Bitcoin is trading around $87,290, with Ethereum near $2,925 and stablecoins such as USDT and USDC maintaining their dollar pegs. Most altcoins, including BNB, XRP, and Solana, are in a sideways range. The fear-and-greed index from Alternative sits at 20, signaling extreme fear, while Bitcoin mining difficulty rose by about 0.04% on the 25th, suggesting the downtrend has paused as miners stay invested. Price dynamics remain intertwined with miners’ profitability, underscoring that reduced mining activity could pull the difficulty lower.
Regulatory focus is advancing alongside market data, with the SEC targeting core agendas like Token Taxonomy (distinguishing which tokens are securities), Project Crypto updates, and the Innovation Exemption to accelerate vetted projects. Meanwhile, the CFTC is expected to expand its oversight next year, as the U.S. Congress contemplates granting broader digital-asset authority.
Bitcoin briefly moved above $89,000 but retraced after the Christmas holidays as the U.S. stock market opened, settling in the mid-$80k to $87k area. Since the 8th, net outflows have totaled roughly $716 million, marking substantial investor retreat. On the 26th, about $23 billion worth of Bitcoin option contracts expired, contributing to a tighter market environment. Bloomberg noted that the timeline for a January 2026 rebound remains an open question.
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