Market Signal Briefing

Michael A. Gayed, portfolio manager at Toroso Investments and publisher of The Lead-Lag Report, has seemingly endorsed the XRP token. 

On the X social media network, Gayed has stated that he might get “annoying” about the token while also teasing something XRP-related. 

Some members of the community behind one of the leading altcoins see Gayed’s posts as a signal of growing mainstream interest in XRP from traditional finance professionals. 

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He is the publisher of The Lead‑Lag Report, which is a market research service that aims to provide risk signals, macro observations, and actionable investing ideas. 

Gayed has been featured on CNBC as well as other financial platforms. 

As reported by U.Today, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy also recently revealed that he had purchased $1 million worth of XRP. 

ETF criticism Gayed has historically been critical of Bitcoin maximalism and the “digital gold” narrative. 

On Nov. 17, he stated, "Bitcoin ETFs were the worst thing to happen to Bitcoin." The portfolio manager later argued that BlackRock had made more money on Bitcoin ETFs than retail investors did.

He sees ETFs as benefiting issuers more than investors, exacerbating retail losses.

The timing of his endorsement coincides with strong inflows into U.S. spot XRP ETFs. 

As of today, nine spot XRP ETFs have accumulated approximately $900 million in assets under management since their launch, with daily inflows continuing in the $10–15 million range. Major issuers of spot XRP ETFs include Franklin Templeton, Bitwise, 21Shares, ProShares, and Grayscale.

What looming threat forced the world's biggest Bitcoin holder to fortify so fast?

Pepe Coin price remains under pressure below a key support level as it formed a bearish pattern despite the ongoing whale accumulation.

Summary

Pepe Coin price has formed an alarming head-and-shoulders pattern on the weekly chart.
Still, whales have continued buying the token in the past few weeks.
The supply of Pepe tokens on exchanges has continued falling in the past few days.

Pepe Coin (PEPE), the second-biggest Ethereum meme coin, dropped to $0.000004512, down by 85% from its highest level this year. It is hovering near its lowest level since April last year.

Pepe token has plunged this year because of the ongoing crypto market crash that has affected most tokens, especially meme coins, including Shiba Inu and Dogecoin.

On the positive side, there are signs that whales have started to accumulate the token as they expect it to rebound. Data compiled by Nansen shows that whales now hold 4.44 trillion tokens today, up from 4.41 trillion in November. This means that they have bought 30 billion tokens in this period.

At the same time, there are signs that the supply of Pepe Coins in exchanges has started to drop in the past few weeks, ending a prolonged period of inflows. Data shows that there are now 258.2 trillion tokens in exchanges, down from last month’s high of 259.10 trillion. Falling exchange supply is a sign that investors are buying the dip and moving their tokens to exchanges.

Pepe whales buying | Source: Nansen
Still, the risk is that smart money investors have continued to dumb their tokens. These investors now hold 182.17 trillion tokens, down sharply from this month’s high of 184.47 trillion tokens.

Pepe Coin price technical analysis 
Pepe price chart | Source: crypto.news
The weekly chart shows that the Pepe Coin price has been under pressure in the past few months, moving from the all-time high of $0.00002832 in December to the current $0.000045. 

It has moved below the important support level at $0.0000052. This level was notable as it was along the neckline of the head-and-shoulders pattern, whose head is at $0.002832 and the shoulders are at $0.00001665.

The token has also formed a small bearish pennant pattern, which is made up of a vertical line and a small triangle pattern. Therefore, the token will likely continue have a strong bearish breakdown in the coming weeks, potentially to the year-to-date low of $0.000002797.

8h15 ▪
4
min read ▪ by
Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

Below 90,000 dollars, bitcoin sends a strong signal. A key profitability indicator hits its lowest level in two years, marking a possible market reset. Behind an apparently stable price, on-chain data reveals a profound shift in investor behavior.

In Brief

The price of Bitcoin falls back below $90,000, but this pullback hides a much deeper underlying dynamic.
A key profitability indicator (the SOPR ratio) drops to its lowest level in two years.
Long-term holders have stopped selling, marking a possible “reset” of the market.
This decline in the ratio signals the end of a distribution phase and a purge of speculative excess.

Long-term bitcoin holders stop selling : a reset signal ?
In an analysis published on December 7, CryptoQuant reveals a major shift in the behavior of long-term bitcoin holders (LTH), while some analysts anticipate an end-of-year rally.

These holders, who have kept their BTC for more than 155 days, have apparently suspended their sales while the market dropped below 90,000 dollars.

“The bitcoin SOPR ratio (LTH-SOPR / STH-SOPR) has fallen to 1.35, reaching its lowest level since early 2024”, indicates analyst CryptoOnchain in a post shared on CryptoQuant’s Quicktake blog.

This ratio, which compares the profitability of UTXOs spent by long-term and short-term holders, is an essential indicator of potential selling pressure on the market.

This ratio drop is interpreted as the end of an intense distribution phase by LTH. In other words, these actors, historically considered the strongest in the market, have stopped taking profits or cutting losses.

CryptoQuant’s report mentions a “complete market reset”, suggesting that the speculative excess observed earlier in the bullish cycle has been cleared out. According to available data, the following is observed :

The end of the selling pressure exerted by long-term holders, often drivers of major distribution phases ;

A return to lower profitability levels, reducing the incentive to sell for these investor profiles ;

A market purge of speculative excesses, which had pushed the ratio to highs at the peak of the cycle.

As CryptoOnchain summarizes, “the drop suggests a massive market reset. The speculative foam that had driven the ratio to highs has been purged”. Thus, this structural change could announce a new market equilibrium, but without a clear signal of an imminent bullish restart.

Short-term speculators in full hesitation
While the historic holders withdraw from the arena, short-term actors (STH) seem to have taken over, not without inconsistencies.

CryptoQuant observes erratic behavior by these speculators, characterized by net buying then selling moves over very short periods. “The net position change of STH over 30 days saw a strong upward peak on November 24, before turning negative on December 1”, the report specifies.

These data illustrate deep uncertainty among recent market players, whose decisions seem driven more by short-term fluctuations than by fundamental convictions.

This instability is also reflected in the fact that it is now mostly STH who generate profitable transactions. Unlike LTH who suspended their movements, speculators continue to enter and exit the market quickly.

The lack of clear direction and the emotional volatility of this segment could keep bitcoin in a turbulence zone, without a real support base to trigger a new bullish impulse.

The bitcoin price reflects less inertia than a silent change. With the disappearance of selling pressure from historic holders, the market enters a waiting phase. It remains to be seen whether this reset prepares a lasting rebound or prolongs current instability.

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Luc Jose A.

Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d'une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j'ai rejoint l'aventure Cointribune en 2019.
Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, j'ai pris l'engagement de sensibiliser et d'informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu'elle offre. Je m'efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l'actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.

A crowded perp market hasn't slowed the network's grip

Dogecoin is about as speculative as you can get for an investment.

The value of one Dogecoin (DOGE +0.85%) has risen more than 4,200% over the past five years, making the cryptocurrency especially enticing to investors willing to take on massive risks in search of huge gains.

However, those significant gains conceal some of the substantial downsides for Dogecoin and the long-term risks associated with investing in such a volatile cryptocurrency. Here's why I wouldn't touch Dogecoin with a 10-foot pole.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Meme coins aren't true investments
Dogecoin is a meme coin, which means it doesn't have any real-world utility and its value fluctuates based solely on investor sentiment. You could argue that stocks move on sentiment, and that's true sometimes, but companies have revenue, profits, services, and products that investors can use to judge a company.

Dogecoin has none of those things. It's a purely speculative investment that fluctuates based on what people say it's worth, and it has no underlying utility or a unique blockchain that's being used to develop new technologies.

As investors have become uneasy about the economy -- with increasing news of layoffs and the lack of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve -- Dogecoin's value has plummeted 53% year to date.

2. There's a potentially unlimited supply of Dogecoin
One of the investment cases for other cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC 0.08%), is that they have a limited supply. The predetermined shortage thus helps fuel demand for investors to snatch them up before they're all mined.

Currently, there are 20 million Bitcoins in circulation, and the total supply is capped at 21 million. In contrast, there are approximately 152 billion Dogecoins, with 5 billion added every year.

The very idea that there's no end to the amount of Dogecoin that can be mined and that billions of them are added every year, is a recipe for an investing disaster. Think of it this way: when a publicly traded company issues more shares, its price usually goes down because it typically means that the company has diluted its shares. With unlimited supply and no real utility, there's nothing intrinsically valuable about a Dogecoin.

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3. There are legitimate cryptos to buy
If you're interested in cryptocurrencies, you can still benefit from them by buying one or two that have real-world benefits. Bitcoin is generally recognized as a store of value worldwide. Its first-mover advantage in the crypto space has also made it an established coin, and the launch of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) last year has given it even more legitimacy.

Similarly, Ethereum (ETH +0.33%) could be a good option, considering its blockchain is widely used as the foundation for advanced financial transactions. Ethereum ETFs have also provided investors with an easy way to own a piece of the cryptocurrency, just like Bitcoin ETFs.

It's worth mentioning that no cryptocurrency is without its risks. Bitcoin's value has decreased by 6% and Ethereum's has fallen by 19% over the past year. But these leading cryptocurrencies have at least some parameters that help make them a compelling asset to own. Dogecoin, on the other hand, has no inherent value, no practical function, and its price will always be based on the day-to-day whims of investors.

Bitcoin Faces Japan Rate Hike: Debunking The Yen Carry Trade Unwind Alarms, Real Risk ElsewhereSpeculators maintain net bullish positions in the yen, limiting scope for sudden JPY strength and mass carry unwind.Updated Dec 7, 2025, 5:57 a.m. Published Dec 7, 2025, 5:36 a.m.

With the Bank of Japan (BOJ) expected to hike rates next week, some observers are worried that the Japanese yen could surge, triggering an unwinding of "carry trades," crushing bitcoin.

Their analysis, however, overlooks actual positioning in the FX and bond markets, missing the nuance and far more likely risk that Japanese yields, by anchoring and potentially lifting global bond yields, could eventually weigh over risk assets rather than the yen itself.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Popular yen carry tradesBefore diving deeper, let's break down the yen carry trade and its influence on global markets over the past few decades.

The yen (JPY) carry trade involves investors borrowing yen at low rates in Japan and investing in high-yielding assets. For decades, Japan kept interest rates pinned near zero, prompting traders to borrow in yen and invest in U.S. tech stocks and U.S. Treasury notes.

As Charles Schwab noted, "Going long on tech and short on the yen were two very popular trades, because for many years, the yen had been the cheapest major funding currency and tech was consistently profitable."

With the BOJ expected to raise rates, concerns are rising that the yen will lose its cheap-funding status, making carry trades less attractive. Higher Japanese interest rates and JGB yields, along with a strengthening yen, could trigger carry trade unwinds – Japanese capital repatriating from overseas assets and sparking broad risk aversion, including in BTC, as witnessed in August 2025.

Debunking the scareThis analysis, however, lacks nuance on several levels.

First and foremost, Japanese rates – even after the expected hike – would sit at just 0.75%, versus 3.75% in the U.S. The yield differential would still remain wide enough to favor U.S. assets and discourage mass unwinding of carry trades. In other words, BOJ will remain the most dovish major central bank.

Secondly, the impending BOJ rate hike is hardly unexpected and is already priced in, as evidenced by Japanese government bond (JGB) yields hovering near multi-decade highs. The benchmark 10-year JGB yield currently stands at 1.95%, which is more than 100 basis points above the official Japanese benchmark interest rate of 0.75% projected after the hike.

This disconnect between bond yields and policy rates suggests market expectations for tighter monetary conditions are likely already priced in, reducing the shock value of the rate adjustment itself.

"Japan’s 1.7% JGB yield isn’t a surprise. It has been in forward markets for more than a year, and investors have already repositioned for BOJ normalization since 2023," InvestingLive's Chief Asia-Pacific Currency Analyst Eamonn Sheridan said in a recent explainer.

Bullish yen positioningLastly, speculators' net long yen positions leave little room for panic buying post-rate hike—and even less reason for carry trade unwinds.

Data tracked by Investing.com shows that speculators' net positioning has been consistently bullish on the yen since February this year.

This starkly contrasts with mid-2024, when speculators were bearish on the yen. That likely triggered panic buying of the yen when the BOJ raised rates from 0.25% to 0.5% on July 31, 2024, leading to the unwinding of carry trades and losses in stocks and cryptocurrencies.

Another notable difference back then was that the 10-year yield was on the verge of breaking above 1% for the first time in decades, which likely triggered a shock adjustment. That's no longer the case, as yields have been above 1% and rising for months, as discussed earlier.

The yen's role as a risk-on/risk-off barometer has come under question recently, with the Swiss franc emerging as a rival offering relatively lower rates and reduced volatility.

To conclude, the expected BOJ rate hike could bring volatility, but it is unlikely to be anything like what was seen in August 2025. Investors have already positioned for tightening, as Schwab noted, and adjustments to BOJ tightening are likely to happen gradually and are already partially underway.

What could go wrong?Other things being equal, the real risk lies in Japanese tightening sustaining elevated U.S. Treasury yields, countering the impact of expected Fed rate cuts.

This dynamic could dampen global risk appetite, as persistently high yields raise borrowing costs and weigh on asset valuations, including those of cryptocurrencies and equities.

Rather than a sudden yen surge unwinding carry trades, watch BOJ's broader global market impact.

Another macro risk: President Trump's push for global fiscal expansion, which could stoke debt fears, lift bond yields, and trigger risk aversion.

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As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.View Full Report

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Coinbase Sees Crypto Recovery Ahead as Liquidity Improves and Fed Rate Cut Odds Climb

14 hours ago

The crypto exchange also took note of a so-called AI bubble that continues to go strong and a weaker U.S. dollar.

What to know:

Coinbase Institutional is seeing a potential December recovery in crypto, citing improving liquidity and a shift in macroeconomic conditions that could favor risk assets like bitcoin.The firm's optimism is driven by rising odds of Federal Reserve rate cuts, with markets pricing in a 93% chance easing next week, and improving liquidity conditions.Several recent institutional developments, including Vanguard's crypto ETF policy reversal and Bank of America's greenlighting of crypto allocations, have contributed to bitcoin's rebound from recent lows.Read full story

XRP is stuck near the $2 mark just as the Federal Reserve prepares to cut interest rates again.

The crypto market was highly volatile last week as Bitcoin and most altcoins plunged on Monday, and then rebounded sharply in the next few days. They then plunged in the final days of the week, with Bitcoin dropping below the important support level at $90,000. 

This article explores some of the top cryptocurrencies to watch this week, including popular names like Terra Luna Classic (LUNC), Starknet (STRK), and Pi Network (PI).

Terra Luna Classic (LUNC) in focus ahead of Do Kwon sentencing
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The LUNC token was one of the best-performing coins in the crypto market as it jumped to a high of $0.000081, its highest level since January this year. It was up by over 400% from its lowest level this year, bringing its market capitalization to over $300 million.

Terra Luna Classic token jumped after the community members showed up at a major Binance event. Binance is a major part of the network and is responsible for most of the burning.

The next key catalyst for the LUNC price will be the upcoming Do Kwon sentencing in the United States for his role in the $40 billion Terra collapse in 2022. Kwon pleaded guilty for this collapse, and he now faces decades in prison.

Do Kwon’s sentencing will not directly have an impact on the LUNC token. However, it may lead to more activity from traders, which may trigger more volatility.

The daily timeframe chart shows that the LUNC price has pulled back from last week’s high of $0.00008060 to the current $0.000057. This retreat happened as some investors started to book profits.

Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the token’s volatility continues, with it dropping to the key support level at $0.000050.

LUNC price chart | Source: TradingView Pi Network price in focus as triangle nears confluence 
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The Pi Network price will be in the spotlight after the developers announced a major integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its KYC operations. 

This new integration allows users to use the same underlying technology of Pi Fast Track KYC, which reduces wait time and makes it easier for users to move their tokens to the mainnet. 

It also resolves an issue of validator shortage in some countries and regions. Also, the upgrade enables more validators to move in a faster manner, and reduces the need for more human validator to verify accounts.

According to the developers, 17.5 million pioneers have already passed the KYC process, while 15.7 million of them have migrated fully to the mainnet.

Pi Network believes that the KYC process is an essential one in ensuring that the MiCA proposal is successful, as it is the only crypto project to implement it.

Technically, the Pi Network price is forming a symmetrical triangle pattern on the daily chart, and may likely move out of it this week, especially if the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates and maintains a dovish view. 

Pi Network price chart | Source: TradingViewStarknet price in focus ahead of token unlocks 
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Starknet token has come under intense pressure in the past few months, in part because of the ongoing crypto market crash. Another reason is that the network has become highly dilutive because of its token unlocks.

One of these unlocks will happen later this week when the developers will release 163 million tokens worth over $18.2 million. These tokens are worth about 1.63% of its market capitalization.

Other cryptocurrencies will unlock more tokens this week. Some of the most notable ones are Chainbase, Unibase, Rain, and Movement.

Bitcoin fell sharply on Friday, slipping below $90,000 after a wave of leveraged liquidations hit the market. Selling pressure increased as Bitcoin once again failed to break above a key resistance zone between $92,000 and $94,000, a level it has tested several times this week before pulling back.

Liquidations Add to Volatility

More than $200 million in leveraged long positions were liquidated, speeding up the decline. Market sentiment weakened as fear levels rose, and volatility increased across major exchanges. 

Support Levels Under Watch

Support for Bitcoin is currently seen around $89,200, with stronger buying expected near $88,000. A drop below that area could deepen the downtrend. If the price manages to bounce from support, it may attempt another move toward $90,000, though a full recovery would require a sustained break above $94,000. Clearing that level could open the path toward the next target near $100,000.

Broader Market Weakness

The correction comes as other major cryptocurrencies also pull back from recent highs. Ethereum and several large-cap tokens have shown slowing momentum after briefly entering overbought levels earlier in the week. The market may see clearer direction in the coming days as Bitcoin tests whether support in the mid-$80,000 range can hold against continued selling pressure.

Understanding The Recent Crash

Analyst Ash Crypto said the recent drop in Bitcoin from $126,000 to $80,000 has raised concerns about unusual market behavior. The October 10 flash crash, which erased about $19 billion and became one of the largest liquidation events in crypto history, Bitcoin has struggled to recover.

According to his view, U.S. stocks have risen roughly 8% since that day and many have reached new all-time highs, while Bitcoin remains down around 29%. He said that every short-term price increase has been met with strong selling, and that nearly $500 million in liquidations appears in the market on many days.

He argued that if the decline were caused only by leverage, the market would normally rebound quickly. Instead, Bitcoin has kept falling without a significant recovery, which he believes shows that large players may be influencing price movements and triggering liquidations on both long and short positions.

The analyst is hoping for a stronger outlook in the first half of 2026, supported by possible rate cuts, improving liquidity conditions and the end of quantitative tightening.

Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.

Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.

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University of Wisconsin wins Abbott and the Big Ten Conference's "We Give Blood" drive, awards $1 million from Abbott to advance student or community health
Second year of nationwide blood drive saw a 319% increase in overall participation with 83,043 donations and a 168% jump in student donors compared to 2024
Big Ten students, alumni, and fans helped save up to 250,000 lives during the college football season
A recent 'We Give Blood' survey found 92% of participants are very likely to donate again, a promising sign for building a sustainable blood supply for years to come
, /PRNewswire/ -- Amid the nation's worst blood shortage in a generation, the University of Wisconsin rallied Big Ten students, fans and alumni to take action, winning the Abbott and the Big Ten Conference "We Give Blood" competition and inspiring 15,476 blood donations that could save up to 46,428 lives. Overall donations in the competition surged 319% compared to 2024, marking a dramatic expansion of efforts to confront the national blood shortages. In just the first 22 days of the initiative, donations surpassed last year's total as the entire Big Ten community united to strengthen the blood supply.

University of Wisconsin won the Abbott and Big Ten “We Give Blood” competition, receiving $1 million from Abbott to advance student or community health

The University of Wisconsin held off the 2024 champion, the University of Nebraska, in a close battle and will receive $1 million from Abbott to advance student or community health. Overall, the conference recorded 83,043 blood donations, which could help save up to 250,000 lives in Big Ten communities and across the country, as each donation has the potential to save up to three lives. Several schools stayed neck and neck throughout the competition, with classic rivals like The Ohio State University and the University of Michigan locked in close races.

"This year's competition not only helped to save a record-breaking number of lives, but it also showed the power of using sports for good with all schools increasing their participation from year one," said Robert B. Ford, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott.  "We are proud of the students, alumni, and fans who united to make a lasting impact on the blood supply, and we hope this spirit continues well beyond the season."

Blood donations are essential in many medical situations, including for trauma patients, accident victims, cancer patients, mothers facing complications before, during, and after childbirth, and premature babies. In the U.S., someone needs blood every two seconds.

"This life-saving partnership demonstrates the tremendous passion of the Big Ten community," said Tony Petitti, commissioner, Big Ten Conference. "We're proud to help activate our fans from coast-to-coast in support of such a valuable mission and excited for the opportunity to honor the University of Wisconsin during the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game."

The national blood donor pool is aging and shrinking, creating an urgent need for younger donors. Blood donations among 19- to 24-year-olds have fallen by nearly one-third in recent years. This makes college students a critical audience for the "We Give Blood" drive, and results show the message is working. Nearly 37% of student donors said the campaign inspired them to donate blood for the first time, and more than 90% reported they are likely to donate again.

"I am incredibly proud of our Badger community for showing up with generosity, compassion, and fantastic teamwork," said Jennifer Mnookin, chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison. "And I'm grateful to our peers in the Big Ten for their passionate engagement in this friendly competition, and to Abbott for the opportunity. Together, we're saving lives. A huge thank you to our students, faculty, and staff and broader Badger community for demonstrating once again the power of our Wisconsin Idea commitment to public service."

This year's competition offered people more reasons to participate:

Student ambassadors championed the "We Give Blood" cause at every Big Ten university, bringing together Greek life, student governments, registered student organizations, university leadership and local blood centers to have the biggest impact.
Abbott and the Big Ten also hosted 12 "We Give Blood" Weekly One-Up Challenges. These mini competitions tapped into collegiate rivalries, pitting two Big Ten schools against each other to see which could show up to donate the most blood during the week. In addition to saving lives, donors from the winning school received a chance to win select memorable campus experiences offered by the universities.
The "We Give Blood" competition ran throughout the college football season, from Aug. 27 through Dec. 5. Donation totals were tracked live and the final results are available at BigTen.Org/Abbott.  

Participants donated blood on campuses and at U.S. blood centers across the country and uploaded proof of donation to the campaign website or via text message to have their donation count for a Big Ten school. The donations received throughout the competition helped boost blood centers' supply throughout the holiday season, when donations tend to drop. 

"The competition may be over, but the need for blood never ends," said Ford. "We encourage everyone to make blood donation a regular habit and help save lives year-round, ensuring a sustainable blood supply for years to come." 

People can find a place to donate blood near them at BigTen.Org/Abbott.

About the Big Ten Conference:

The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The Big Ten Conference sponsors 28 official sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, and the broad-based programs of the 18 Big Ten institutions provide direct financial support for more than 14,000 student-athletes. For more information, visit BigTen.org.

About Abbott:

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries. Connect with us at abbott.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

SOURCE Abbott

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SummaryTorm PLC (TRMD) continues to outperform, delivering 28% YTD gains and beating both XLE and SPY.Q3 results featured a revenue beat, higher TCE rates, lower opex, and a robust 11.7% forward dividend yield.I raise my price target to $24, reflecting normalized $3 EPS and an 8x P/E multiple, with technicals signaling further upside.Key risks include older vessel acquisitions, charter rate volatility, and macroeconomic headwinds, but valuation remains compelling. Abstract Aerial Art/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Torm PLC (TRMD) has quietly outperformed in 2025. Shares have beaten both the SPDR Energy Select Sector ETF (XLE) and the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) on a total

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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It takes more than a big yield to make a good dividend stock, which is why dividend lovers will likely prefer one of these REITs over the other.

It's easy for a dividend investor to get so enamored of a huge dividend yield that they overlook other, equally important, investment factors. Real estate investment trust (REIT) Annaly Capital's (NLY +0.44%) huge 12%+ dividend yield is one that could easily distract you. Note that the S&P 500 index (^GSPC +0.19%) has a tiny little 1.2% yield, and the average REIT yield is around 3.9%.

Here's why you might be better off in the middle with Realty Income (O +0.46%) and its roughly 5.6% yield.

Not all REITs are the same
There are two broad types when it comes to real estate investment trusts. The first type, property-owning REITs, is fairly easy to understand. These companies do what you would do if you owned a rental property, just on a much larger scale. Buying properties and leasing them out to tenants, which is what Realty Income does, provides a broad perspective, of course, since there are a variety of different property sectors in which REITs can invest.

Image source: Getty Images.

However, the property-owning model is drastically different from mortgage REITs, the other broad type of REIT you can invest in. Annaly is an mREIT. These companies focus on owning, managing, and/or making loans secured by physical properties. In Annaly's case, the company buys mortgages that have been pooled into bond-like securities.

There's nothing inherently wrong with mortgage REITs, per se, but they are simply not the same kind of dividend stock as a traditional property-owning REIT. The lofty yields on offer from mREITs are just one aspect of that. The more important factor is the reliability of the dividend over time.

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Annaly is kind of like a mutual fund
Realty Income is an operating business. It grows by acquiring new properties and effectively managing its existing ones. Realty Income is the largest net lease REIT, which simply means that its tenants are responsible for most property-level costs. One drawback with Realty Income is that its vast size, with a portfolio of more than 15,000 properties, limits its growth potential. It requires huge amounts of investment to move the needle on the top and bottom lines.

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That said, Annaly's business is somewhat similar to a mutual fund that owns mortgage securities. The company even reports a figure called tangible net book value, which essentially represents the value of the company's investment portfolio. That's roughly similar to the net asset value figure reported by mutual funds.

What's interesting here is that the value of mortgage securities changes on a daily basis and can be affected by factors ranging from interest rates to mortgage repayment trends and housing market dynamics. The self-amortizing nature of mortgages, meanwhile, generally leads to the value of mREIT mortgage portfolios shrinking over time.

NLY Dividend data by YCharts.

This is where the rubber hits the road for dividend investors. As the chart above highlights, Annaly Capital's dividend has been highly variable over time. That's normal for an mREIT and comes from the unique nature of the core business.

Realty Income's dividend has increased steadily for decades as the company has expanded its property portfolio. In fact, Realty Income's dividend has been increased for an impressive 30 years, and counting. If you need the income your portfolio generates to pay for living expenses in retirement, Realty Income's steady business and dividend growth will be the better choice for most investors.

Annaly Capital isn't a bad company
It's important to note that Annaly Capital is a fairly well-respected mortgage REIT. The difference here is that Annaly's goal isn't really income -- it is total return. Total return requires that dividends be reinvested. If you do that, history suggests that you'll probably be pleased with the results you get from Annaly. However, if you spend the dividends, you are likely to be let down and far better off with Realty Income's growing dividend.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune, ophthalmology and other major diseases, announces that seven of its innovative products have been included in the updated 2025 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). This list features a new indication of TYVYT® (sintilimab injection), and first-time inclusions of SYCUME® (teprotumumab N01 injection, a recombinant anti-IGF-1R antibody), Limertinib (EGFR TKI), Dupert® (fulzerasib, KRAS G12C inhibitor), DOVBLERON® (taletrectinib, ROS1 inhibitor), Retsevmo® (selpercatinib, RET inhibitor), and Jaypirca® (pirtobrutinib, BTK inhibitor). The updated NRDL will be officially effective from January 1, 2026.

Dr. Michael Yu, Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Innovent, stated: "We are pleased with the NRDL inclusion of our seven innovative therapies this year. These therapies cover key disease areas that pose substantial public health challenges in China—particularly oncology (including lung, liver, gastric, esophageal, gynecological cancers, and hematological malignancies) as well as cardiovascular and metabolic (CVM) diseases. Their inclusion will help broaden patients' access to and enhance their affordability of these medications, ultimately benefiting more individuals and families across the country. As a company with the mission of 'empowering patients worldwide with affordable, high-quality biopharmaceuticals', Innovent continues to invest in pioneering treatments across oncology, CVM, autoimmune and ophthalmology—areas of significant societal need. We remain committed to our patient-centered approach, leveraging our innovation and product capabilities to further improve drug affordability and accessibility, so that high-quality medicines can reach and benefit more patients and their families as soon as possible. We are proud to contribute to better care for our patients."

TYVYT® (sintilimab injection)

TYVYT® (sintilimab injection) is a PD-1 immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody co-developed by Innovent and Eli Lilly and Company. In China, sintilimab has been approved for eight indications and two more NDAs are under review by the NMPA, including squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), non-squamous NSCLC, liver cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, endometrial cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma[i].

In the updated NRDL, the eighth indication of TYVYT®(sintilimab injection) is newly included, in combination with fruquintinib for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial cancer with Mismatch Repair proficient (pMMR) tumors that have failed prior systemic therapy and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. This new indication addresses a critical gap in treatments available for advanced endometrial cancer patients with limited responses to traditional therapies.

SYCUME® (teprotumumab N01 injection)

SYCUME® (teprotumumab N01 injection) is a recombinant anti-insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) antibody developed by Innovent. SYCUME® blocks the activation of IGF-1R signaling pathway, consequently improving clinical manifestations such as proptosis, inflammation and diplopia, thus enhancing quality of life in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED)[ii].

In the updated NRDL, SYCUME®(teprotumumab N01 injection) is newly listed for moderate-to-severe thyroid eye disease. SYCUME®(teprotumumab N01 injection) is China's first approved IGF-1R antibody drug, and this groundbreaking non-invasive therapy redefines the standard of care and serves the unmet needs for thyroid eye disease over past 70 years in China. The NRDL inclusion will bring this world-class novel treatment option to Chinese patients with thyroid eye disease and significantly enhance patient accessibility and affordability.

Limertinib

Limertinib is a third-generation EGFR TKI in collaboration with ASK Pharm, and Innovent holds exclusive commercialization rights in Mainland China.[iii]

In the updated NRDL, limertinib is newly listed for: 1) the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR T790M-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who have previously experienced disease progression during or after treatment with EGFR TKI; and 2) the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC carrying EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations. Limertinib incorporates a unique naphthylamine group structure, which endows it with enhanced lipophilicity. This property ensures effective drug penetrate across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), thereby significantly reducing the risk of disease progression—specifically, the risk of disease progression in patients with brain metastases and the risk of intracranial disease progression. The NRDL inclusion of limertinib will provide a more effective treatment option for NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations.

Dupert® (fulzerasib)

Dupert® (fulzerasib) is a novel KRAS G12C inhibitor in collaboration with GenFleet Therapeutics, and Innovent holds exclusive development and commercialization rights in Greater China.[iv]

In the updated NRDL, Dupert®(fulzerasib) is newly listed for the treatment of advanced NSCLC adult patients harboring KRAS G12C mutation who have received at least one systemic therapy. The NRDL inclusion of Dupert®(fulzerasib) will provide a novel targeted therapy benefiting NSCLC patients harboring KRAS G12C mutation.

DOVBLERON® (taletrectinib)

DOVBLERON® (taletrectinib) is a novel next-generation ROS1 TKI in collaboration with Nuvation Bio China, a Nuvation Bio (NYSE: NUVB) Company, and Innovent holds exclusive commercialization rights in Greater China.[v]

In the updated NRDL, DOVBLERON® (taletrectinib) is newly listed for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC. The NRDL inclusion of DOVBLERON® (taletrectinib) will provide a potentially best-in-class therapy benefiting patients with locally advanced ROS1-positive NSCLC.

Retsevmo® (selpercatinib)

Retsevmo® (selpercatinib) is a selective and potent rearranged during transfection (RET) kinase inhibitor developed by Eli Lilly and Company and solely commercialized in Mainland China by Innovent.[vi]

In the updated NRDL, Retsevmo® (selpercatinib) is newly listed for the treatment of: 1) adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a RET gene fusion, 2) adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) with a RET mutation who require systemic therapy, and 3) adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with advanced or metastatic thyroid cancer with a RET gene fusion who require systemic therapy and who are radioactive iodine-refractory. Retsevmo® (selpercatinib) is the first RET inhibitor approved globally and its NRDL inclusion will bring an innovative therapy for NSCLC and thyroid cancer patients with a RET alteration.

Jaypirca® (pirtobrutinib)

Jaypirca® (pirtobrutinib) is a non-covalent (reversible) BTK inhibitor developed by Eli Lilly and Company and solely commercialized in Mainland China by Innovent. Jaypirca® (pirtobrutinib) is the first and only non-covalent (reversible) BTK inhibitor approved in the world.[vii]

In the updated NRDL, Jaypirca® is newly listed for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma after at least two types of systemic therapy, including a BTK inhibitor. Its NRDL inclusion will benefit heavily-treated MCL patients that previously received the treatment of a BTK inhibitor, addressing their unmet needs and further enhancing Jaypirca's affordability for those patients.

About Innovent

Innovent is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to empower patients worldwide with affordable, high-quality biopharmaceuticals. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medicines that target some of the most intractable diseases. Its pioneering therapies treat cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune and eye diseases. Innovent has launched 17 products in the market. It has 1 new drug applications under regulatory review, 4 assets in Phase 3 or pivotal clinical trials and 15 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent partners with over 30 global healthcare companies, including Eli Lilly, Roche, Takeda, Sanofi, Incyte, LG Chem and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Guided by the motto, "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action" Innovent maintains the highest standard of industry practices and works collaboratively to advance the biopharmaceutical industry so that first-rate pharmaceutical drugs can become widely accessible. For more information, visit www.innoventbio.com, or follow Innovent on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Statements:

Innovent does not recommend the use of any unapproved drug (s)/indication (s).
Ramucirumab（Cyramza）, Selpercatinib (Retsevmo) and Pirtobrutinib (Jaypirca) were developed by Eli Lilly and Company.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Innovent, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of the Company with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, the Company's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

The Company, the Directors and the employees of the Company assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialise or turn out to be incorrect.

SOURCE Innovent Biologics

HomeStock IdeasLong IdeasTech 

SummarySnowflake remains a long-term Buy, despite a recent 11% price dip, driven by strong AI adoption and robust product revenue growth.SNOW's AI tools underpin 50% of new bookings, with a $100M AI run rate achieved a quarter early, signaling real-world enterprise demand.Valuation remains elevated versus peers, with negative profit margins offset by strong free cash flow and aggressive investment in S&M and R&D.I recommend a DCA strategy at current levels, as further price correction is possible, but long-term growth catalysts remain intact. sankai/iStock via Getty Images

Investment Thesis Despite Snowflake’s (SNOW) double beat in Q3’26 results, its stock price is down about 11% as of 4 December 2025. Investors saw lower than expected Q4’26 guidance, and some took profits.

In my view, if you are a long-term

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Long position through a purchase of the stock, or the purchase of call options or similar derivatives in SNOW over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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As we head into 2026, there are no signs that the boom in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure is slowing down. In fact, it only looks like it is ramping up.

The charge is being led by OpenAI, which has made aggressive commitments both to cloud computing companies and leading chipmakers. However, it's far from the only company racing to build out AI data centers. Demand at cloud computing providers has consistently outstripped capacity, which is leading to ever-increasing capital expenditure budgets.

Two of the companies at the forefront of the AI infrastructure build-out are graphics processing unit (GPU) chipmakers Nvidia (NVDA 0.53%) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +0.89%). While Nvidia is the clear leader in the space, AMD's stock has outperformed it so far in 2025 (at the time of this writing, AMD is up 80% year to date, while Nvidia is up 30%).

The question now is: Which stock will outperform the other in 2026?

The case for Nvidia
The biggest bull case for Nvidia to outperform in 2026 is that it's the market leader by a wide margin. The company has an over 90% share in the data center GPU space, in large part due to the system it has built around its chips. Most foundational AI code was built upon its CUDA software platform, giving it a wide moat, especially with regard to training large language models.

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On top of that, the company also has a very strong data-center networking business, which enables it to offer end-to-end solutions it calls "AI factories." Its proprietary NVLink interconnect system lets its chips act as one unit within an AI cluster, while its Ethernet and InfiniBand solutions help transfer data quickly.

Nvidia's stock is also cheaper than AMD's from a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) basis, trading at 24 times next year's analyst estimates, compared to 34 times for AMD. It has also had the faster revenue growth, with sales increasing 62% last quarter, compared to 36% for AMD.

The case for AMD
AMD's data center revenue is a fraction of Nvidia's, so if it can take any share away from the market leader in the rapidly growing AI infrastructure space, the impact on its growth would be huge. Meanwhile, there are some reasons to believe it may be able to gain more traction in this market.

While it's difficult for AMD to compete with Nvidia in training, the company has carved out a niche in the inference market, where Nvidia's CUDA moat isn't quite as wide. This is important because the inference market is eventually expected to become larger than training, as it involves the actual application of the trained model in answering new questions it's given.

On top of that, there have been reports that large Nvidia customer Microsoft has built tool kits to convert CUDA code to Advanced Micro Devices' ROCm software platform to run more inference workloads on GPUs from the chipmaker.

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AMD is also one of the chipmakers that OpenAI struck a partnership with as part of its aggressive AI data center build-out. What is unique about this deal is that OpenAI will take up to a 10% stake in AMD, which will supply OpenAI with up to six gigawatts of its GPUs -- what could be valued upward of $200 billion.

Meanwhile, OpenAI will receive warrants for up to 160 million shares of AMD. The deal will be a huge revenue boost for AMD in the coming years and should help it compete more effectively with Nvidia in the GPU market.

For its part, AMD laid out some robust long-term targets at its November analyst day. It's looking to increase its revenue at a more than 35% compound annual rate over the next three to five years, with more than 60% data center growth.

At the same time, it's looking to take a more than 50% market share in data central processing units, where it is already the market leader, and it sees its AI revenue rising by more than 80%.

Image source: Getty Images

The verdict
While I think both stocks will do well in 2026, I give the edge to AMD to outperform once again next year. It doesn't take as much to move the needle for the company, and its OpenAI partnership and news coming out of Microsoft could be a good setup for it to exceed expectations in 2026.

HomeStock IdeasLong IdeasIndustrial 

Summary3M (MMM) has outperformed peers, driven by a new CEO’s operational focus and credible growth, margin, and cash flow improvement plans.
Q3 organic growth exceeded 3%, with notable margin expansion and early signs of product innovation translating to sales momentum.
While management’s initiatives are promising, sustaining improvements depends on favorable macro trends and overcoming a lack of clear secular growth drivers.
Valuation now reflects a great deal more optimism; shares trade near fair value, with upside requiring further margin gains or above-trend revenue acceleration.
josefkubes/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

When you give the Street what it wants, good things tend to happen for your share price, and such is the case with 3M (MMM). After years of stagnant (and frankly pathetic) organic growth, lip

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of mmm either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Quick Insights

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Bitcoin can no longer be compared to the “Tulip Bubble” due to its endurance and resilience over the years, according to Eric Balchunas, Bloomberg’s exchange-traded fund expert.

“I personally would not compare Bitcoin to tulips, no matter how bad the sell-off,” said the senior ETF analyst on Sunday. 

Balchunas pointed out that the tulip market rose and collapsed in around three years, “punched once in the face and knocked out,” but Bitcoin (BTC) has “come back from like six to seven haymakers to reach all-time highs and has survived 17 years.”

“The endurance alone warrants shedding tulip comparison, let alone the fact that it’s still up like 250% [over the] past three years and was up 122% last year.”Some people just hate this asset and want to enrage the people who like it, and that will probably never change, he opined. 

Earlier this month, “The Big Short” investor Michael Burry called it “the tulip bulb of our time.” In 2017, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon famously said Bitcoin was “worse than tulip bulbs” and a “fraud.” 

Tulips pumped and dumped in three yearsThe Dutch tulip mania was a speculative frenzy in the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age. Tulip bulbs, which had been introduced to Europe from Turkey, became status symbols among wealthy Dutch merchants.

Prices began rising rapidly in 1634 and reached peak mania in 1636, when some rare tulip bulbs sold for more than the price of a house in Amsterdam. The market suddenly collapsed in 1637 with prices plummeting by over 90% in a matter of weeks.

The tulip mania is often cited as one of history’s first recorded speculative bubbles, and gave rise to the famous pump and dump chart pattern. 

Tulip mania only lasted three years. Source: Eric BalchunasBitcoin and Tulips: a flawed comparisonBalchunas continued to state that all Bitcoin has done so far this year is give up the extreme excess of last year. 

So even if 2025 ends up flat or moderately down year, BTC is still operating at around 50% of its annual average. Assets are allowed to cool off once in a while, even stocks, and people are “overanalyzing it,” he said. 

The ETF expert also questioned arguments about Bitcoin being non-productive.  

“Yes, Bitcoin and tulips are both non-productive assets. But so is gold, so is a Picasso painting, rare stamps, would you compare those to tulips? Not all assets have to be productive to be valuable.”Tulips were “marked by euphoria and crash,” and that’s it; Bitcoin is a “different animal.” 

Head of strategy at German Bitcoin treasury company Aifinyo, Garry Krug, concurred, stating, “Bubbles don’t survive multiple cycles, regulatory battles, geopolitical stress, halvings, exchange failures and still return to new highs.”

Magazine: 6 reasons Jack Dorsey is definitely Satoshi… and 5 reasons he’s not

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

The narrative around XRP has definitively moved past the era of pure retail speculation. While the global financial system is accelerating its transition to real-time settlement, XRP is emerging as a contender for enterprise-level treasury flows. As Ripple’s institutional network continues to expand, the altcoin is stepping into a role where digital assets can enhance liquidity management and power the next generation of global value transfer.

Why RippleNet’s Expanding Network Drives Enterprise Confidence
The bearish view of XRP is clouding the bigger transformation happening behind the scenes. Analyst Xfinancebull has mentioned on X that XRP is embedding itself into the financial engines where global treasury systems teams move trillions. With the GTreasury acquisition, Ripple gains access to the operational layer where $12.5 trillion in enterprise liquidity flows.

This is about the altcoin becoming a native rail inside the financial command centers of over 1,000 multinational giants where trillions move. Treasury teams move real money, not just $100 payments, but payroll, supply chain financing, and liquidity management across continents. 

The XRP niche is that it moves trillions fast, 24/7, across borders. Meanwhile, Ripple now controls the infrastructure platform that interacts with BNY Mellon to move trillions and automates finance at scale.

According to Xfinancebull, the token goes from a speculative asset to invisible plumbing. This shift doesn’t make the front-page headlines, but it moves everything behind them. Most analysts won’t notice that this has unlocked the token to become a standard settlement rail in the GTreasury automation stack, making its utility broader, invisible, and massive.

Founder of Lux Lions NFT and host of the crypto Blitz YouTube show, RipBullWinkle, stated that the Federal Reserve has officially halted its Quantitative Tightening (QT) measures, ending the two-year liquidity drain that weighed down the entire crypto sector. 

Vanguard, the world’s second-largest asset manager with $11 trillion in AUM, has reversed course and will now allow clients to have access to the regulated crypto ETFs. This single move clears the path for trillions in passive capital, a macro environment of liquidity, compliance, and global settlement that XRP is engineered for. 

How XRP Defies The Market Slump With A Rare Positive Performance
While the crypto market has been struggling to find its footing, an observer and researcher of the current tech shift, SMQKE, has noted that WisdomTree data shows that XRP is the only major cryptocurrency posting positive year-to-date returns in 2025. On a year-to-date basis, where the broader markets were pulling back, the altcoin has stood out as the lone performer, holding onto a modest +4% gain year-to-date.

In a challenging year for most large-cap digital assets, it has emerged as the top-tier asset with a positive year-to-date performance. Even after experiencing drawdowns in line with the broader market during Q4, XRP has demonstrated remarkable relative resilience and remains up +4% YTD and +12% over the past 12 months.

XRP trading at $2.03 on the 1D chart | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com
Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

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Godspower Owie is my name, and I work for the news platforms NewsBTC and Bitcoinist. I sometimes like to think of myself as an explorer since I enjoy exploring new places, learning new things, especially valuable ones, and meeting new people who have an impact on my life, no matter how small. I value my family, friends, career, and time. Really, those are most likely the most significant aspects of every person's existence. Not illusions, but dreams are what I pursue.

Major French banking group BPCE is preparing to roll out integrated crypto trading services to retail customers, marking one of the largest moves into digital assets by a European bank. Starting Monday, users of Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne apps will gain access to buying and selling popular cryptocurrencies, according to The Big Whale. The initial rollout covers four regional banks, including Banque Populaire Île-de-France and Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, giving roughly two million customers the ability to trade bitcoin, ether, solana, and the USDC stablecoin directly from their existing banking applications.

The launch represents a significant step in bringing regulated crypto services into mainstream European banking. BPCE plans to extend the service gradually through 2026, potentially opening access to its entire 12 million–customer retail network. To keep user funds secure and compliant, BPCE is offering the service through a dedicated digital asset account operated by Hexarq, the group’s crypto-focused subsidiary. Each crypto account includes a monthly fee of 2.99 euros and a 1.5% commission per transaction, with a minimum one-euro charge per trade. According to BPCE, the phased introduction will allow the bank to closely track adoption trends and ensure system stability before expanding the offering nationwide.

The move places BPCE among a growing number of European financial institutions integrating cryptocurrency trading into traditional banking. Spanish banking giant BBVA already allows customers to trade digital assets within its local app, while Santander’s Openbank supports trading and custody for several major cryptocurrencies. In Austria, a unit of Raiffeisen Bank has partnered with Bitpanda to deliver crypto services directly to its clients. BPCE’s entry into the market signals increasing confidence among established banks that customer demand for secure, regulated access to crypto is here to stay, potentially accelerating broader adoption across the region.

<Copyright ⓒ TokenPost, unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited>

Veteran trader Peter Brandt has once again issued a bearish outlook on Bitcoin after the cryptocurrency fell below the $90,000 level. According to Brandt, Bitcoin’s brief recovery earlier this week—when it surged to around $94,000—may have been nothing more than a retest of a broader bearish formation known as a broadening top. This chart pattern typically signals a shift from an uptrend to a downtrend, suggesting that more downside movement could be imminent.

Brandt pointed to two key downside targets: $80,207 and $58,840. He also recently cautioned that Bitcoin could break below the $58,000 range entirely, potentially dipping into the mid-$40,000 zone if bearish momentum accelerates. The crash back under $90,000 has refocused market attention on the crucial $80,000 support level, which many traders view as the next major line of defense.

Market sentiment remains mixed as traders speculate on where Bitcoin may be headed before 2025 concludes. Data from Polymarket shows a 34% probability that BTC will finish the year at or above $80,000, a 61% chance it reaches $95,000, and a 30% chance of hitting the highly anticipated $100,000 milestone. Analysts such as Van de Poppe expect Bitcoin to consolidate between $92,000 and $85,000 leading into next week’s FOMC meeting, where the Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points—an event historically favorable for crypto markets.

Institutional activity is also turning positive again, with Bitcoin ETFs recording net inflows in eight of the past ten trading days, reversing the trend seen in November. Still, short-term caution persists. Analyst Titan of Crypto warned that losing support at $89,000 could trigger a sharper decline toward $83,900.

As traders navigate these conflicting signals, Bitcoin’s next major move will likely hinge on macroeconomic decisions and whether key support levels can withstand mounting sell pressure.

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Heavyweights under pressure: Why institutional moves are key for BTC.

Ripple is escalating its defenses against a surge of XRP fraud as deepfake-driven scams intensify, spotlighting rising holiday-season risks and the company's expanding threat-mitigation network that is sharply reducing successful crypto impersonation attacks.

Chainlink bulls appear to be back in the driver seat this week.

Among the top-tier cryptocurrencies I've long thought provide meaningful value is the Oracle Network Chainlink (LINK +2.31%). Acting as a middleman between layer-1 networks and non-crypto entities seeking to access blockchain infrastructure, Chainlink's unique oracle technology enables portability between off-chain and on-chain networks.

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What that means is that most real-time data feeds supplying essential data points, such as pricing, to decentralized exchanges, for example, require Chainlink's network to seamlessly integrate with a range of blockchain networks that require these price feeds.

With plenty of underlying development currently relying on Chainlink to continue to operate in a stable and efficient manner, this is a top-tier innovative blockchain that has carved out quite an important (and profitable) niche, particularly given the growth we've seen in decentralized finance (DeFi) in recent years.

With this backdrop in place, the token's 7.1% weekly move (as of 6:30 p.m. ET) shouldn't catch investors completely off guard. That said, here are two key catalysts investors have clearly priced into Chainlink's price over the past week, and what long-term investors may want to make of these notable updates.

What drove Chainlink higher this week?

Source: Getty Images.

There are two key catalysts I've identified as integral to this week's 7% surge in Chainlink.

The first key catalyst I've been focusing on is the long-awaited conversion of Grayscale's Chainlink trust into an exchange-traded product, which began trading publicly on the NYSE Arca exchange on Dec. 2.

This new ETP format will enable traditional investors to purchase an asset that tracks the price of Chainlink's native LINK token directly. And given the surge of investor capital into this fund ($64 million roughly 24 hours after launch), and a 0% expense ratio out of the gate (until March, or until this fund hits $1 billion in assets, whichever is sooner), there's another viable demand catalyst for LINK tokens to watch.

Now, there has been some pushback from investors around the structure of this ETP, in that investors who own this exchange-traded product won't benefit from any staking-related revenues (or other revenues at all), meaning it's a pure bet on the price of Chainlink's native token over time. For many in the crypto sector who prefer to own assets on-chain (due to the ability to capture staking yields), that's always an option. However, a broader investor base overall is generally beneficial for any project.

The other key catalyst I'm watching is a new bridge introduced by Chainlink to span the Solana and Coinbase networks. Secured by Chainlink's cross-chain interoperability protocol, transfers between Coinbase's Base network and the Solana blockchain have been made possible. This bridge could drive significant value accretion over time, and investors appear to be clearly impressed with what they see.