assets in Q4 2025, with ZEC up nearly 900% since October, highlighting growing institutional appetite for privacy plays as regulatory and KYC/AML pressures mount. Technical and derivatives picture - Bullish momentum: ZEC recently cleared the $500 resistance level. Momentum indicators such as MACD and RSI are signaling continued upward potential. - Futures activity: Open interest is rising and funding rates point to moderate leverage — a bullish sign but also one that raises volatility risk. There’s about $78 million in potential long liquidations on the table, meaning a short-term pullback to around $476 is possible if leveraged positions unwind. - Key levels to watch: A sustained break above the prior swing high at $554.18 could open the door toward $622, while holding $500 would reinforce confidence in the uptrend. Price forecasts and market commentary Prominent voices in crypto are taking notice. Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes has publicly predicted ZEC could reach $1,000, citing supply constraints, institutional accumulation and rising demand for privacy assets as the main catalysts (tweeted Dec. 29, 2025). While such bullish targets amplify interest, they also underscore the speculative element of this move. Risks and takeaways Regulatory uncertainty around privacy coins remains an overhang. High leverage in futures markets adds volatility risk, and concentrated holdings among whales can magnify swings. That said, the combination of exchange outflows, expanding use of shielded transactions and institutional flows has created a structural backdrop that favors continued upside — provided key supports hold. Bottom line ZEC’s recent advance is more than a short-term pump: on-chain supply shifts and renewed institutional demand are tightening availability and changing market dynamics. Traders should watch $500 as a critical support level, monitor leverage and liquidation risk, and keep an eye on whether a break above $554.18 is sustained before betting on higher targets like $622 — or the more ambitious $1,000 forecasts. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news