The main cryptocurrencies and the list of factors that move the markets

The cryptocurrency landscape is experiencing a crucial phase where regulatory decisions and macroeconomic data intertwine with price movements. A comprehensive analysis of the list of determining factors shows how bitcoin, ethereum, and other digital assets react to institutional pressures and inflation expectations.

Financial institutions limit yields on stablecoins

American credit unions have joined banks in restricting interest payments on stablecoin deposits. This decision emerges from an updated draft of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which prohibits digital asset service providers from paying “any form of interest or yield” solely for the holding of payment stablecoins.

The proposed regulatory framework classifies digital assets into three main categories: digital commodities like bitcoin and ether under CFTC supervision, investment contract assets regulated by the SEC, and authorized payment stablecoins. The crypto community remains divided on this issue: credit unions, banks, and companies oppose this restriction, but for now, financial institutions appear to have achieved a procedural victory.

The list of moving cryptocurrencies: bitcoin and ethereum lead the reaction

Among the main tokens in the crypto listing, bitcoin and ethereum show significant movements. Bitcoin is quoted at $77.59K with a 4.74% decrease in 24 hours, while ethereum stands at $2.32K with an 8.68% reduction in the same period. The top 10 tokens by market capitalization, including XRP, Solana, Hedera, and BNB Smart Chain, record varied changes.

The solana-ether (SOL/ETH) ratio recently broke above a downtrend line that characterized a negative trend started in September. This technical breakout indicates a possible short-term outperformance of Solana compared to ethereum.

Critical factors for bitcoin traders and investors: inflation data in the spotlight

Market operators remain cautious as they await US inflation data for December. The Consumer Price Index is estimated to rise by 2.6% year-over-year according to FactSet, slowing from 2.7% in November. This metric represents one of the key data points in the list of indicators influencing risk sentiment.

A weaker figure could strengthen bets on interest rate cuts by the Fed, pushing bitcoin and other risky assets higher. However, JPMorgan no longer forecasts any rate cuts in 2026 and even suggests an increase in 2027, while Goldman Sachs and Barclays expect the first cut no earlier than mid-2026.

Regulatory outlook: the role of the CLARITY Act

Analysts remain optimistic that approval of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act would catalyze a new all-time high for bitcoin and the overall market. Matthew Hougan, Chief Investment Officer of Bitwise, described the CLARITY Act as the “Punxsutawney Phil of this crypto winter.” If the bill is approved and signed, markets could head toward new records; otherwise, the winter could continue.

Current prediction markets estimate an 80% probability that the measure will be signed into law within the current year.

Sector performance overview: crypto stocks and Treasury

In the crypto-related stocks sector, several companies posted positive movements on Monday. Coinbase Global closed at $242.98 (+0.91%), while Galaxy Digital reached $25.49 (+2.21%). Riot Platforms saw a more decisive rise of 7.38%, while Core Scientific gained 1.98%.

Among crypto treasury companies, Microstrategy closed at $162.23 (+3.11%), while Semler Scientific surged 16.21%. Flows into spot bitcoin ETFs reached $116.7 million in a single day, with total holdings surpassing 1.29 million BTC.

The US 10-year Treasury yield increased by 0.8 basis points to 4.195%, reflecting market expectations about future Fed moves.

Upcoming key events

Hedera (HBAR) will upgrade its mainnet to version v0.68, while BNB Smart Chain will activate the Fermi hard fork upgrade, reducing block times from 750 ms to 450 ms. Meanwhile, Usual DAO is voting on acquiring Fira, a fixed-rate lending infrastructure developed by Usual Labs for $1.72 million.

Moons Governance is voting on building a managed DAO bridge between Arbitrum One and Nova. Tokens like CHEEL will unlock portions of their circulating supply, while Fogo will hold its token generation event.

Implied volatility and market sentiment

Thirty-day implied volatility for bitcoin and ethereum has fallen to multi-month lows, with options traders increasingly selling both calls and puts to profit from prices remaining within defined ranges. This indicator suggests a less volatile market but still characterized by structural uncertainty.

The CoinDesk 80 Index rose by 3%, while other cryptocurrencies like XMR, IP, and MYX gained over 15%. Bitcoin dominance remains steady at 59.32%, with an ether-to-bitcoin ratio of 0.03402.

Macro context: global stock markets and the dollar

Global stock markets show mixed movements. The Nikkei 225 closed up 3.10% at 53,549.16 on hopes of general elections in Japan, while the Hang Seng index rose 0.90%. In America, the S&P 500 closed at 6,977.27 (+0.16%), and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.26%.

The DXY (Dollar Index) is up 0.10% at 98.96, reflecting the strength of the US dollar amid high interest rates and global uncertainty.

Implications for the crypto listing

US regulatory decisions will have profound implications on the entire list of cryptocurrencies traded on global markets. If the CLARITY Act is passed, it could provide regulatory clarity that drives capital allocation toward digital assets. Conversely, further restrictions on yields could compress incentives for institutional investors.

Traders remain positioned awaiting macro and regulatory clarifications, monitoring every development that could move bitcoin, ethereum, and the rest of the market. The list of catalysts for 2026 remains full of regulatory surprises, rate decisions, and technical innovations in the crypto sector.