Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse projected Bitcoin will reach $180,000 by December 31, 2026, citing anticipated U.S. regulatory progress as the primary catalyst. Speaking at Binance Blockchain Week, he identified the proposed CLARITY Act as a key driver that could unlock industry growth. Prediction markets assign only 25% probability to Senate approval of crypto legislation before the end of 2026, though near-term sentiment favors Bitcoin reaching $100,000.

Bitcoin is maintaining support near $92,000 as technical indicators show weakening bearish momentum. Market sentiment received support from two developments: Binance co-founder CZ challenged gold advocate Peter Schiff to verify a gold bar's authenticity at Binance Blockchain Week, while Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan dismissed concerns that Strategy might be forced to liquidate its Bitcoin holdings.

The International Monetary Fund published a 56-page report Thursday warning that foreign currency-denominated stablecoins pose risks to national monetary sovereignty. The analysis highlights how dollar-pegged tokens enable instant digital dollar access via smartphones, bypassing traditional banking systems. The IMF cautioned that widespread stablecoin adoption could weaken central banks' ability to manage domestic liquidity and interest rates, particularly once these digital assets become embedded in payments and savings patterns.

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said sovereign wealth funds purchased Bitcoin during its recent decline below $90,000. Speaking at the New York Times DealBook Summit on December 4, 2025, Fink said these state-backed investors bought incrementally at $120,000 and $100,000, then increased purchases when Bitcoin fell into the $80,000 range. He said these institutions are building long-term positions rather than trading.

Strategy has sharply reduced its Bitcoin acquisition pace in 2025, with monthly purchases dropping from 134,000 BTC in late 2024 to 9,100 BTC in November 2025. CryptoQuant analysts view the slowdown as a defensive repositioning ahead of an anticipated extended bear market. The company has shifted focus toward building a 24-month liquidity buffer to strengthen its financial position.

Changpeng Zhao has launched a prediction market platform on BNB Chain that generates yield on user deposits while positions remain open. Trust Wallet rolled out prediction trading for its 220 million users through a partnership with Myriad Markets. The development follows YZiLabs' announcement of a $1 billion ecosystem fund targeting DeFi and AI initiatives.

Ethereum activated the Fusaka upgrade on May 7, 2025, at 21:49 UTC, introducing PeerDAS—a data-availability system designed to reduce validator computational load through sampling rather than full data verification. The upgrade includes 12 Ethereum Improvement Proposals targeting network efficiency and scalability. Core developers confirmed finalization approximately 15 minutes after activation during the EthStaker livestream.

Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection issued cease-and-desist orders to Robinhood, Kalshi and Crypto.com on Wednesday for allegedly offering unlicensed sports wagering contracts. The companies countered that their event-contract products fall under federal CFTC jurisdiction, not state gambling law.

XRP has climbed above its 9-day and 20-day exponential moving averages following a consolidation period, signaling renewed buying interest. The token now confronts a resistance cluster between $2.19 and $2.24, where order-book data reveals sell walls exceeding $413,000 USDT at $2.20. Support remains anchored near $2.14, with bid walls totaling nearly $1 million USDT providing downside protection.