Bitcoin's recent sideways trading is being linked more to derivatives activity than to spot ETF flows, according to CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost. He noted that since November 22, daily Bitcoin futures volume has fallen from $123 billion to $63 billion, yet still stands at nearly 20 times spot Bitcoin ETF volume and about 10 times spot market trading. Darkfost and other analysts point to persistently negative net taker volume, weakening demand, and moderated but ongoing long-term holder selling as key factors keeping BTC locked in a consolidation range around $87,972.

On Dec. 31, crypto analyst Cantonese Cat argued that Dogecoin's pullback on weakening volume mirrors AMD's pre-rally setup last year. His chart shows DOGE nearing the 0.382 Fibonacci area around $0.118, while a Dec. 20 roadmap mapped extension targets at $0.90, $1.25, $1.99, $4.78 and $8.91.

In a Dec. 31 interview, Anthony Scaramucci said easier US policy—rate cuts, looser conditions, and potential crypto legislation—could make 2026 stronger for quality altcoins after a bruising 2025. He named Solana, Avalanche and TON as his top picks, kept a $150,000 bitcoin target, and cited roughly $4.6 billion in whale selling this year.

On Dec. 30, crypto analyst Matt Hughes, known as The Great Mattsby, said Dogecoin’s $0.11–$0.12 area offers a compelling risk/reward and shared a weekly DOGE/USDT chart to outline the support. He highlighted confluence with a rising trendline and nearby invalidation. Trader Cheds countered that selecting a stronger chart might be preferable, while DOGE traded around $0.1232.

According to on-chain analyst Darkfost, Bitcoin long-term holders, defined as addresses holding coins for more than six months, have shifted from net distribution to slight accumulation after months of selling. By adjusting data to strip out the impact of nearly 800,000 BTC moving off Coinbase, he finds the long-term holder supply change has turned modestly positive, with about 10,700 BTC aging into this cohort. Other analysts, including Ki Young Ju and Matthew Sigel, view the end of this large distribution phase as easing a major source of selling pressure, though it does not guarantee a price bottom.

CryptoInsightUK analyst Will Taylor said on Dec. 27 that XRP could reach $28 this cycle as a non‑base‑case, contingent on an altcoin‑heavy rotation and a breakout from multi‑year compression. He outlined a $10 trillion total market cap with Bitcoin dominance at 35.3%–31.5%, and set primary targets at $8–$12, potentially $15–$16, while disclosing a 90% XRP allocation.

On Dec. 29, Wu Blockchain summarized 2026 Bitcoin forecasts, noting a shift from single-number targets to scenario ranges. Institutions and analysts mapped upside bands around $150,000–$250,000 by end-2026, while bearish paths extended to $70,000, $56,000, $25,000, and an outlier at $10,000. At press time, BTC traded at $88,027.

Analyst Cantonese Cat compared Dogecoin's 6‑month structure to silver's recent breakout, sketching a multi‑year path with a potential peak above $11 in the second half of 2029. A Dec. 20 weekly roadmap set Fibonacci levels from $0.04909 to $0.48442, with extensions up to $8.90771 if DOGE reclaims its prior high.

Heading into New Year's Eve, Bitcoin is close to ending the year with a negative yearly candle, with Alex Thorn of Galaxy Digital noting the asset is down 6.3% year-to-date and 8.25% year-over-year and would require a close above $93,389 to turn 2025 positive. He highlighted that BTC has traded about 36% below its Oct. 6, 2025 all-time high of $125,296, even as US bitcoin ETFs retained most of their cumulative inflows and long-term holders have been distributing coins to newer buyers. Thorn argued that options positioning, whale selling, competition from other macro trades, and a shift in volatility structure are shaping the current consolidation, while Galaxy projects a potential move to $250,000 by the end of 2027.