Bitcoin is currently trading around $87,000, reflecting a slight decline of approximately 2.4% over the past week. This price stability comes amid significant ETF outflows, with $275.88 million withdrawn from Bitcoin spot ETFs and $38.7 million from Ethereum ETFs, indicating a cautious sentiment among investors as the year closes. Additionally, Michael Saylor's Strategy has made headlines by acquiring 1,229 BTC for about $109 million, bringing its total holdings to 672,497 BTC. This acquisition underscores ongoing institutional interest in Bitcoin, even as the broader market experiences outflows and price fluctuations.
Despite a broader trend of $446 million in weekly outflows from digital asset investment products, XRP and Solana funds have seen inflows of $70 million and $7.5 million, respectively. This divergence highlights a selective interest in certain altcoins amidst a generally bearish sentiment in the crypto market. Moreover, BitMine, led by Tom Lee, is preparing to launch its Made-in-America Validator Network (MAVAN) in early 2026, aiming to monetize its substantial ETH treasury, currently valued at around $12 billion. This initiative reflects a strategic shift toward staking and yield generation, which could further influence market dynamics.
Bitcoin's price is currently testing critical support levels around $86,700 to $87,000, with analysts noting that this zone has acted as a technical floor. The cryptocurrency has been unable to maintain its position above $90,000, indicating a struggle for upward momentum as trading volumes remain low during the holiday season. Ethereum is also facing pressure, trading near $2,931, with its price movements reflecting broader market trends. The current market conditions suggest that both Bitcoin and Ethereum are in a consolidation phase, with traders awaiting clearer signals for future direction.
The overall crypto market capitalization has dipped slightly to $3.03 trillion, reflecting a broader trend of cautious trading as investors navigate year-end dynamics. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index remains in the fear zone at 30, indicating a lack of confidence among retail investors. As institutional players continue to accumulate positions, particularly in Bitcoin and Ethereum, the market may see a shift in sentiment if key support levels hold. However, the ongoing ETF outflows and reduced trading volumes suggest that volatility may persist in the short term.
A significant prediction indicates that a major Big Tech company is likely to integrate a crypto wallet by 2026, which could dramatically increase user exposure to digital assets. This move is anticipated to surpass the onboarding capacity of existing crypto-native applications, potentially bringing billions of users into the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Haseeb Qureshi from Dragonfly suggests that this wave of corporate blockchain adoption will primarily stem from banks and fintech firms, rather than consumer brands or crypto-native startups, favoring modular setups built on established infrastructures like Avalanche.
Bitcoin Hyper is preparing to launch as the first proper layer-two network for Bitcoin, aiming to provide a full DeFi ecosystem. This initiative contrasts with the existing Lightning Network, which primarily serves as a payment rail. Investors will be able to bridge their Bitcoin to Bitcoin Hyper, allowing them to engage with decentralized exchanges (DEXes), lending platforms, and yield aggregators. The presale for Bitcoin Hyper has raised $29.86 million, indicating strong interest in its utility and potential for growth.
Ethereum's total value locked (TVL) has shown resilience, maintaining a structurally elevated level despite recent market volatility. Predictions suggest that Ethereum's TVL could potentially increase tenfold by 2026, reflecting ongoing confidence in the platform's DeFi capabilities and overall ecosystem stability.
South Korea is set to enhance oversight of cryptocurrency transfers below 1 million won (approximately $700) as part of a broader effort to close regulatory loopholes that have been exploited for illicit activities. This move will extend the existing travel rule, which mandates exchanges to verify and record user details for larger transactions, to cover smaller transfers as well. The initiative is being spearheaded by the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which recently convened a task force to revise the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information, commonly known as the Special Act. Officials have noted a rise in "smurfing," where large sums are divided into smaller transactions to evade reporting thresholds.
The FIU's task force, led by Director Lee Hyeong-ju, held its first meeting on November 29, 2025, to discuss tightening controls on virtual asset service providers and harmonizing domestic regulations with international standards. This regulatory shift aims to address concerns linked to tax evasion, drug trafficking, and the movement of illegal funds overseas, reflecting a growing focus on small crypto payments in the regulatory landscape.
Affluent Chinese investors are increasingly comparing luxury real estate values with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, as well as stocks such as Nvidia. Homes priced between ¥60 million and ¥66 million (approximately $414,000 to $455,000) in Shenzhen Bay are being evaluated not just as status symbols but as competing assets in investment portfolios. This shift indicates a significant change in perception regarding real estate as a safe store of value, traditionally held in high regard in China. Social media discussions highlight concerns that even prestigious property markets like Shenzhen Bay are losing their appeal compared to digital assets.
This trend may reflect broader economic uncertainties and a growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies as viable investment alternatives, potentially impacting future property valuations and investment strategies among the wealthy in China.
U.S. stock markets have shown a rangebound performance as traders adjust their positions ahead of the Federal Reserve's upcoming minutes release. This cautious sentiment has been particularly evident in the technology sector, where investors are paring back bets on major tech stocks as the year comes to a close. The market's reaction reflects broader concerns about interest rates and their potential impact on economic growth and investment strategies.
A South Korean crypto exchange employee was sentenced to four years in prison for attempting to recruit a military officer to sell classified secrets to North Korea in exchange for Bitcoin, the Supreme Court ruled on December 28. The ruling also imposes a four-year ban on the employee from financial sector activities. Court documents revealed that North Korean hackers paid the exchange staffer $487,000 in Bitcoin to recruit a 30-year-old army captain, who received $33,500 in Bitcoin in return, according to the South Korean media outlet Dailian. The staffer approached the officer through a Telegram chat, offering cryptocurrency for access to sensitive military data.
Military police intercepted the devices before any breach occurred. The captain, surnamed Kim, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $35,000 for violating the Military Secrets Protection Act. The U.S. Treasury Department on November 4 sanctioned eight individuals and two entities linked to North Korea’s cybercrime operations, targeting the flow of cryptocurrency stolen by DPRK hackers.
Hacken said Web3 losses rose to almost $4 billion in 2025, with North Korea behind more than half; regulators are currently under pressure to turn security guidance into hard rules.
An investigation from ZachXBT traced the suspect through posts gloating on social media and Telegram activity.
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