Xiaomi has now officially listed the Xiaomi Home Screen 11 on JD.com, claiming it to be the most capable smart home display from the company thus far. The device is designed to act as a central control hub for Xiaomi smart home products and is expected to make an appearance alongside upcoming flagship devices like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. As part of Xiaomi’s expanding smart ecosystem, the Home Screen 11 places a massive emphasis on display quality, family-oriented features, and deeper integration with Xiaomi HyperConnect across supported devices. For users who have been following Xiaomi’s smart home strategy, this could be an important launch in terms of home control displays.
Design and Display Features
The design of the frame is made of metal; the accent is made on durability and a clean minimalistic look. From the front, there is an 11-inch LCD panel with the 1920×1200 (1200P) resolution for clear visual display-both at information panels and at playing multimedia content.
The screen supports up to 400 nits of brightness and a 1500:1 contrast ratio, which is right for indoor environments such as living rooms, kitchens, or home offices. Xiaomi has optimized the interface for large-screen viewing, hence making this device able to serve as a family dashboard, digital photo frame, and smart home control center all at once.
Smart Functions and Integration with XiaoAI
The Xiaomi Home Screen 11 comes right out of the box with several built-in content modes, including a family photo album, displays of world-famous paintings, dynamic wallpapers, and real-time family information panels. These features are all enhancements designed to bring important information into view at a glance.
An 8MP front-facing camera enables two-way video calls through supported apps such as WeChat to help the family keep up with one another. Voice interaction is handled by XiaoAI, Xiaomi’s AI assistant. It should be mentioned, though, that XiaoAI functions are only available in China due to the region-lock service not supporting global markets currently.
Hardware Specifications & Audio System
The device shall be powered by an octa-core processor having 6GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. This configuration is aimed at ensuring smooth daily operation, including multitasking between smart home controls, media playback, and video calls.
It houses a quad-speaker system to handle audio output from both high and mid-to-low frequencies. With this setup, the Home Screen 11 becomes capable of functioning both as a control panel and as a capable media playback device for music, videos, and voice responses.
Availability
The Xiaomi Home Screen 11 is currently released only in China, and it is listed on JD.com. Pricing details are listed locally, while there’s no announcement of a global release at this stage.
OpenZFS 2.4 extends Linux kernel compatibility up to 6.18 while supporting FreeBSD 14, 15, and 16, bringing major performance, quota, and storage improvements.
Arch Linux has made its official WSL image fully reproducible, ensuring bit-for-bit identical builds using archived repositories and normalized timestamps.
NVIDIA’s Linux driver 590.48 debuts as a New Feature Branch release with Wayland fixes, Vulkan performance improvements, and updated platform requirements.
Flatpak 1.16.2, a universal app delivery framework for Linux, introduces reinstall support for bundle installs, Intel Xe VA-API enablement, and multiple stability and security fixes.
The Toncoin (TON) ecosystem, with potential access to more than one billion users through Telegram, experienced a relatively gloomy year in 2025. TON’s price dropped 65% from its early-year peak.
However, several positive signals appeared in late December. These signals could form the basis for expectations of a TON recovery in Q1/2026.
Trading Volume and Network Activity Show Improvement
According to data from Tonscan, as of the third week of December 2025, TON’s daily trading volume had exceeded $154 million. This figure represented an increase of more than 41.7%.
This marked the highest trading volume level for December. The surge indicated a return of active trading after a slowdown caused by negative sentiment across the altcoin market.
TON has held above the $1.4 level in recent days. Rising volume, combined with a slowing pace of price decline, signals renewed buying pressure.
Another notable sign is TON’s return to “trending” status on CoinGecko. This trend reflects renewed search interest and trading demand for TON in December. It also helps explain the recent increase in trading volume.
Although TON’s daily active users (DAU) fell sharply compared with 2024, the decline now appears to be stabilizing. User activity previously reached record levels due to airdrop and GameFi campaigns.
Data show that over the past three months, the number of daily active users increased from 70,000 to nearly 100,000. During the same period, TON’s price fell from $3 to $1.4. This divergence suggests returning confidence. It may also indicate that investors view TON as undervalued.
What Awaits TON in 2026?
At the Blockchain Life 2025 event in October, Pavel Durov – Telegram’s founder – emphasized Telegram’s intention to take a more active role in developing TON’s core technology in 2026.
In December, Durov announced the official launch of Cocoon, a decentralized and secure computing network. GPU owners have begun earning TON by contributing computing power to the network.
Investors believe Pavel Durov and Telegram will continue to expand their efforts to bring TON to a potential one billion users each month.
“In 2026, Telegram is gonna ramp up work on developing TON, as Pavel Durov said, adding that we should expect some major announcements. Hoping 2026 will be a bullish year for the TON ecosystem.” – Investor Mr. Satoshik predicted.
Another major milestone recently emerged. Kraken announced support for the xStocks platform.
This integration allows Telegram users to buy, hold, and transfer tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs directly within the TON Wallet.
“After pioneering tokenized equities on Solana and expanding to EVM through Ethereum, we set foot on TON. With this strategic step, we take the same winning solution chosen by 50,000 users, moving over $13B in combined CEX + DEX volume, to the blockchain native to Telegram.” xStocks stated.
These developments represent positive signals for investors anticipating a TON recovery. However, identifying TON’s price bottom remains difficult. Conflicting macroeconomic signals continue to pressure the broader altcoin market.
The administrator overseeing the wind-down of Terraform Labs has filed a $4 billion lawsuit against high-frequency trading firm Jump Trading. They accuse the market maker of secretly manipulating prices and contributing to the collapse of Do Kwon’s once-dominant crypto ecosystem.
It comes barely a week after the judge issued Do Kwon his sentence, a 15-year term in federal prison for orchestrating a $40 billion crypto fraud.
Terraform Labs Estate Seeks $4 Billion From Jump Trading
The complaint names Jump Trading, co-founder William DiSomma, and former head of its crypto division, Kanav Kariya. It alleges unlawful profiteering tied to the failure of TerraUSD (UST).
Citing court filings, The Wall Street Journal reports that the Terraform Labs estate claims Jump conducted undisclosed, large-scale trading interventions to prop up UST during multiple de-pegging episodes in 2021 and 2022.
Rather than stabilizing the system, the administrator argues these actions created a false sense of market confidence. In turn, this masked structural weaknesses that ultimately made Terra’s collapse more severe.
At the center of the lawsuit is the claim that Jump aggressively purchased UST whenever the algorithmic stablecoin fell below its $1 peg. These purchases allegedly inflated demand artificially, misleading market participants into believing the peg mechanism was functioning as designed.
The estate argues that Jump was not acting as a neutral liquidity provider. Instead, it exploited its market position and inside knowledge to extract profits from the volatility it helped manage.
The filing alleges that Jump earned roughly $1 billion through these strategies, benefiting from preferential token arrangements and trading advantages. Meanwhile, retail investors remained unaware of the behind-the-scenes support.
When Terra ultimately unraveled in May 2022, triggering an estimated $40 billion wipeout across UST and LUNA, the lawsuit claims the earlier illusion of stability magnified the damage.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time Jump Trading is linked to manipulation allegations. In October 2024, game developer FractureLabs filed a lawsuit against Jump Trading over crypto manipulation claims
“Jump then systematically liquidated its DIO holdings, generating millions of dollars in revenue for itself,” Bloomberg reported, citing an excerpt in the lawsuit.
Do Kwon’s Sentencing Puts Fresh Spotlight on Jump Trading’s Market Power
In the days following that ruling, some market observers publicly speculated that additional institutional players could face legal exposure, with Whale Calls citing Jump Trading.
Beyond the immediate allegations, the case highlights Jump Trading’s formidable technological capabilities.
Jump Trading’s Technological Edge and Its Role in the Lawsuit
Jump is widely regarded as one of the most sophisticated high-frequency trading firms globally. Industry reporting has highlighted its willingness to spend vast sums to gain marginal speed advantages, including the acquisition of a microwave tower previously used by NATO to shave milliseconds off transatlantic trade transmission times.
In 2018, Jump also partnered with firms such as Citadel to build the “Go West” undersea fiber-optic cable, connecting Chicago and Tokyo and enabling faster access to global futures markets.
According to commentary from Colin Wu, Jump’s quote data processing capabilities are considered to be on a vastly different scale from those of many competitors. This reflects the asymmetric power that large trading firms can wield in both traditional and crypto markets.
That technological edge now forms part of the broader context of the lawsuit. While the complaint does not allege the use of illegal infrastructure, it argues that Jump’s scale and sophistication amplified the market impact of its UST trades. This raises questions about fairness, disclosure, and market integrity.
If successful, the case could have far-reaching implications. A ruling in favor of the Terraform Labs estate may establish a clearer legal boundary between legitimate market making and manipulation in crypto markets, potentially reshaping how large trading firms operate.
It could also lead to substantial financial penalties, with any recovered funds likely directed toward compensating creditors and victims of the Terra collapse.
Jump Trading has not publicly commented on the lawsuit as of the time of publication, but is expected to mount a vigorous defense.
As discovery continues, the case may offer rare insight into the opaque mechanics of crypto market making. Beyond that, it could mark a watershed moment in the industry’s ongoing reckoning with accountability.
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) raised its policy interest rate by 25 basis points to 0.75% on December 19. It marks its highest level in nearly 30 years, reinforcing the country’s gradual exit from ultra-easy monetary policy.
Yet despite the historic shift and warnings of a global liquidity squeeze, Bitcoin showed little reaction, rising just under 1% and holding in the $87,000 range.
BOJ Just Raised Interest Rates Another 25 Basis Points – Why Did Bitcoin Hold Steady?
The muted response stands in contrast to history. Previous BOJ tightening cycles have often coincided with sharp sell-offs in crypto markets, particularly as yen carry trades unwind and global liquidity tightens.
THE BANK OF JAPAN MIGHT BE BITCOIN’S BIGGEST ENEMY
Japan holds the most US debt. Every time they hike, Bitcoin bleeds:
This time, however, traders appeared unfazed, suggesting the move had been fully priced in well ahead of the announcement. Market participants had largely anticipated the decision.
BOJ Interest Rate Probabilities. Source: Polymarket
Japan’s rate increase represents a symbolic break from decades of near-zero interest rates that made the yen a cornerstone of global funding markets. Cheap yen borrowing fueled leverage across equities, bonds, and cryptocurrencies.
As Japanese yieds rise and narrow the gap with global rates, those trades become less attractive, potentially forcing investors to unwind risk positions. Still, Bitcoin’s calm reaction suggests markets were prepared.
According to analysts, however, the focus was never the hike itself, but what comes next.
“Markets are pricing in a near-certain 25 basis point hike, marking the highest Japanese policy rate in about 30 years. While the hike itself is largely anticipated, the real focus is on Governor Ueda’s forward guidance during the press conference—signals of future hikes could amplify effects,” wrote analyst Marty Party.
That forward guidance may prove crucial. The BOJ has signaled it remains prepared to raise rates further, potentially to 1% or higher by late 2026, depending on wage growth and sustained inflation.
BOJ policy rate climbing from near 0% to 0.75% in December 2025, ending decades of ultra-easy policy. Source: Wise Advice via X
That outlook keeps pressure on risk assets, even if the initial move failed to trigger volatility.
Bitcoin Holds Firm as Altcoins Face a Prolonged Liquidity Squeeze
Analysts argue that Bitcoin’s resilience could be a bullish sign. Blueblock pointed to historical patterns, noting the divergence from past reactions.
“The BOJ just hiked rates to 0.75%, ending decades of ultra-loose policy and narrowing the gap with global yields. History shows that every prior tightening has triggered 20–30% Bitcoin drops as yen carry trades unwind and liquidity tightens. Yet with the hike fully priced in and BTC holding around $85k–$87k, this could be the dip buyers have been waiting for,” the analyst wrote.
However, not all corners of the crypto market are expected to fare as well. Altcoins, which are typically more sensitive to shifts in liquidity, remain vulnerable if Japanese tightening accelerates.
The prospect of higher rates through 2026 suggests a prolonged headwind rather than a one-off shock.
BOJ’s December 2025 policy decision raised rates to 0.75% with guidance for further tightening. Source: Money Ape on X
“BOJ signals it is ready to hike further, potentially 1% or higher by late 2026, depending on wage growth and sustained inflation. NO MERCY FOR ALTCOINS,” commented Money Ape.
Bitcoin’s stability reflects a market that had ample time to prepare for the BOJ’s decision. Whether that resilience holds will depend less on the December hike itself and more on how aggressively Japan continues its path of tightening. It will also hinge on how global liquidity adapts to the end of one of its longest-running monetary backstops.
Over $3.16 billion worth of Bitcoin and Ethereum options are set to expire on Friday at 08:00 UTC on Deribit, marking the final major derivatives settlement before Christmas.
With liquidity thinning out as the holiday period approaches and positioning tightly clustered around key price levels, traders appear cautious, waiting for a clearer catalyst before committing to a direction.
What to Expect as Nearly $3 Billion Bitcoin Options Expire
Bitcoin accounts for the bulk of the expiry, with roughly $2.69 billion in notional value rolling off. At the time of writing, BTC was trading at $87,194, representing a 0.54% increase over the past 24 hours.
The max pain level for today’s expiring Bitcoin options sits at $88,000, placing the spot price just below the strike. This is where the greatest number of options expire worthless.
Meanwhile, open interest data suggests a relatively balanced but slightly defensive stance. Bitcoin call open interest stands at 17,506 contracts, compared with 13,309 puts, resulting in a total open interest of 30,815 contracts and a put-to-call ratio of 0.76.
While calls still dominate numerically, the concentration of positioning near $88,000 points to limited upside momentum unless the spot decisively breaks higher. Deribit analysts highlighted this dynamic in a market update.
“BTC open interest is concentrated around 88K, with slightly heavier put positioning, pointing to a relatively contained expiry unless spot breaks range,” they wrote.
The commentary reinforces the view that Bitcoin could remain range-bound through settlement, especially amid pre-holiday caution.
Over $470 Million Ethereum Options Expire Today: What Investors Should Know
Ethereum’s open interest profile is more evenly split, with 78,524 call contracts versus 83,547 puts. This results in a put-to-call ratio of 1.06 and a total open interest of 162,071 contracts.
Unlike Bitcoin, ETH positioning is spread across a wider range of strikes, indicating greater uncertainty about the near-term direction.
“ETH positioning is more distributed across strikes, with notable upside interest above 3.4K, keeping larger moves in play if volatility reaccelerates,” Deribit analysts indicated.
Beyond today’s options expiry, attention is already shifting to December 26 and early 2026 positioning.
“December 26 85k Put OI now ~15k ($1.25bn notional) on Deribit, and bears+FUD currently in control with ATM 86k,” Deribit Insights noted.
At the same time, upside bets appear less aggressive in the near term, with analysts observing that “the Dec26 100k+ $1.75bn Call condor feels a distant punt now.”
However, longer-dated flows tell a more constructive story, with recent flows continuing to show upside bias into 2026. According to the analysts, this suggests that while short-term sentiment remains cautious, longer-horizon traders are still positioning for a renewed bullish phase.
As the final options expiry before Christmas approaches, both Bitcoin and Ethereum appear caught between near-term restraint and longer-term optimism, leaving their next decisive move unresolved.
Traders and investors may experience some volatility, which the BOJ’s interest rate decision could exacerbate. However, markets tend to stabilize as traders adjust to new market conditions.
Venture capital is the lifeblood of the startup world in Web3 and crypto. Entrepreneurs need to raise money for projects in order to hire talented people, pay operating costs, and perform marketing for scaling a business.
VCs, of course, are more than happy to do this, as they get a chunk of the long-term payoff – if there ever is one, of course. Most startups fail, and the business is highly predicated on unicorns to drive venture funds.
The crypto market is unique, to be sure, with cryptocurrencies also playing a role as many startups launch tokens. However, the digital asset market hasn’t been performing as well.
Crypto VC Investments Over the Past 10 Years. Source: Galaxy Research
Crypto prices impact the VC market, and dynamics have certainly changed for startups to raise money. What’s the outlook looking like overall right now?
“Market cycles may influence investment sentiment and can slow or accelerate the pace of closing deals,” noted Stefan Deiss, CEO of Hashgraph Group, focused on VC in the Hedera ecosystem.
Lowered Expectations From Venture Capital
One of the first things that happens when crypto trends to a downward cycle is that startup valuations go lower.
It may not seem directly related, but the concept of the “hot rounds” for fashionable startups cool off, and VCs don’t really go for sky-high valuations so much, noted Artem Gordadze, an angel investor in NEAR Foundation and advisor at startup accelerator Techstars.
“When Bitcoin is trading at high levels, like the perceived $100k level, startup valuations are commensurately high,” Gordadze said. “This creates a challenging dynamic: VCs must justify the entry valuation based on a potential future price that must materialize within the investment horizon to generate acceptable returns.”
Bitcoin’s price since the start of Q4 on October 1. Source: CoinGecko
It seems the theory that Bitcoin always goes up is not one venture capitalists are attuned to. Because of long time horizons for VC investments, they have seen many cycles, especially with Bitcoin.
In addition, many VCs often call November and December “write-off” months. This means they don’t expect to do too much work during the fourth quarter and the holiday season, preferring to start investing anew after the calendar turns to another year.
The Pragmatic View
The view of venture from 10,000 feet up, as it pertains to the crypto sector specifically, is one of spending, but less volume.
Case in point: Prediction market Polymarket closed $1 billion, while Kraken took in $800m in funding this quarter.
In the third quarter, the total amount of funding was $4.59 billion, but half of that was concentrated on just seven deals, according to Alex Thorne, head of research for Galaxy.
The cash is flowing: 2025 Q3 was the second-highest since 2022 Q1. Source: X
“Market downturns sharpen the focus because you stop seeing price action as a signal but rather resilience in execution and product as the main indicators that count,” said Hashgraph Group’s Deiss. “Downturns push investors to focus more on fundamentals rather than short-term momentum.”
That short-term momentum may often be more hype than anything else. And many big venture-backed projects doing a TGE have not performed very well this year. This includes PUMP (down over 50% in 2025) and Berachain (a 91% drop since its February launch).
“High volatility and uncertain early-stage valuations are driving a significant shift in capital deployment, favoring strategies with shorter liquidity cycles and better pricing control,” added Gordadze.
The Lock-Up and the Liquidity
One of the most distinctive aspects of the cryptocurrency industry is the token generation event, or TGE.
However, once a token launches, there are a few metrics that are unique to crypto that venture investors must closely monitor.
One is the lock-up, whereby, at TGE, not all tokens are circulating in the market yet; there is a period of holding these assets back. This is designed to better incentivize a network’s participants, from team members to community airdrops and foundation efforts.
Then there’s fully diluted value, or FDV – this is the total number of tokens times the price – basically a market cap for all tokens, even if they haven’t been unlocked yet.
And when markets gyrate, it’s really hard to forecast any potential exits of tokens for VCs, which can be a conundrum.
Recently, Arthur Hayes of Maelstrom Capital went on a rant about lock-ups, specifically related to Monad. As a trader, Hayes clearly doesn’t like the illiquidity of these types of tokens.
Arthur Hayes tagging Monad’s Keone Hon about lock-ups. Source: X
“Given the average token or equity vesting/lock-up period of 12 to 48 months, VCs must model the market’s likely condition when these lock-ups end,” said Gordadze, the Techstars mentor. “The entry price must be strategically set to ensure a profitable exit, making long-term market forecasts crucial for deal finalization.
The Future of Crypto VC Investment in 2026 and Beyond
On the subject of market forecasts, VCs surely love to talk about the future. And for crypto, it seems, given favorable US regulatory actions in 2025, that next year could be much better. Is that just investor hopium?
Maybe. But rose colored (or green) glasses are always the default mode for VCs. Optimism, of course, always wins.
“2026 is shaping up as a year defined by real utility – DeFi will make a strong comeback with enhanced momentum and maturity and the stablecoin moment becomes background,” noted Deiss. Stablecoins certainly had a moment this year, although they are the boring infrastructure that’s going to power, say, the next Polymarket, which uses USDC on Polygon as its main coin and chain.
“Now that stablecoins are finally going mainstream and banks are rushing to get in, the next level will be services for users that are powered by these assets behind the scenes,” noted Gordadze.
The most significant growth areas will likely reside in the intersection of AI/Blockchain and RWA/Blockchain, as these represent the greatest opportunities for real-world impact and institutional revenue generation.”
David Sacks, the White House’s AI and crypto czar, said the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) will enter the US Senate markup stage in January, marking a critical step toward final passage.
Sacks said Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott and Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman have confirmed the timeline, setting the stage for formal review and amendments before a full Senate vote.
We had a great call today with Chairmen @SenatorTimScott and @JohnBoozman who confirmed that a markup for Clarity is coming in January. Thanks to their leadership, as well as @RepFrenchHill and @CongressmanGT in the House, we are closer than ever to passing the landmark crypto…
The update signals growing momentum behind the bill after the House advanced it earlier in 2025.
If the Senate process stays on schedule, lawmakers could finalize a reconciled version later in the year. This will position the CLARITY Act as the central market-structure law for US crypto markets.
During markup, Senate committees will review the House-passed text line by line. Lawmakers will propose amendments, debate policy trade-offs, and vote on changes before sending a revised bill to the Senate floor.
The process will involve both the Banking Committee, which oversees securities regulation, and the Agriculture Committee, which supervises the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
🚨 The $CLARITY Act — the U.S. $crypto market structure bill — has been delayed until 2026 as Senate action stalls. This means federal regulatory clarity for digital #assets won’t happen this year, keeping the industry in limbo 📉
How will the CLARITY Act Change US Crypto Markets in 2026?
If enacted, the CLARITY Act would reshape the US crypto market in 2026. It would place spot digital commodity markets under CFTC oversight, end years of regulatory ambiguity, and create a federal registration regime for exchanges, brokers, and dealers.
For the industry, this would reduce legal uncertainty, support institutional participation, and shift compliance from courtroom battles to rule-based supervision.
For regulators, the law would replace fragmented enforcement with clearer mandates.
Most importantly, for the market, it would mark the United States’ first comprehensive framework for crypto trading. This would potentially restore competitiveness with jurisdictions that already offer regulatory clarity.
Crypto markets are approaching 2026 after a year defined by sharp volatility, fresh all-time highs, profit-taking, and a visible phase of maturation.
Bitcoin strengthened its role as an institutional reserve asset, while Ethereum and XRP entered corrective phases following strong prior trends marked by uncertainty and rapid price swings.
As a result, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP now sit near technically significant levels. The central question for 2026 is whether global liquidity expands or pauses—and whether that liquidity flows decisively into cryptoassets.
Average Crypto Market Relative Strength Index (RSI) Remains Near Oversold Levels In December. Source: CoinMarketCap
Bitcoin (BTC) Price Analysis and 2026 Outlook
Bitcoin reached a new all-time high above $126,000 in 2025, driven largely by sustained institutional adoption. Corporations and sovereign entities continued to add BTC to their reserves.
Meanwhile, spot Bitcoin ETFs kept absorbing supply, reinforcing Bitcoin’s role as a long-term macro asset.
From a technical perspective, Bitcoin’s broader bullish structure remains intact despite losing the ascending channel that guided price action from March 2024 to November 2025.
Bank of Japan is about to hike rates with 0.25% on December 19
Bitcoin dumped the last 3 times the BoJ hiked interest rates:
Resistance around $110,000 continues to cap upside attempts. Trading volume has slowed, a pattern typically associated with corrective phases rather than trend reversals.
A strong reaction from the accumulated demand zone near $75,000 could set the stage for a renewed long-term advance toward $150,000–$170,000.
A sustained breakout above the $100,000–$115,000 resistance cluster would confirm trend continuation, supported by renewed retail and institutional participation.
Range-Bound Scenario
If upside momentum remains limited, Bitcoin may spend much of 2026 trading between $70,000 and $110,000.
This would represent a prolonged accumulation phase within the broader cycle, marked by choppy price action and false breakouts while the market waits for clearer monetary catalysts.
Bearish Scenario
A decisive loss of the $75,000–$80,000 demand zone would open the door to a deeper correction.
In that case, $60,000–$40,000 could act as a rebalancing zone without invalidating Bitcoin’s long-term macro structure.
Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis and 2026 Outlook
Ethereum experienced a pivotal year in 2025, reaching a new all-time high near $4,955.
Network upgrades such as Pectra and Fusaka improved scalability and efficiency, while spot Ethereum ETFs began gaining traction. Staking activity and DeFi usage continued to underpin Ethereum’s fundamental value.
On the weekly chart, ETH remains within a broad long-term ascending channel. After printing new highs in August 2025, price corrected toward a relatively weak demand zone around $2,900.
While the long-term structure remains constructive, momentum has slowed compared to previous expansion phases. Short- and medium-term structures still lean bearish.
Ethereum whales on Binance are bidding the dip hard 🐋
A sustained recovery could allow Ethereum to target $5,700 and potentially $6,100, based on historical cycle extensions.
A clean breakout above the channel resistance near $5,200 would reinforce Ethereum’s position as a leading asset in 2026.
Ethereum Yearly Price Analysis
Consolidation Scenario
If demand remains moderate, ETH could consolidate between $4,300 and $2,200. This range would signal equilibrium between buyers and sellers, framing 2026 as a transitional year rather than a breakout phase.
Bearish Scenario
A breakdown below the channel support would expose Ethereum to a deeper move toward $2,250–$1,600, an area that aligns with historical demand levels critical to preserving the long-term structure.
XRP Price Analysis and 2026 Outlook
Ripple ends 2025 with significantly improved regulatory clarity following a favorable resolution to its legal dispute with the SEC.
This outcome revived institutional interest and reopened discussions around XRP ETF products, improving its standing within traditional financial markets.
Large-scale institutional adoption could trigger a demand shock capable of pushing XRP to new highs.
Technically, XRP is in a corrective phase after a strong rally that peaked near $3.60 mid-year. Price has since pulled back into key demand zones, while multiple supply areas continue to limit short-term rebounds.
This behavior aligns with a broader trend-regression phase.
Bullish Scenario
If 2026 proves favorable for Ripple’s institutional adoption, XRP could advance toward $3.83–$4.53. To achieve this, price must reclaim the $2.40 level and sustain buying volume, supported by positive regulatory developments.
XRP Yearly Price Analysis
Range-Bound Scenario
Should uncertainty persist, XRP may trade sideways between $3.00 and $1.60. While this reflects hesitation around banking adoption, it would also represent a healthy consolidation phase ahead of a future cycle.
Bearish Scenario
A breakdown below key supports could send XRP toward $1.20–$0.90. Such a move would imply the loss of critical levels, including the psychological $1.60 mark, alongside a cooling of speculative interest.
Final Take: Will 2026 Be a Lost Year or a Launchpad?
Price projections for 2026 point to a market balancing on a narrow edge. Bitcoin continues to display the strongest structural resilience, while Ethereum and XRP remain more dependent on specific catalysts.
Upside potential exists, but it requires clear technical confirmation and fundamental follow-through.
One trend is undeniable: crypto markets are transitioning into a more mature phase. Both gains and drawdowns have become more controlled, with volatility compressing compared to earlier cycles.
A renewed bull run will depend on a more accommodative macro environment, deeper institutional adoption, and consistent regulatory clarity.
If those forces align, 2026 may ultimately be remembered not as a stagnant year, but as the foundation for the next wave of all-time highs.
US inflation delivered its biggest downside surprise in months. Yet instead of a sustained rally, both Bitcoin and US equities sold off sharply during US trading hours.
The price action puzzled many traders, but the charts point to a familiar explanation rooted in market structure, positioning, and liquidity rather than macro fundamentals.
On paper, this was one of the most risk-positive inflation prints of 2025. Markets initially reacted as expected. Bitcoin jumped toward the $89,000 area, while the S&P 500 spiked higher shortly after the data hit.
That rally did not last.
Bitcoin Price Briefly Rallies and Dumps After US CPI Data. Source: CoinGecko
Within roughly 30 minutes of the CPI print, Bitcoin reversed sharply. After tagging intraday highs near $89,200, BTC sold off aggressively, sliding toward the $85,000 area.
The S&P 500 followed a similar path, with sharp intraday swings that erased much of the initial CPI-driven gains before stabilizing.
S&P 500 Sharply Drops and then Spikes After US CPI. Source: X/Kobeissi Letter
This synchronized reversal across crypto and equities matters. It signals that the move was not asset-specific or sentiment-driven. It was structural.
Bitcoin Taker Sell Volume Tells the Story
The clearest clue comes from Bitcoin’s taker sell volume data.
On the intraday chart, large spikes in taker sell volume appeared precisely as Bitcoin broke lower. Taker sells reflect market orders hitting the bid — aggressive selling, not passive profit-taking.
These spikes clustered during US market hours and coincided with the fastest part of the decline.
Bitcoin Taker Volume Across All Exchanges On December 18. Source: CryptoQuant
The weekly view reinforces this pattern. Similar sell-side bursts appeared multiple times over the past week, often during high-liquidity windows, suggesting repeated episodes of forced or systematic selling rather than isolated retail exits.
This behavior is consistent with liquidation cascades, volatility-targeting strategies, and algorithmic de-risking — all of which accelerate once price starts moving against leveraged positions.
Bitcoin Taker Volume Across All Exchanges Over the Past Week. Source: CryptoQuant
Why ‘Good News’ Became the Trigger
The CPI report did not cause the selloff because it was bad. It caused volatility because it was good.
Softer inflation briefly increased liquidity and tightened spreads. That environment allows large players to execute size efficiently.
Bitcoin’s initial spike likely ran into a dense zone of resting orders, stop losses, and short-term leverage. Once upside momentum stalled, price reversed, triggering long liquidations and stop-outs.
As liquidations hit, forced market selling amplified the move. This is why the decline accelerated rather than unfolded gradually.
The S&P 500’s intraday whipsaw shows a similar dynamic. Rapid downside and recovery patterns during macro releases often reflect dealer hedging, options gamma effects, and systematic flows adjusting risk in real time.
🚨 This is insane level of manipulation.
8:30 a.m.
CPI came in lower than expected.
– On the bullish CPI news, Bitcoin pumped $2217, from $87,260 to $89,477 in just 60 minutes. – $70B added to the crypto market. – $94 million worth of shorts liquidated.
The charts do not prove manipulation. But they show patterns commonly associated with stop-runs and liquidity extraction:
Fast moves into obvious technical levels
Reversals immediately after liquidity improves
Large bursts of aggressive selling during breakdowns
Tight alignment with US trading hours
These behaviors are typical in highly leveraged markets. The most likely drivers are not individuals, but large funds, market makers, and systematic strategies operating across futures, options, and spot markets. Their goal is not narrative control, but execution efficiency and risk management.
In crypto, where leverage remains high and liquidity thins quickly outside key windows, these flows can look extreme.
🚨 THEY ARE MANIPULATING BITCOIN AGAIN AND I HAVE EVIDENCE!!!
Bitcoin dumped $4000 in minutes…
and almost no one actually understands what just took place.
It’s the same group of players manipulating the price… AGAIN.
The selloff does not invalidate the CPI signal. Inflation genuinely cooled, and that remains supportive for risk assets over time. What the market experienced was a short-term positioning reset, not a macro reversal.
In the near term, traders will watch whether Bitcoin can stabilize above recent support and whether sell-side pressure fades as liquidations clear.
If taker sell volume subsides and price holds, the CPI data may still assert itself over the coming sessions.
In 2025, the most influential narratives in crypto shifted away from hype toward utility and systems delivering measurable, real-world impact. The year marked a transition to production-ready systems that enhance the global movement and settlement of value.
Experts from SynFutures, Brickken, and Cake Wallet said that stablecoins, privacy, tokenized assets, and applied AI shaped adoption through genuine demand rather than speculation.
The Year Crypto Became Infrastructure
In many ways, 2025 was an exceptional year. It marked the first time crypto reached this level of institutional integration, with users often interacting with crypto rails without consciously engaging with “crypto” as a product.
While the sector remained shaped by volatility, only a few crypto narratives stood out for their practical utility. By contrast, those driven primarily by hype and sensationalism faded quickly.
In conversations with BeInCrypto, industry representatives offered a consistent assessment: narratives grounded in integration and execution endured, while novelty-driven stories steadily lost relevance.
Stablecoins have helped bridge the gap between risk-tolerant crypto participants and more cautious users seeking limited exposure to an industry long associated with volatility.
By maintaining a peg to assets such as the US dollar or gold, stablecoins positioned themselves as a more reliable alternative to other types of digital assets. Their borderless nature also gave them particular appeal over fiat currency.
Our 2026 Infra Year Ahead Report is out now!
Stablecoins have become the most important infrastructure story in crypto.
Every fintech wave promised to fix payments but just layered better UX on the same infrastructure. Revolut and Nubank delivered better experiences while… pic.twitter.com/zEhC6sndmv
Regulatory milestones, including the passage of the GENIUS Act, further strengthened confidence in stablecoins, allowing their utility and infrastructure efficiency to stand on their own merits.
“Stablecoins solved a very concrete, everyday problem: moving and settling money efficiently across borders without relying on slow, fragmented, and expensive banking rails,” said Brickken CEO Edwin Mata. “For users, they provided access to digital dollars and euros in jurisdictions where banking access is limited, costly, or unreliable,” he added.
The impact was concrete, not theoretical, as Stripe and Visa integrated stablecoins into settlement and treasury operations. At the same time, Circle enabled businesses to use USDC as working capital rather than as a speculative asset.
According to SynFutures CEO Rachel Lin, RWAs managed to bridge the gap between traditional finance and crypto. However, the way this was achieved wasn’t comprehensive.
The success of RWAs was actually much more selective than previously anticipated.
“Tokenized treasuries, funds, and yield products showed real traction because they offered tangible benefits: better settlement, composability, and broader access,” Lin told BeInCrypto, adding, “However, 2025 also clarified that RWAs only work when legal clarity, liquidity, and credible issuers are in place. The narrative moved from experimentation to execution, but it’s still early.”
The evidence spoke for itself, with large banks and asset managers relying on tokenization to improve efficiency. Earlier this week, JPMorgan launched a tokenized money market fund on Ethereum, marking a move beyond internal testing or pilot programs.
“AI added real value where it reduced cognitive and operational complexity—particularly in trading interfaces, risk controls, and decision support. Products that used AI to help users understand exposure, automate execution within guardrails, or avoid costly mistakes delivered tangible improvements,” Lin explained.
The rise of AI agents also generated significant attention, though expectations became more measured over the year.
Their success depended less on autonomy and more on trust, auditability, and user-defined limits. Use cases such as liquidity management, automated strategy execution, and treasury optimization demonstrated potential when clear guardrails were in place.
Yet, as AI became more deeply embedded in crypto products, it also sharpened long-standing concerns around data exposure.
This convergence pushed privacy from a niche concern into a central narrative of 2025.
Why Privacy Could No Longer Wait
Privacy emerged as one of the most consequential crypto narratives of the year, driven by growing awareness of how financial systems expose user information and behavior.
spent last night deep in the a16z state of crypto 2025 report…
and wow, privacy is quietly becoming the next trillion-dollar narrative
As a result, long-standing concerns around data visibility moved to the forefront. In parallel, privacy, once treated as a niche preference, increasingly appeared as a structural requirement.
“One of the biggest narrative shifts in the industry to date happened this year, where people woke up to the need (and market demand) for simple, approachable privacy for their money,” Seth for Privacy, Vice President of Cake Wallet, told BeInCrypto.
Rising usage of Monero, increased global media attention on Zcash, and a broader shift toward privacy features across stablecoin and Layer 2 networks reinforced this pivot.
“All of that solves one of the biggest painpoints of crypto for users – how do I retain privacy that I have today in the financial system or with cash, with the decentralization and power of crypto?” Seth added.
The rise of privacy solutions, alongside other successful narratives of the past year, reinforced that crypto adoption increasingly hinges exclusively on utility.
As crypto continues to mature, success may be defined not by how loudly it announces itself, but by how reliably it works.
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