Ethereum’s price is still capped below the $3,000 level and the 200-day exponential moving average, even as exchange balances continue to decline and whale accumulation grows. Futures market data shows that over 70% of open ETH perpetual positions are long, creating a crowded leverage setup with elevated liquidation risk. Momentum indicators remain subdued, pointing to a coiled market structure that could precede a sharp volatility spike.

By late 2025, investors began to separate AI companies that generate strong cash flows from those pouring capital into infrastructure with uncertain returns. Asset-heavy spending by Big Tech on data centers and GPUs contrasts with suppliers like Nvidia and Broadcom that collect the revenue. Market strategists warn that high valuations, debt-funded AI build-outs, and unproven startups could tighten profit margins and force sharper differentiation among AI players.

On Dec. 12, 2025, the stablecoin market’s total value reached $310 billion, up 70% year over year. USDT at $172 billion and USDC at $145 billion dominate activity, and stablecoins often comprise about 80% of exchange trading. The asset class is increasingly used for faster, lower-cost cross‑border payments and as core collateral in DeFi.

According to the Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index, market sentiment has stayed in the extreme fear band for 13 consecutive days while Bitcoin is trading around $87,500. The gauge, which aggregates market cap dominance, volume, Google Trends, social activity, and volatility into a 0–100 score, currently sits at 23, marking a prolonged period of pessimism. Historically, major tops and bottoms have often formed when the index sits in its extreme zones, but it is still unclear whether the latest stretch will mark a decisive cycle low.

On 25 December 2025, Michael Saylor outlined a 2026 Bitcoin outlook that centers on U.S. banks expanding lending and custody services around the asset. He argues that clearer regulation, Bitcoin-backed credit, and institutional custody from major banks could shift Bitcoin from a niche holding into a mainstream financial instrument and support the next bull phase.

CryptoQuant reports Binance XRP futures open interest has dropped to about $453 million, the lowest since the end of 2024. OI previously topped $1 billion earlier and mid-2025 during speculative surges but has trended lower as leverage unwinds. XRP is near $1.87 after slipping below $2.00 and $1.90, with mixed on-chain signals.

Shiba Inu has declined 14.53% so far in December 2025, continuing a pattern of negative December performance that dates back to 2020. The token is trading around $0.000007174 on Christmas Day, with volume down 10.29% to $77.93 million amid lighter holiday activity. Bulls are watching for a possible Santa Claus Rally toward $0.00000765, while key resistance sits at $0.00000843 and $0.00001125 and support is expected near the $0.000007 area.

On Dec. 25, XRP traded near $1.86, dipped, and recovered toward $1.87, finishing the holiday session in the green. According to CoinGlass, the last hour saw $12,510 in liquidations, mostly $11,802 in shorts, while the 24-hour total reached $828,440 with longs leading $481,670 versus $346,760 in shorts.