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As another year comes to an end, the hope of a bullish next year is likely proliferating among the investors. While the leash generally sits with Bitcoin to lead the altcoins upwards, some tokens have carved out their path owing to independent factors.
Monero (XMR)
Monero price remains among the closest to its all-time high, trading just 17.5% below $519. A breakout above this level would establish a new record. Relative strength reflects sustained demand as XMR continues to outperform many large-cap cryptocurrencies during the current market cycle.
Monero benefits from growing attention toward privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. This narrative has strengthened amid regulatory debates and user demand for financial confidentiality. Chaikin Money Flow indicates strong capital inflows. These factors could drive XMR above $450 and toward the $500 psychological level, a key step toward $519.
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XMR Price Analysis. Source: TradingView
Downside risk remains if profit-taking intensifies before a breakout occurs. Selling pressure could push XMR below the $417 support zone. A confirmed breakdown may extend losses toward $387, erasing recent gains and invalidating the bullish outlook in the short term.
Midnight (NIGHT)
NIGHT has attracted strong investor interest due to its foundation and leadership. Developed by Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson, the project benefits from credibility and long-term vision. This association has strengthened market confidence, positioning NIGHT for potential price appreciation as adoption builds in early trading phases.
As a newly launched token, NIGHT is expected to see steady growth in users and demand. A successful bounce from the $0.075 support could lift the price toward $0.100. A breakout above that level may drive NIGHT to $0.120, marking a 54.1% gain and a potential new all-time high.

NIGHT Price Analysis. Source: TradingView
Downside risk depends heavily on broader market conditions at the start of the year. A positive 2025 open could sustain momentum. However, deteriorating sentiment may push NIGHT below $0.075. A drop toward $0.060 would invalidate the bullish outlook and signal increased selling pressure.
Ethereum (ETH)
Ethereum remains roughly 66.7% below its $4,956 all-time high, highlighting the scale of recovery still required. A rapid, miracle-style rally appears unlikely under current conditions. Recent price action suggests ETH needs sustained demand and broader market alignment before attempting a meaningful upside move.
In August, Ethereum briefly surged to set a new peak, but replicating that move soon appears improbable. Any recovery may take weeks and requires consistent investor support. A decisive break above the $3,000 psychological level is critical. Success there could lift ETH toward $3,287, narrowing the gap to its record high.
Furthermore, the strong correlation that Ethereum shares with Bitcoin will be a major factor. If BTC manages to post a bullish momentum, ETH can benefit from it and rise as well.

Ethereum Price Analysis. Source: TradingView
However, risk remains if bullish momentum fails to develop and BTC ends up falling on the charts. Ethereum could continue consolidating near $3,000 or face a mild correction. Prolonged weakness at this level would undermine recovery efforts. Such price action would invalidate the bullish thesis and delay any realistic path toward higher resistance zones.

Although the altcoin market cap has not recovered and market sentiment remains in a prolonged state of fear, several low-cap altcoins with market caps under $100 million have shown signs of on-chain accumulation.
This may reflect whales building positions and betting on price increases next month.
1. Avantis (AVNT)
Avantis (AVNT) is a DEX token on Base, with a market capitalization of approximately $89 million. The price of AVNT has fallen more than 85% from the October breakout phase.
However, by December, the downtrend shifted to a sideways range around $0.30. The token has also shown signs of accumulation.

Accumulated Balance of AVNT Whales. Source: Nansen
Nansen data shows that AVNT whale wallets accumulated 11 million AVNT in December. The total balance of the top 100 wallets increased by 1.88%, while exchange reserves decreased by 4.9%.
Rising whale balances and declining exchange reserves typically indicate that investors are buying and moving tokens to private wallets, driven by long-term expectations.
Holderscan data also shows that the number of AVNT holders increased from 105,800 to 109,800 over the past 30 days.
From a technical analysis perspective, analysts believe AVNT may be in the final stage of a falling-wedge formation. This pattern typically predicts a reversal from bearish to bullish.
2. Succinct (PROVE)
Succinct (PROVE) is a decentralized network designed to facilitate the creation of zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) easily and securely.
Privacy on blockchain has gained attention thanks to Zcash (ZEC) and the broader use of ZKP technology. This trend has also drawn attention to Succinct.
The market cap of PROVE currently stands at $75.6 million. The price has dropped more than 77% after listings on Binance and Coinbase.

Accumulated Balance of PROVE Whales. Source: Nansen
In recent months, Nansen data shows that top whale wallets accumulated an additional 5.34%. Exchange reserves dropped 1.24%. At the same time, the price decline of PROVE has slowed.
A slower price decline, combined with whale accumulation, has increased investor expectations of a potential rebound.
3. Plume Network (PLUME)
Plume Network (PLUME) is an Ethereum layer-2 blockchain designed specifically for Real-World Assets (RWA).
The market cap of PLUME is currently $60 million, following an 85% decline in the token price during the final quarter of the year.
However, Nansen data shows a notable shift. PLUME whales have accumulated nearly 7 billion PLUME. The price has also recovered 35%, rising from $0.014 to $0.019.

Accumulated Balance of PLUME Whales. Source: Nansen
This accumulation has halted the three-month downtrend.
Another reason investors remain optimistic about RWA altcoins is the strong growth outlook for the sector in 2026.
A recent BeInCrypto report states that the total RWA market value hit a new all-time high in December, despite widespread market fear.
When discussing expectations for RWA in 2026, Plume CEO Chris Yin projected 10–20x growth in both value and users.
“Seeing 10–20x growth in value and users next year as well is the low end of what we should expect,” Chris Yin told BeInCrypto.
If this projection becomes reality, low-cap tokens such as PLUME may benefit significantly.
These three low-cap altcoins represent three different themes: DEX, Privacy, and RWA. All three themes hold strong expectations from analysts for the year ahead.

A small EU nation is set to enforce one of Europe’s strictest crypto crackdowns, warning that hundreds of unlicensed digital asset firms could face fines, website blocks, and even prison time starting next week.
The central bank has made it clear that any platform continuing to onboard users or handle crypto without proper MiCA authorization after December 31 will be considered illegal.
Lithuania Draws a Hard Line on Crypto Starting January 1
The Bank of Lithuania, which oversees the country’s crypto sector, has urged all service providers to secure licenses immediately. While over 370 firms are officially registered in the nation, only around 120 are actively operating and reporting revenues.
Alarmingly, fewer than 10%, or roughly 30 companies, have applied for MiCA licenses so far. This leaves dozens of active firms and hundreds of registered entities exposed to enforcement.
A transitional period, during which crypto exchanges, wallet operators, and other service providers can obtain authorization, expires at the end of 2025.
After the deadline, Lietuvos Bankas has stated it will take stringent action against non-compliant firms, including fines, blocking websites, and pursuing criminal liability under national law. Violations could carry prison terms of up to four years.
Dalia Juškevičienė, head of the Central Bank’s Investment Services and Undertakings Supervision Division, emphasized the importance of orderly shutdowns for firms that do not plan to continue operations.
“Participants of the crypto-asset services market that do not plan to continue their operations should not delay and launch active communication campaigns to ensure that all of their clients are properly and timely informed of the winding down,” local media reported, citing Dalia.
Customers must be provided with clear guidance on transferring fiat and digital assets to other custodians or self-hosted wallets before services are discontinued.
The crackdown positions the Baltic state as a strict gateway for MiCA-compliant operations rather than a permissive crypto hub.
Authorities have warned that enforcement will go beyond targeting active platforms. Instead, it will target registered entities that maintain websites, accounts, or custody services.
This approach ensures the regulator can protect investors and maintain transparency and integrity in the market.
Europe Tightens the Reins as MiCA Enforcement Moves from Theory to Action
The looming enforcement follows a broader trend of regulatory tightening across Europe. MiCA rules, which establish licensing requirements and investor safeguards, are now moving from theory to practice.
The region is signaling that unlicensed operations will no longer be tolerated, creating a high-stakes environment for crypto firms in jurisdictions seeking compliance.
Besides Lithuania, another European country has similar aspirations. Bordering Lithuania to the north, Latvia is also working toward turning the country into another Baltic gateway to MiCA.
Mārtiņš Kazāks, governor of Latvijas Banka, the Latvian central bank, highlighted that the country has talent, entrepreneurs, and a sound financial infrastructure. Based on this, it looks to strengthen its economy by leveraging the crypto industry.
“Latvia can become a significant European fintech hub not merely because of ambition, but because the foundations are already in place,” said Kazāks.
Against these backdrops, global crypto platforms are moving quickly to achieve MiCA compliance before enforcement deadlines.
KuCoin, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume, has recently become MiCAR compliant following approval by the Austrian Financial Market Authority.
The exchange highlighted the value of regulated crypto access and its commitment to operating within the new legal framework in its announcement.
Coinbase also followed suit four months ago, raising the bar for EU compliance with MiCA-compliant whitepapers.
Outside Europe, Lithuania’s move mirrors developments in other regions, such as the United Arab Emirates, where sweeping Central Bank reforms have criminalized unlicensed crypto services, including self-custody wallets and market-data tools.
These parallel measures highlight a rising global emphasis on regulation, compliance, and investor protection.
With the December 31 deadline looming, crypto firms in this Baltic EU state have just days to secure licenses or begin orderly wind-downs.
As regulators prepare to act, the coming week could significantly reshape the European crypto arena, eliminating non-compliant operators and marking the beginning of a new era of strict MiCA enforcement.