The current market situation is like waiting for a signal. Whether the market can truly break out of the predicament ultimately depends on time and volatility. As long as the bearish forces remain strong enough, sell-offs will continue, but no one can predict how long this situation will last. Interestingly, when XRP and Solana both hit their long-term support levels, the chances of a rebound are higher than most people think. The previously pessimistic expectations might be proven wrong, and the market could regain vitality faster than expected, even turning upward directly near these key price levels. **Ethereum at a Crossroads** Recently, more and more people in the community have noticed a detail: Ethereum is approaching a critical threshold on its long-term chart. The $3000 line is not just a random number; it is a structural watershed that truly determines Ethereum’s future—whether it continues to surge or falls into repeated consolidation, it all depends on this. Currently, Ethereum is oscillating around the mid-range of $2900, still below $3000 after a year of fluctuations. The momentum from the impressive rally at the beginning of the year has already softened, but the decline has been relatively mild, without a bloodbath crash. This is very important. The 200-week moving average remains above the price and continues to trend higher, indicating that Ethereum’s trading price still firmly stays above long-term support. This is definitely not a bear market signal. From a technical perspective, the $3000 level is both a resistance and a validation point—breaking through it would attract capital rotation from Bitcoin ETF allocations and trend traders; falling below it would cause Ethereum to enter weeks or even longer periods of range-bound consolidation, making it difficult to find renewed momentum historically. Because of this, positioning around the $3000 level is particularly critical.

Year-end final trading day, the crypto market remains calm and uneventful. The story of MicroStrategy best illustrates the current awkward situation. In December, this tech company sold a total of 15 million shares to raise $2.67 billion and increased its Bitcoin holdings. It sounds ambitious, but the market response was cold—MSTR's stock price dropped to $155, hitting a new low since September. This "stock-bond divergence" phenomenon is rare, and institutional investors are beginning to have differing opinions, even doubts, about this "infinite leverage" model. Bitcoin itself is also having a tough time. With a tug-of-war around the $87,000 mark, if there are no surprises tonight, the full-year decline will be about 8%. This sharply contrasts with last year's bullish trend, making 2025 seem like a "digestive year"—wide-range volatility, lukewarm and uneventful. But not all coins are in the same boat. XRP is defying the trend, stabilizing overnight above $1.80, performing significantly better than the broader market. Behind this is a defensive allocation of funds at year-end—investors tend to favor assets with clear regulatory positive signals (such as ETF approval expectations). Tax considerations are also brewing. Today is the deadline for U.S. investors to harvest tax losses for the 2025 fiscal year, and some losing altcoins still face final liquidation pressure. Analysts expect that after the New Year’s Day hurdle, selling pressure will sharply decrease. Interestingly, Meme coins on Solana and Base chains are lively. Leading projects like WIF and BONK are seeing increased trading volume, as retail investors bet on social media hype during the holidays to generate traffic dividends. Mainstream coins are sluggish, but on-chain speculative funds have not retreated—they are betting on the "New Year’s effect." Influenced by this wave, leveraged ETFs are also pulling back. The 2x long MSTR ETF launched by Defiance has significantly shrunk in size, reflecting a short-term cooling of the narrative around "corporate Bitcoin allocation." How the story will unfold in early 2026 remains uncertain.

$XRP US Spot XRP ETF saw a net inflow of $15.55 million yesterday💰 institutional funds continue to flow in, XRP ETF performs strongly! Regulatory favorable capital support, Ripple ecosystem accelerates development... The crypto market gains new momentum🚀