On January 1, 2026, Ripple plans to release up to 1 billion XRP from its long-running escrow program, marking the company's first scheduled token unlock of the year. The mechanism, launched in 2017, frees 1 billion XRP at the start of each month, with Ripple historically returning 60% to 80% to new escrows and retaining the rest for operational purposes. Traders are watching the January unlock for any impact on XRP's market dynamics, as the token recently traded around $1.98 after losing the $2 support level.

Bitcoin has been sliding lower after repeatedly failing to break the $95K resistance, keeping price action choppy and biased to the downside. Technical indicators on both the daily and 4-hour charts show BTC trading within bearish structures, with $88K as a key near-term support and a broader demand area around $80K. On-chain aSOPR is trending toward the 1.0 threshold, suggesting that a decisive break lower could trigger loss-taking and potential capitulation before any rebound.

XRP's payments volume has surged into the billions over the past month, with single-day peaks near 1.7 billion. Yet the token trades below short-, mid-, and long-term moving averages in a descending channel, while RSI sits in the low-40s. Resistance is noted at $2.30–$2.45, with a potential breakdown risk near $1.90–$2.00.

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index has slid to 16, close to 2025's low of 10, while Bitcoin trades around $88,900, about 30% below its $126,000 peak from October. Ethereum remains 36% under its August high and XRP has surrendered more than 40% of its value, even as spot XRP ETFs log 19 straight days of inflows totaling about $990.91 million. Despite extreme fear dominating sentiment, some traders are watching support between $80,000 and $85,000 for BTC as macro policy moves and liquidity shifts continue to drive volatility.

President Donald Trump said this week the U.S. has taken in roughly $18 trillion from tariffs. Treasury data shows customs duties totaled about $195 billion in fiscal year 2025, with monthly collections in late 2025 exceeding $30 billion, and reviews note his tally bundles investment pledges rather than cash receipts. The administration is also pushing blockchain-based transparency for public financial data.

On 15 December 2025, Strategy, the company previously known as MicroStrategy, disclosed a new weekly purchase of 10,645 BTC for $980.3 million at an average price of $92,098 per coin. With this acquisition, its Bitcoin stash has risen to 671,268 BTC, accumulated for about $50.33 billion at an average cost of $74,972. The deal was financed via several equity offerings, even as the firm faces potential MSCI index exclusion and ongoing crypto market volatility.

On December 15, 2025, Ripple Labs' Managing Director for Middle East & Africa, Reece Merrick, underscored South Africa as a strategic market for the company amid rapid regulatory advances. He noted that the FSCA had received 512 CASP license applications and approved 300 by December 2025, shaping a more regulated ecosystem that could support Ripple's partnerships, including its custody collaboration with Absa Bank. Merrick also pointed to a 52% surge in Sub-Saharan Africa transactions to $205 billion between July 2024 and June 2025 as evidence of growing regional crypto adoption.

On December 15, a Form 8-K showed Strategy acquired 10,645 BTC between December 8 and December 14, spending $980.3 million at an average price of $92,098, funded via equity and preferred stock offerings. The firm's holdings rose to 671,268 BTC, and it recently set up a $1.44 billion cash reserve to cover dividend and debt interest obligations.