Tag: Negative

  • Dogecoin Bulls Struggle Amid Whale Activity, Capitulation Signals

    Dogecoin Bulls Struggle Amid Whale Activity, Capitulation Signals

    Dogecoin Shows Signs of Valuation Stress

    Dogecoin is exhibiting classic signs of valuation stress, according to an analysis by Alphractal AI. The analysis suggests that Dogecoin bulls are missing a crucial element for a sustained rally: stronger support from large holders, often referred to as “whales.”

    At the time of the analysis, Dogecoin was trading at $0.099, with a market capitalization of $15.48 billion and a 24-hour trading volume of $1.06 billion. The asset ranked ninth by market cap, but its overall performance profile remained under pressure. While DOGE was up 2% over 24 hours, it was still down 5.96% over seven days, 4.28% over 30 days, 30.82% year-to-date, and 54.39% over one year.

    Whale Data Weakens Dogecoin’s Recovery Case

    A key concern is the positioning of large holders. Alphractal’s data indicates a whale-versus-retail delta of -0.2464 and a whale-versus-retail ratio of 0.8963, suggesting that larger players are not leading the price movement. The report describes the situation as “mixed but fragile,” noting that funding remains subdued and whale behavior does not confirm a strong bullish trend.

    The analysis stated, “Funding is only 0.01%, so leverage is not overheated, but the negative whale-vs-retail delta suggests larger players are less aggressive than smaller participants. That weakens the quality of bullish positioning.”

    The depressed valuation metrics could otherwise make the asset appear attractive to dip buyers. However, a market can trade below the aggregate cost basis for extended periods if larger holders are not accumulating or if exchange supply remains elevated. In Dogecoin’s case, exchange reserves totaled 28.26 billion DOGE, worth approximately $2.77 billion, with balances rising 0.45% over seven days. Alphractal considers this “mildly negative” because it suggests that available sell-side supply is not being aggressively moved into long-term storage.

    Capitulation Signals Are Clear, But Not Enough

    Dogecoin’s valuation profile presents some constructive aspects, albeit with caveats. The asset’s realized price was $0.12929, placing the spot price 22.99% below the average holder cost basis. The Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) ratio was 0.7754, while the Net Unrealized Profit/Loss (NUPL) came in at -0.2897, indicating a capitulation regime.

    Alphractal noted, “The exact numbers show a market with capitulation-type holder conditions, subpar trend strength, and limited broad user participation, even though larger on-chain value transfer has improved. The clearest conclusion is this: DOGE looks cheaper than its average holder cost basis, but not structurally strong yet.”

    Dogecoin’s technical structure also remains weak. The token traded 13.46% below its 200-day moving average, with the daily Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) still bearish. Relative Strength Index (RSI) readings were near 40 on both the 24-hour and weekly timeframes, indicating weak momentum but not necessarily extreme exhaustion.

    The moving-average picture was mixed but largely negative. Dogecoin traded below its 12-day, 21-day, and 50-day moving averages, while sitting only 1.37% above its 100-day average. This keeps the broader trend tilted bearish despite the 24-hour bounce.

    Derivatives data did not show excessive leverage, but it also failed to show a strong return of speculative interest. Open interest stood at $907.32 million, up 0.57% over 24 hours but down 7.82% over seven days. Alphractal stated that leverage has stabilized in the short term, while the longer-term open interest trend remains negative.

    On-Chain Value Moves, But Participation Lags

    One of the few improving signals came from adjusted transfer volume, which rose 32.52% in one day and 57.64% over seven days to $213.59 million. However, this increase was not matched by broader network participation. Active addresses fell 3.90% daily and 3.36% weekly, while the transaction count dropped 8.37% over seven days. This divergence suggests larger-value transfers rather than broad retail re-engagement.

    For Dogecoin’s recovery to strengthen, Alphractal’s framework points to a healthier combination: rising active addresses, falling exchange reserves, improving long-term open interest, and a momentum shift back above key trend levels. Until these conditions are met, Dogecoin remains in a challenging position. The data suggests the asset is undervalued relative to the holder cost basis, but the whale signal is not yet strong enough to validate a sustained recovery.

  • Bitcoin Faces Potential Crash to $44,000, Analyst Warns

    Bitcoin Faces Potential Crash to $44,000, Analyst Warns

    Bitcoin’s anticipated recovery appears increasingly unlikely as a bearish flag formation takes shape. The leading cryptocurrency has fallen below $74,000 in the last 24 hours, and one analyst believes this latest move is part of a larger decline. Bitcoin is currently trading at $73,240, down approximately 3.2% for the day. This drop has made a bearish TradingView analysis by Xanrox more relevant, as the analyst warned that Bitcoin could fall below its current structure and begin a wider move down to $44,000.

    Bitcoin’s Bear Market Structure Nears Completion

    According to Xanrox, a crypto analyst on social media, Bitcoin’s bear market structure is approximately 70% complete. Xanrox’s prediction is based on the premise that Bitcoin has been undergoing a large corrective structure since its all-time high above $126,000 in October 2025.

    Technical analysis of Bitcoin’s chart reveals three separate bearish flag formations on the daily candlestick timeframe. The first is a small bearish flag, the second a medium bearish flag, and the third, a larger bearish flag, is currently developing around the current trading range.

    Elliott Wave analysis suggests Bitcoin’s price action since October is following an ABC corrective pattern, with wave B now complete. This analysis indicates the Bitcoin bear market is about 70% complete, but the most significant downturn is yet to come.

    Bitcoin Price Prediction

    The forecast suggests the current Bitcoin correction will continue for months along a defined path. The first major level to watch is the lower boundary of the bearish flag, with the $71,000 region being a key level. A break below $71,000 would strengthen the bearish setup and could lead to another move towards the early February low around $63,000.

    The overall forecast points to a deeper correction, with the chart indicating Bitcoin is moving through the stages of a corrective C-wave that might bottom out around $44,000. Xanrox identified this level as a strong point of control on the weekly candlestick chart, representing a high-volume zone that could attract price if it breaks below $63,000.

    The timeline for this prediction extends into the second half of the year. The projected bottom is expected around September or October 2026, followed by a stronger recovery through October, November, and December. The roadmap then points to a larger bull cycle after the correction ends, in 2027 and 2028, with Bitcoin potentially reaching as high as $200,000 by 2028.

    Benjamin Cowen, CEO of Into The Cryptoverse and former NASA researcher, has also cited October 2026 as his base-case bottom for Bitcoin’s bear market, aligning with Xanrox’s timeline.

  • Google Engineer Allegedly Profited $1.2M from Secret Search Data

    Google Engineer Allegedly Profited $1.2M from Secret Search Data

    US prosecutors have charged Google software engineer Michele Spagnuolo, also known online as ‘AlphaRaccoon,’ with allegedly using confidential internal Google search data to generate approximately $1.2 million in profits through bets placed on the prediction market platform Polymarket.

    Charges Filed

    According to a criminal complaint unsealed in the Southern District of New York, Spagnuolo allegedly accessed nonpublic “Year in Search 2025” data from Google’s internal systems. He then used this information to trade on Google-related markets on Polymarket before the results were publicly released.

    Prosecutors have charged him with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed a parallel civil complaint, accusing him of insider trading violations under the Commodity Exchange Act. The filing states that Google maintains strict confidentiality over its “Year in Search” rankings because the annual campaign is commercially valuable and designed around a coordinated public reveal intended to generate media attention, user engagement, and advertising demand.

    Alleged Scheme

    Investigators stated that Spagnuolo had access to a Google internal software tool containing confidential trend data, which displayed a “Google Confidential” warning banner. Authorities allege that between October and December 2025, Spagnuolo used the AlphaRaccoon Polymarket account to place bets on at least 23 Google-related prediction markets. These included contracts tied to the “#1 Searched Person on Google this year” and “Top 5 Most Searched People on Google 2025.”

    The complaint states that after reviewing Google’s internal data on October 15, 2025, Spagnuolo placed trades the following day, backing Kendrick Lamar to become the top searched person of the year while simultaneously betting against Pope Leo XIV achieving the same result. Prosecutors said he continued placing trades over the following weeks using knowledge unavailable to the public.

    On November 27, 2025, investigators allege that Spagnuolo again accessed confidential Google search rankings and learned that musician d4vd had overtaken Kendrick Lamar as the top trending person for the year. Roughly three hours later, the AlphaRaccoon account allegedly placed bets favoring d4vd, despite the market assigning almost no probability to that outcome at the time.

    The filing states that the account risked roughly $2.75 million across Google Year in Search-related markets between October 15 and December 4, 2025. After Google publicly released its Year in Search results on December 4, prosecutors said the AlphaRaccoon account generated approximately $1.2 million in profits.

    Concealment Efforts

    Investigators further allege that Spagnuolo attempted to conceal the origin of the proceeds by moving crypto through multiple wallets, decentralized swapping services, and a privacy-focused transfer service.

    Broader Context

    The allegations against Spagnuolo come as prediction markets face increasing scrutiny over insider-style trading activity. In April, the rival platform Kalshi banned three US political candidates after discovering they had placed bets tied to their own election races. Those included Minnesota State Senator Matt Klein, Texas congressional candidate Ezekiel Enriquez, and Virginia Senate candidate Mark Moran.

    Kalshi said the trades violated exchange rules that prohibit people with direct influence over an event from trading related contracts. The platform issued fines and five-year bans.

  • Sui Network Suffers Hours-Long Outage, Again.

    Sui Network Suffers Hours-Long Outage, Again.

    Built to rival other high-speed layer-1 blockchains, the Sui network has again experienced downtime, echoing issues previously faced by Solana.

    Network Stall

    The “network stall,” first identified and investigated on Thursday morning, resulted in a major outage lasting over five hours as the Sui team worked to resolve the issue.

    Around 10:30 a.m. ET, the blockchain posted on X, stating, “Sui Mainnet is currently experiencing a network stall. Be aware that transactions may be paused at this time. Updates will be shared as soon as they are available.”

    An update on the Sui network status page at 3:40 p.m. ET indicated that a “fix is rolling out to validators.”

    Previous Outages

    This latest “stall” follows a similar event that plagued the layer-1’s mainnet in January, resulting in over six hours of downtime. Prior to that, the network faced a significant validator issue in 2024 that prevented transaction processing.

    While the network’s engineers identified the issue shortly after beginning their investigation, a fix had not yet been implemented as of the time of this writing, according to the blockchain’s status page.

    Token Impact

    Amid the downtime, the network’s native token, SUI, may have been affected, falling 5.4% in the last 24 hours to trade at $0.92. This decline outpaced losses from Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other leading cryptocurrencies.

    ETF Developments and Historical Performance

    Earlier this year, the first SUI ETFs were launched, with products from Canary and Grayscale providing exposure to the SUI token and staking reward access to traditional investors through equity markets.

    The network’s native token reached an all-time high of $5.35 in January 2025 but has since fallen by over 82% from that peak.

    Background

    Launched in 2023, the network was developed by Mysten Labs, a spin-off of Meta’s Diem project. The network previously raised $300 million in a Series B round in 2022, valuing it at $2 billion.

  • Trump’s Crypto Pledge Fails to Lift Market

    Trump’s Crypto Pledge Fails to Lift Market

    Bitcoin’s price experienced a sharp $2,000 decline immediately following Donald Trump’s most explicit pro-crypto statement to date, where he vowed he would “never let crypto down.” The subsequent drop in Bitcoin’s price revealed the current market sentiment.

    Market Reaction

    Instead of initiating a sustained rally, the statement triggered a distribution event, liquidating leveraged long positions clustered near the $70,000 resistance level and pushing Bitcoin significantly lower within hours.

    Traders on Crypto Twitter are referring to this as the “Reverse Midas Touch,” a pattern where Trump’s most bullish pronouncements consistently lead to sell-offs rather than sustained buying. This dynamic is increasingly understood as a “sell-the-news” event, where political headlines provide exit liquidity for large holders rather than stimulating new structural demand.

    Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance

    Trump’s statement, delivered in late May 2026 as part of an intensified effort to secure the crypto vote ahead of the next election cycle, positioned his administration as the definitive protector of digital assets in America.

    This rhetoric was directly linked to the White House’s concurrent legislative push, urging Congress to pass a comprehensive crypto market-structure bill that would reshape U.S. oversight of trading, stablecoins, and custody arrangements.

    This framing represented the most aggressive pro-crypto positioning Trump has adopted since reversing his 2021 stance, when he called Bitcoin a “scam.”

    His team has also accepted crypto campaign donations and launched NFT collections under the Trump brand, but the “never let crypto down” line was qualitatively different – a direct, unconditional promise. The market’s immediate response was therefore particularly telling.

    Price Action and Liquidation

    Bitcoin was trading near the $70,000 resistance zone when the statement was released. The rejection was immediate, with Bitcoin dropping approximately $2,000, leaving the asset well below that level within the same trading session.

    The decline was triggered by Iran’s retaliatory strike and the market’s anticipation of further escalation rather than a peace deal.

    Liquidation heatmaps indicated a dense cluster of long positions being cleared out at the $70,000 level, consistent with institutional or whale-scale selling into the retail enthusiasm generated by the headline.

    ETF Data and Market Sentiment

    ETF flow data further supported this picture. A $1.289 billion IBIT movement executed via a dark pool, the largest off-exchange trade of its kind on record, had already signaled that large holders were repositioning rather than accumulating. This behavior is indicative of distribution, not accumulation.

    This pattern has precedent. On May 18, 2026, Bitcoin fell approximately 2.4% to $76,500 after Trump issued a sharp geopolitical warning to Iran, with Ether falling 3.5% to $2,116 in the same move. Trump-related headlines have now triggered downside in crypto on multiple occasions, making the directional bias increasingly difficult to ignore.

  • XRP Faces Potential Drop to $0.75, Analyst Warns

    XRP Faces Potential Drop to $0.75, Analyst Warns

    XRP Faces Potential Downturn, According to Technical Analyst

    XRP’s weekly chart suggests a bearish continuation pattern, according to Aksel Kibar, a Chartered Market Technician (CMT) and experienced chart analyst. Kibar’s analysis indicates a possible price decline towards $0.75 if the current consolidation phase breaks down.

    Kibar, who posts under the TechCharts account on X, has over 15 years of experience in global equity market analysis. He previously worked as a senior technical analyst and fund manager at Yapi Kredi Bank in Turkey and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. His expertise has been recognized by veteran commodity trader Peter Brandt, who has described Kibar as “the most accomplished pure classical chart analyst alive today.”

    Resistance at $1.60 Stalls XRP

    Kibar’s recent analysis of XRP is concise: “$XRPUSD 1.6 resistance. Latest consolidation below the resistance and can act as a bearish continuation.” The chart, sourced from Bitstamp’s weekly timeframe, shows XRP trading around $1.28 after failing to surpass the $1.60 resistance level. This level is significant as it previously served as a support zone during the 2025 range, which peaked around $3.45. After XRP lost this support, the same zone has become a resistance level.

    The current price action reveals a triangular consolidation pattern. The upper boundary of this triangle slopes downward from the failed recovery attempt, while the lower boundary rises from the post-breakdown lows. In classical charting, such a structure can resolve in either direction, but its location is crucial. A triangle forming after a major breakdown and below former support often signals a potential continuation pattern unless buyers can push the price back above the resistance.

    Kibar’s $0.75 target is derived from the pattern’s measured move. The widest part of the triangle spans from approximately $1.67 to $1.12, a range of about $0.55. If XRP breaks below the triangle near $1.30, subtracting the $0.55 range yields a downside objective near $0.75. This target is a projected extension of the current compression if the market confirms a breakdown. However, the setup requires confirmation through a decisive break below the triangle before it can be considered a completed bearish signal.

    Long-Term Trend Filter Adds to Bearish Outlook

    Kibar also incorporates a long-term trend filter in his analysis. In the cryptocurrency market, he often uses the 365-day exponential moving average as a primary directional filter. When the price is above this average, it generally supports a more constructive bias; when the price is below it, caution is advised, especially when rallies stall below resistance.

    In XRP’s case, the price is trading below the red long-term moving average at $1.74, while the average itself is above the current consolidation. This further reinforces the bearish interpretation. Buyers need to invalidate the triangle breakdown risk and also repair the broader trend structure by reclaiming lost resistance and moving back above the long-term average.

    At the time of reporting, XRP was trading at $1.29.

  • Crypto Market Dips Amid Iran Tensions, ETF Withdrawals

    Crypto Market Dips Amid Iran Tensions, ETF Withdrawals

    Crypto Market Plummets Amid Outflows and Geopolitical Concerns

    Bitcoin experienced a significant downturn on Thursday morning, falling below $73,000 and trading at $73,260, a 3.4% decrease in the last 24 hours. This marks a six-week low for the cryptocurrency.

    The price drop appears to be driven by two primary factors: escalating tensions in the Iran conflict and the largest single-day outflow from Bitcoin ETFs in 2024.

    Renewed strikes and the breakdown of ceasefire negotiations in Iran led to a 2.5% increase in oil prices and a general decline in risk assets. The optimism from the previous weekend’s peace deal quickly dissipated.

    The Bitcoin ETF landscape is particularly concerning. Tuesday saw outflows of -$733.40 million, the worst single day since January 29. Combined with Monday’s -$333.60 million, the two-day total outflow exceeds $1 billion. Eight consecutive trading days of outflows have now erased over $2.6 billion from Bitcoin ETFs since May 15.

    Other major cryptocurrencies also suffered losses. Ethereum fell below $2,000 for the first time since April, trading at $1,983 and down 33% year-to-date. Even HYPE, which has been a standout performer this year with a 123% YTD increase, is down 10% today, trading at $56.44. The $6.25 billion options expiry today, with max pain at $75,000, indicates the market is currently $1,700 below max pain heading into settlement.

    Broader markets also reflect the downturn, with gold down 1.4% at $4,386 and stock futures in the red, including a 0.5% drop in the Nasdaq. While the market is experiencing a widespread decline, the crypto market is feeling the effects most acutely.

    Crypto IPO Wave Could Create a $1 Trillion Public Market

    Jefferies anticipates a surge in crypto and blockchain-related public listings over the next two years, projecting the sector could become a $1 trillion public market within five years.

    The bank released this report following its first Digital Assets Investor Conference in New York, where 35 digital asset company executives met with approximately 150 institutional investors. The discussions marked a shift from previous years, with institutional investors now focusing on integrating blockchain infrastructure into core financial systems, including tokenized money market funds, private credit, and settlement networks, rather than solely speculating on Bitcoin price.

    Specifically, Jefferies is monitoring the IPO pipeline, which includes Kraken parent Payward (confidential S-1 filed, $20 billion valuation raise underway), Securitize (SEC-registered tokenization platform), Blockchain.com (S-1 filed last week), and Gemini.

    Beyond crypto-native companies, the bank identifies traditional financial firms, including settlement networks and payment processors, as potential candidates for public listings tied to blockchain infrastructure build-outs. This projection comes as Ledger, ConsenSys, and other firms have delayed IPO plans due to a 75% year-to-date decrease in crypto trading volumes. Fundstrat estimates that these processes are “70-80% along the way” and ready to accelerate once markets recover.

    Crypto’s Political Spending Is Shifting Republican

    While Fairshake and its affiliates remain a dominant force in crypto-driven elections, several new crypto PACs have emerged with a Republican focus, potentially shifting the bipartisan energy carefully cultivated over multiple campaign cycles. The Texas primary runoffs on Tuesday highlighted this shift.

    Crypto-focused political committees spent over $9 million in Texas, contributing to a series of primary victories for industry-aligned candidates across both parties. Notably, they helped oust Rep. Al Green, a vocal crypto critic, in a rare incumbent-on-incumbent primary runoff.

    The new Republican focus is coming from a second layer of PACs operating alongside FairShake. Fellowship PAC, associated with Tether and Cantor Fitzgerald, spent $500,000 supporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s successful challenge to incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn, a race FairShake’s bipartisan structure couldn’t enter. Paxton is more inclined towards crypto deregulation than Cornyn. The Winklevoss twins have also launched their own GOP-only groups.

    While FairShake continues its bipartisan efforts, newer PACs are exclusively Republican, creating a redundant political layer that covers both party tracks simultaneously. They have achieved some success so far.

    Google Engineer Busted for Inside Trading on Polymarket

    Michele Spagnuolo, a Google security engineer, has been arrested and charged with insider trading for allegedly placing bets on Polymarket based on Google search data, according to US officials on Wednesday.

    A complaint unsealed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York alleges that Spagnuolo used “material nonpublic information” to place bets on who would appear on Google’s list of most-searched-for individuals for 2025, after Polymarket began offering these markets last fall.

    Spagnuolo, 36, used the pseudonym AlphaRaccoon. He allegedly used confidential Google data to predict that singer D4vd would be named the most-searched person – a result announced publicly on December 4, 2025. He transferred $3.8 million in USDC to his Polymarket address to make the bets, and profited $1.2 million. He then moved those funds out using a swapping service and privacy tool, ultimately transferring the funds to a processor in Italy. He faces charges of commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.

    This is the second Polymarket insider trading case the SDNY has brought this year, the first involving Army Special Forces soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke, who bet on the Maduro raid he participated in.

  • Lummis: CLARITY Act Delay Risks Regulatory Setback

    Lummis: CLARITY Act Delay Risks Regulatory Setback

    Senator Cynthia Lummis issued a strong warning this week on X: if the CLARITY Act fails to pass Congress during this session, American software developers could face prosecution simply for publishing code.

    She described this scenario as a descent into “regulatory dark ages,” directly criticizing the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) enforcement-based approach, which has characterized U.S. crypto policy for the past three years.

    Lummis emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that this is the last viable legislative opportunity until at least 2030.

    The Stakes

    According to Lummis, if the CLARITY Act does not pass this Congress, American software developers will likely face prosecution in the near future simply for publishing code.

    The Senate Banking Committee approved the CLARITY Act last week, but securing its passage on the Senate floor presents a different challenge.

    Crypto advocacy groups have launched an extensive lobbying campaign to maintain momentum, arguing that the bill offers the industry’s only near-term path to a defined market structure framework. Without it, the SEC’s case-by-case application of the Howey Test to digital assets will continue unchallenged.

    Key Provisions of the CLARITY Act

    The CLARITY Act primarily aims to clarify jurisdictional issues. It would formally define ancillary assets, a category encompassing most altcoins, and specify which digital tokens linked to investment contracts are not securities. This would resolve the ambiguity the SEC has used to pursue enforcement actions without formal rulemaking.

    The bill would require the SEC to establish Regulation DA, exempting certain ancillary-asset offerings from full registration if they raise $75 million or less over four years.

    In addition to registration thresholds, the legislation would direct the SEC to modernize its investment contract definitions and set examination standards targeting illicit finance. This would replace informal supervisory pressure and guidance letters with binding rulemaking.

    This shift is significant because the current framework allows the SEC discretion to threaten enforcement without triggering the procedural protections that formal rules would require.

    The Act also addresses stablecoins through 1:1 reserve mandates, a provision Lummis views as crucial for maintaining the digital dollar’s international credibility.

    The CLARITY Act’s market structure provisions would divide oversight between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) based on asset classification, mirroring the existing structure in traditional finance.

    Lummis has argued that the absence of this framework is accelerating capital flight to offshore hubs in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, where institutional players can operate under defined rules.

    The SEC’s continued reliance on enforcement as a primary policy tool is not a neutral stance. It is actively influencing where crypto infrastructure is being developed.

  • XRP Price Dips Below $1.30 Amid SEC Action

    XRP Price Dips Below $1.30 Amid SEC Action

    XRP Price Dips Below $1.30

    The price of XRP has fallen, dropping over 3% in a day to trade at $1.29. The $1.30 support level, previously considered the floor of this corrective cycle, has been breached due to sustained selling pressure. However, at least one analyst believes the primary driver of this movement is not reflected on the XRP chart, but rather in Washington.

    Finance expert Levi Rietveld gained significant attention this week after posting on X: “I TOLD YOU XRP FAM!!!! ITS HAPPENING!!!! THE SEC IS DOING IT!!!” He included a video in which he argued that the Federal Reserve is preparing to inject an initial $7 billion into the economy next week, marking the beginning of a quantitative easing cycle.

    Rietveld suggests that coordinated liquidity expansion across the U.S., China, and Europe would significantly increase the global M2 money supply, driving capital into risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. He posits that an increase in the dollar supply would lead investors to seek higher yields on the risk curve.

    Regardless of the Federal Reserve’s actions, XRP’s price structure has weakened considerably over the past 48 hours.

    The 89% bearish sentiment reading, combined with an Extreme Fear score of 25 on the Fear & Greed Index, accurately reflects market sentiment. XRP has lost 10% of its value in the last two weeks and is significantly below its peak of $3.65.

    Trading volume has surged to over $2 billion, primarily driven by sellers liquidating their holdings.

    Technical Analysis

    From a technical perspective, XRP has broken down from a triangle/pennant formation, lost the $1.35 pivot, and is now declining from the $1.30–$1.32 demand zone that previously triggered a strong upward movement. The 50-day moving average is trending downward, and the price is establishing lower lows, indicative of a bearish market structure.

    The $1.30 level represents the neckline of a head-and-shoulders pattern. A close below this level could trigger an 18% decline towards the $1.12–$1.20 area, which is now occurring.

    If the price closes below $1.30 today, it would likely confirm a prolonged breakdown, with potential downside targets at $1.20 and possibly $1.10 if selling accelerates.

    Market Dynamics and Alternative Investments

    For traders reevaluating their positions at current XRP levels, where potential gains to significant resistance at $1.60 are approximately 20% and the downside risk to $1.10 is equally significant, the risk-reward ratio appears unfavorable.

    As XRP struggles to recover, capital is visibly shifting towards higher-beta opportunities.

    Bitcoin Hyper ($HY PER) is one presale attracting attention. It is positioned as the first Bitcoin Layer 2 with Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) integration, offering sub-second finality and low-cost smart contract execution on top of Bitcoin’s security layer, with performance metrics exceeding Solana.

    The presale has raised $32 million at a current token price of $0.0136, with a 36% APY staking rewards program for early participants. The Decentralized Canonical Bridge allows for native BTC transfers into the ecosystem without the counterparty risk associated with wrapped tokens.

  • Crypto Market Dips: IBIT ETF Sees Major Outflow, Trump Actions Impact Prices.

    Crypto Market Dips: IBIT ETF Sees Major Outflow, Trump Actions Impact Prices.

    Market Downturn

    Cryptocurrency markets opened Thursday deep in the red, prompting traders to question the cause of the decline. Bitcoin briefly dipped below $73,000, with major altcoins such as Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and BNB following suit. The downturn coincided with a wave of liquidations, record outflows from the IBIT ETF, and escalating tensions between the United States and Iran following reported strikes in the Middle East.

    Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance

    Despite the market chaos, former President Donald Trump reiterated his pro-crypto stance, stating he would “never let crypto down” while criticizing former SEC Chair Gary Gensler. Trump also pledged to establish a future-proof digital asset framework.

    Liquidations and Market Volatility

    The dominant narrative focused on the market’s decline, with CoinGlass data indicating $936 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours. Long positions accounted for $873 million of the sell-off. Bitcoin alone saw $355 million in liquidations, followed by Ethereum at $242 million. Solana, XRP, and BNB futures also experienced notable losses.

    This decline occurred amid a broader risk-off shift in global markets. Geopolitical uncertainty related to the Trump-Iran situation pushed investors away from speculative assets, and crypto futures open interest decreased by 1.2%.

    Pressure intensified ahead of Friday’s significant options expiry, with $7.5 billion in crypto contracts set to settle. Bitcoin’s max pain level is near $69,000, while Ethereum’s is under $2,000, potentially leading to increased volatility.

    Other Contributing Factors

    Pump.fun continued to sell off SOL, dumping another 100,000 tokens worth $8.3 million as part of its $780 million sell-off campaign.

    BlackRock’s IBIT ETF experienced its largest single-day outflow, shedding $527.8 million. The redemption extended the fund’s losing streak to eight consecutive trading days, bringing total outflows close to $1.8 billion. This contributed significantly to Bitcoin’s drop.

    The IBIT ETF weakness coincided with rising Treasury yields and a flight from risk assets. While Grant Cardone’s firm reportedly purchased an additional 130 BTC during the dip, bullish narratives were overshadowed by the ETF selling pressure.

    Geopolitical Impact

    Tensions between the United States and Iran further contributed to market weakness after reports of strikes in the Middle East. Bitcoin lost momentum below $73,000 as investors sought safer assets.

    Trump continued to reinforce his support for crypto, criticizing Gensler and the “anti-crypto army” while promising to establish permanent digital asset market structure legislation.

    Senator Cynthia Lummis urged Congress to send the Clarity Act to Trump immediately, warning that failure to pass the bill this session could undermine the United States’ position in the global crypto landscape.

    Long-Term Bullish Developments

    Despite the sell-off, several long-term bullish developments persist. VanEck CEO Jan van Eck remains optimistic about Bitcoin’s long-term prospects, although he noted that 2026 historically aligns with the weaker phase of the four-year halving cycle. According to Van Eck, the current correction resembles a normal cycle reset.

    Adoption metrics continue to rise, with crypto-linked payment cards reaching a record $7.8 billion in cumulative transaction volume. Monthly usage growth has surged 230% since May 2025.

    Traditional finance remains active as well. Goldman Sachs recently raised its S&P 500 year-end target to 8,000, which could eventually benefit crypto markets.

    In derivatives markets, some traders see potential upside. Ether shorts clustered near the $2,000 level could face a massive short squeeze worth nearly $2 billion if ETH reverses its current trend.

    Conclusion

    Overall, the current market session highlights why the narrative of “crypto down” dominates in the short term. ETF outflows, leveraged liquidations, geopolitical stress, and options expiry volatility have created a challenging environment for risk assets. However, institutional adoption, regulatory progress, and expanding real-world crypto usage continue to advance.