Market Signal Briefing

Bitcoin (BTC) surged sharply on Monday, climbing more than 2% to trade above $90,000, as renewed geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine dampened hopes of an imminent peace deal and pushed oil prices higher. The rally in the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization injected optimism into the broader crypto market, driving notable gains across major altcoins.

Ether (ETH), XRP, and Solana (SOL) all posted gains of 3% or more, reflecting increased risk appetite among investors. According to CoinDesk data, the positive momentum in digital assets came amid a complex macroeconomic backdrop marked by rising energy prices and lingering global inflation concerns.

In traditional financial markets, crude oil prices advanced as conflict-related developments weighed on supply expectations. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose by approximately 1% to $57.24 per barrel, while Brent crude increased 0.8% to $60.81 per barrel. Higher oil prices often contribute to inflationary pressures, which can boost interest in alternative assets such as Bitcoin, frequently viewed as a hedge against inflation.

Asian equity markets traded cautiously due to thin liquidity during year-end holidays, though South Korea’s KOSPI index stood out with a 1.7% gain, supported by strong performance in semiconductor stocks. The muted trading volumes elsewhere highlighted investor uncertainty amid geopolitical and economic crosscurrents.

Over the weekend, Russia launched an attack on Naftogaz’s Kherson Combined Heat and Power Plant, causing significant damage to infrastructure critical for heating tens of thousands of residents. In response, Ukraine targeted the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region, reportedly damaging its primary oil processing unit. These escalations reduced optimism around a potential Russia-Ukraine peace agreement.

This comes despite statements from U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggesting progress on a proposed 20-point peace plan. The Russia-Ukraine war, now approaching its fourth year, continues to disrupt global energy markets and contribute to persistent inflationary trends worldwide.

As uncertainty remains elevated, Bitcoin’s move above $90,000 underscores its growing role as a macro-sensitive asset, closely tied to geopolitical risk, inflation expectations, and shifts in global market sentiment.

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Bitcoin's mining sector reached zettahash scale in 2025, significantly enhancing the network's security and computational power. Transitioning from 801 exahashes per second at the beginning of the year to achieving zettahash levels by September, this development marks a pivotal shift in the landscape of digital currency mining, according to data from blockchain analytics firms.

Timothy Morano
Dec 29, 2025 06:19

Bitcoin forecast indicates potential rally to $95,000 by December 31st, with technical analysis showing bullish MACD divergence and strong support above $85,000.

With Bitcoin currently trading at $90,106 and showing positive momentum heading into the final days of 2025, our comprehensive Bitcoin technical analysis reveals compelling signals for continued upside potential. Multiple forecasting models and analyst predictions converge on similar targets, creating a strong foundation for this BTC price prediction.

BTC Price Prediction Summary
• BTC short-term target (1 week): $93,000-$95,000 (+3-5%)
• Bitcoin medium-term forecast (1 month): $88,000-$98,000 range
• Key level to break for bullish continuation: $91,941 (Bollinger upper band)
• Critical support if bearish: $84,450 (immediate support level)

Recent Bitcoin Price Predictions from Analysts
The latest wave of Bitcoin forecast data reveals remarkable consensus among multiple prediction sources. Changelly's progressive model shows the most aggressive BTC price target, forecasting $95,714 by December 31st, while AI models from both Claude and DeepSeek predict Bitcoin reaching $88,000-$90,000 by year-end.

Polymarket betting odds create an interesting divergence, with 39% probability placing Bitcoin between $86,000-$88,000, while 33% expect the $88,000-$90,000 range. However, The Coin Republic's more conservative $74,000 BTC price prediction stands as a notable contrarian view, citing bearish fair value gaps that could trigger profit-taking.

The consensus clustering around $88,000-$95,000 suggests strong technical and fundamental support for Bitcoin's current price levels, with most analysts maintaining medium confidence in their predictions.

BTC Technical Analysis: Setting Up for Breakout
Current Bitcoin technical analysis reveals a cryptocurrency positioned for potential upside acceleration. The MACD histogram reading of 397.58 indicates building bullish momentum, while Bitcoin's price sitting at 0.74 within the Bollinger Bands suggests room for movement toward the upper band at $91,941.

The RSI at 53.10 occupies neutral territory, providing ample space for Bitcoin to move higher without entering overbought conditions. This technical setup becomes particularly compelling when considering Bitcoin's position relative to key moving averages. Trading above both the 7-day SMA ($87,955) and 20-day SMA ($88,436) confirms short-term bullish sentiment.

Volume analysis from Binance shows $930 million in 24-hour trading activity, indicating sufficient liquidity to support significant price movements. The daily ATR of $2,716 suggests normal volatility levels, reducing the likelihood of extreme price swings that could disrupt the current technical pattern.

Bitcoin Price Targets: Bull and Bear Scenarios
Bullish Case for BTC
The primary BTC price target sits at $95,000, representing a 5.4% gain from current levels. This target aligns with Changelly's year-end forecast and finds technical support from the potential Bollinger Band expansion above $91,941. A break above this level could trigger algorithmic buying and momentum-driven accumulation.

Secondary resistance emerges at $94,476, representing immediate technical resistance that must be overcome for the bullish scenario to unfold. Success at this level would likely trigger a test of the psychological $95,000 level, with potential extension toward $98,000 if holiday liquidity conditions remain favorable.

Bearish Risk for Bitcoin
The primary downside risk targets $84,450, representing Bitcoin's immediate support level and a potential 6.3% decline. This level coincides with the lower Bollinger Band area and could attract institutional buying interest if tested.

A more severe bearish scenario targets the $80,600 strong support level, representing an 11% decline that would likely trigger broader cryptocurrency market weakness. The Coin Republic's $74,000 BTC price prediction represents an extreme bearish case that would require significant negative catalysts to materialize.

Should You Buy BTC Now? Entry Strategy
Current technical conditions suggest a measured approach to Bitcoin accumulation. The optimal entry strategy involves scaling into positions on any pullback toward $88,500-$89,000, representing the confluence of the 20-day SMA and MACD signal line support.

Risk management requires setting stop-loss orders below $84,000, representing a break of immediate support that would invalidate the bullish Bitcoin forecast. Position sizing should account for Bitcoin's daily ATR of $2,716, allowing for normal volatility while protecting capital.

For aggressive traders, immediate entries near $90,100 could target the $93,000-$95,000 range, with stop-losses placed below $87,500 to maintain favorable risk-reward ratios.

BTC Price Prediction Conclusion
Our Bitcoin technical analysis supports a bullish BTC price prediction targeting $95,000 by December 31st, with medium-to-high confidence based on converging technical indicators and analyst forecasts. The combination of bullish MACD momentum, neutral RSI conditions, and strong institutional support creates favorable conditions for Bitcoin's continued advance.

Key indicators to monitor include MACD histogram expansion above 400, RSI movement above 60, and successful breaks of the $91,941 Bollinger upper band. Failure to hold $88,500 support would require reassessment of the bullish Bitcoin forecast.

This BTC price prediction carries a 72-hour timeline for initial confirmation, with the full $95,000 target expected by January 2nd if technical momentum continues. Traders should remain alert for profit-taking pressures as Bitcoin approaches new local highs, while maintaining focus on the broader bullish technical structure that supports higher prices.

Image source: Shutterstock

btc price analysis
btc price prediction

Darius Baruo
Dec 29, 2025 06:25

Ethereum eyes $3,234 price target in next 4 days as technical indicators signal bullish momentum despite medium-term uncertainty. Critical $2,950 level holds.

ETH Price Prediction Summary
• ETH short-term target (1 week): $3,234 (+6.3% from current levels)
• Ethereum medium-term forecast (1 month): $2,800-$3,450 range with high volatility expected
• Key level to break for bullish continuation: $3,125 (immediate resistance)
• Critical support if bearish: $2,950 (consolidation floor)

Recent Ethereum Price Predictions from Analysts
The latest ETH price prediction landscape shows analysts converging on a cautious but optimistic outlook for early 2026. CoinCodex leads with the most specific Ethereum forecast, targeting $3,234.99 by January 2, 2026, representing a modest 6.3% upside from current levels. This prediction aligns closely with FX.co's $3,125 target, creating a consensus range between $3,125-$3,235.

What's particularly noteworthy is the technical basis behind these predictions. FX.co specifically cites Ethereum's breakout above a downtrend channel and successful consolidation above the critical $2,950 level. This technical foundation supports the bullish ETH price target range, though analysts maintain medium confidence levels given the recent 141% volatility throughout 2025.

The consensus view suggests that while Ethereum has found its footing after dropping from August's $4,390 peak, the recovery will be measured rather than explosive in the near term.

ETH Technical Analysis: Setting Up for Controlled Recovery
Current Ethereum technical analysis reveals a market in transition from bearish to cautiously bullish sentiment. With ETH trading at $3,042.15, the price sits strategically positioned within the middle-to-upper range of its Bollinger Bands (position 0.58), indicating neither oversold nor overbought conditions.

The MACD histogram's positive reading of 10.2425 provides the strongest bullish signal, suggesting momentum is shifting in favor of buyers despite the overall MACD remaining negative at -37.58. This divergence often precedes price reversals and supports the ETH price prediction for higher levels.

Volume confirmation comes through substantial 24-hour trading activity of $845 million on Binance, indicating institutional interest at current levels. The RSI at 51.82 provides neutral territory, offering room for upward movement without immediate overbought concerns.

Key technical levels align perfectly with analyst predictions: the immediate resistance at $3,125 matches FX.co's target, while the $3,234 level corresponds to the upper Bollinger Band projection.

Ethereum Price Targets: Bull and Bear Scenarios
Bullish Case for ETH
The primary ETH price target of $3,234 becomes achievable if Ethereum maintains its position above the $2,950 consolidation level. This scenario requires:

Immediate target: $3,125 (2.7% upside) - Breaking this level would confirm the uptrend resumption
Secondary target: $3,234 (6.3% upside) - Aligns with upper Bollinger Band resistance
Extended target: $3,447 (13.3% upside) - Major resistance level that could trigger broader bullish momentum

The bullish case strengthens if ETH can sustain trading above its 20-day SMA ($3,003) while maintaining the positive MACD histogram trajectory.

Bearish Risk for Ethereum
Should the $2,950 support fail, the Ethereum forecast turns significantly more bearish with these downside targets:

Initial support: $2,800 (8% decline) - Psychological level with historical significance
Critical support: $2,775 (9% decline) - Technical support from pivot analysis
Major support: $2,624 (14% decline) - Strong support level that, if broken, could trigger further selling

The bearish scenario gains momentum if RSI drops below 45 and MACD histogram turns negative again.

Should You Buy ETH Now? Entry Strategy
Based on current Ethereum technical analysis, a layered entry approach offers the best risk-reward profile:

Primary Entry Zone: $2,950-$3,000 - This represents the consolidation support area where institutional buyers have shown interest. Any pullback to this level provides an attractive entry point for the move toward $3,234.

Aggressive Entry: Current levels around $3,040 - For traders comfortable with immediate exposure, current levels offer reasonable entry with tight stop-loss management.

Risk Management: Set stop-loss at $2,900 (3-4% below entry) to protect against support breakdown. Position sizing should account for ETH's high volatility (ATR of $131.96).

Take Profit Strategy: Scale out 50% of position at $3,125, remaining 50% targeting $3,234 with trailing stops.

ETH Price Prediction Conclusion
The ETH price prediction for the next week points toward $3,234 with medium confidence based on technical momentum and analyst consensus. The bullish Ethereum forecast depends on maintaining support above $2,950 while breaking through the $3,125 resistance level.

Key indicators to watch:
- MACD histogram remaining positive
- RSI staying above 50
- Daily volume maintaining above $700 million

Timeline: The next 4-7 days will be critical for determining whether ETH can achieve the $3,234 target by early January 2026. A break above $3,125 within the next 48 hours would significantly increase confidence in reaching the upper target.

Should you buy or sell ETH? Current technical setup favors selective buying on dips to the $2,950-$3,000 support zone, with strict risk management given the medium-term uncertainty highlighted by analysts.

Image source: Shutterstock

eth price analysis
eth price prediction

Asian markets began the week on a strong footing, buoyed by expectations of easier US monetary policy next year, while precious metals pulled back after a sharp rally. At the same time, geopolitical tensions resurfaced in East Asia as China announced large-scale military drills around Taiwan.

James Ding
Dec 29, 2025 06:31

BNB price prediction shows potential 10-13% upside to $950-$980 range by mid-January 2026, supported by bullish MACD divergence and neutral RSI positioning at current $864.82 levels.

Binance Coin has been displaying compelling technical signals that suggest a potential breakout is brewing. With the token currently trading at $864.82 and showing a 2.56% daily gain, our comprehensive Binance Coin technical analysis reveals several key factors pointing toward higher prices in the coming weeks.

BNB Price Prediction Summary
• BNB short-term target (1 week): $915-$925 (+6-7%)
• Binance Coin medium-term forecast (1 month): $950-$980 range (+10-13%)
• Key level to break for bullish continuation: $915 (immediate resistance)
• Critical support if bearish: $818.39, with strong support at $790.79

Recent Binance Coin Price Predictions from Analysts
While no major analyst predictions have emerged in the past three days, the technical landscape for BNB remains constructive. This absence of fresh analyst coverage often precedes significant price moves, as institutional attention tends to follow rather than lead technical breakouts. The current market positioning suggests that BNB is flying under the radar despite showing promising technical signals.

The lack of recent predictions also indicates that our BNB price prediction operates in a relatively consensus-free environment, potentially offering better risk-reward dynamics for early positioning.

BNB Technical Analysis: Setting Up for Bullish Continuation
The current technical setup for Binance Coin presents a compelling case for upside momentum. At $864.82, BNB is trading above its 7-day SMA ($846.35) and just above its 20-day SMA ($859.72), indicating short-term strength despite being below longer-term averages.

The most encouraging signal comes from the MACD histogram reading of 2.8684, which shows bullish momentum building even as the MACD line remains in negative territory at -12.0660. This divergence often precedes significant price rallies as it suggests underlying buying pressure is accumulating.

The RSI at 49.44 sits perfectly in neutral territory, providing ample room for upward movement without immediately entering overbought conditions. This positioning is ideal for sustained rallies, as it allows for momentum to build without triggering immediate selling pressure.

Bollinger Bands analysis reveals BNB trading at 0.5653 of the band width, positioning it slightly above the middle band ($859.72) but well below the upper band at $898.77. This suggests room for expansion toward the upper band, which aligns with our near-term BNB price target.

Binance Coin Price Targets: Bull and Bear Scenarios
Bullish Case for BNB
The primary bullish scenario for our Binance Coin forecast centers on a break above the immediate resistance at $915. This level represents a confluence of technical factors and, once cleared, opens the path to our medium-term target range of $950-$980.

A successful move above $915 would likely trigger momentum-based buying, potentially driving BNB toward the upper Bollinger Band near $898 first, followed by an extension to the $950-$980 zone. This represents the most probable outcome given current technical positioning, with a confidence level of medium-high (70%).

The ultimate bullish target remains the strong resistance at $1,019.56, though reaching this level would require sustained momentum and broader market cooperation over the next 4-6 weeks.

Bearish Risk for Binance Coin
The primary risk to our bullish BNB price prediction lies in a breakdown below the immediate support at $818.39. Such a move would invalidate the current constructive setup and likely lead to a test of strong support at $790.79.

A break below $790.79 would signal a more significant correction, potentially targeting the psychological $750 level. However, given the current MACD momentum and RSI positioning, this bearish scenario carries a low probability (25%) in the near term.

The key early warning signal would be a sustained move below the 20-day SMA at $859.72, which would suggest the current consolidation is breaking to the downside rather than upside.

Should You Buy BNB Now? Entry Strategy
Based on our Binance Coin technical analysis, the current price level of $864.82 presents a reasonable entry opportunity for those looking to buy or sell BNB with a bullish bias. However, more conservative traders might wait for a pullback to the $850-$855 range for better risk-reward positioning.

Recommended Entry Strategy:
- Primary Entry Zone: $850-$865 (current levels acceptable)
- Stop-Loss: $815 (below immediate support)
- Initial Target: $915-$925
- Extended Target: $950-$980

Position Sizing: Given the medium-high confidence in our prediction, a moderate position size of 2-3% of portfolio allocation is appropriate, with the ability to add on any pullback to the $850 support zone.

The risk-reward ratio at current levels offers approximately 1:2.5 to the initial target and 1:4 to the extended target, making it an attractive technical setup for swing traders.

BNB Price Prediction Conclusion
Our comprehensive analysis supports a bullish Binance Coin forecast with a medium-high confidence level (70%) for a move to $950-$980 within the next 2-4 weeks. The combination of bullish MACD momentum, neutral RSI positioning, and constructive price action above key short-term averages creates a favorable technical environment.

Key indicators to monitor:
- MACD histogram expansion above 3.0 would confirm momentum acceleration
- RSI break above 55 would signal strengthening bullish momentum

- Volume expansion on any move above $890 would validate the breakout

Timeline: We expect this BNB price prediction to begin materializing within 5-7 trading days, with the full target range achievable by mid-January 2026. Failure to break above $890 within two weeks would require reassessment of the bullish thesis.

The technical setup suggests that patient traders who buy BNB at current levels while managing risk appropriately should be rewarded as momentum builds toward our projected targets.

Image source: Shutterstock

bnb price analysis
bnb price prediction

Terrill Dicki
Dec 29, 2025 06:37

XRP price prediction suggests consolidation around $1.85-$1.91 range with potential upside to $2.11 resistance if bulls regain momentum above $1.95 moving average convergence.

XRP Price Prediction Summary
• XRP short-term target (1 week): $1.85-$1.91 range (±2% from current levels)
• Ripple medium-term forecast (1 month): $1.77-$2.11 trading corridor

• Key level to break for bullish continuation: $1.95 (EMA 26 resistance)
• Critical support if bearish: $1.77 (immediate support and Bollinger lower band confluence)

Recent Ripple Price Predictions from Analysts
The latest XRP price prediction consensus from major forecasting platforms shows remarkable alignment on short-term price action. Changelly's $1.83 target, CoinCodex's $1.85 forecast, and TS2.Tech's $1.87 prediction all cluster within a narrow 2% range, indicating low volatility expectations through early January 2026.

This convergence in Ripple forecast models suggests institutional confidence in current support levels around $1.77, while also highlighting the lack of strong directional catalysts. The medium confidence ratings across all three predictions reflect the technical uncertainty as XRP trades below its 20-day moving average of $1.92.

Notably absent from recent predictions are aggressive bullish targets above $2.20, despite XRP's historical volatility. This conservative approach aligns with the current weak bullish trend classification and suggests analysts are waiting for clearer technical breakouts before upgrading their price targets.

XRP Technical Analysis: Setting Up for Range-Bound Action
Current Ripple technical analysis reveals XRP caught in a consolidation phase between the $1.78 Bollinger Band lower boundary and the $1.95 EMA 26 resistance. The RSI reading of 44.73 sits firmly in neutral territory, providing little directional bias for immediate price movement.

The MACD histogram's positive 0.0088 reading offers the most constructive signal, suggesting underlying bullish momentum is building despite the recent sideways price action. However, this momentum remains weak, as evidenced by the negative MACD line at -0.0609, which continues to trade below its signal line.

XRP's position at 0.46 within the Bollinger Bands indicates the asset is trading slightly below the middle band (20-day SMA), confirming the current consolidation phase. The daily ATR of $0.08 reflects compressed volatility, typical of assets preparing for directional moves.

Volume analysis from Binance shows $87.6 million in 24-hour trading, which represents moderate but not exceptional interest. For any meaningful breakout above $1.95 resistance, XRP will need volume expansion beyond $120 million daily to confirm institutional participation.

Ripple Price Targets: Bull and Bear Scenarios
Bullish Case for XRP
The primary XRP price target for bulls centers on reclaiming the $1.95 EMA 26 level, which would open the path toward $2.11 immediate resistance. A sustained break above $1.95 would likely trigger momentum buying, given the compressed volatility environment.

The ultimate bullish target remains the $2.20 level, representing the next significant resistance cluster. However, reaching this target requires XRP to clear multiple resistance layers and would likely coincide with broader crypto market strength.

Technical confirmation for the bullish scenario would come from RSI pushing above 55 and MACD generating a positive crossover above the signal line. Daily volume expansion above $120 million would provide additional confirmation of institutional buying interest.

Bearish Risk for Ripple
The primary risk factor in our Ripple forecast involves a breakdown below the critical $1.77 support level. This price point represents both immediate support and the lower Bollinger Band, making it technically significant for near-term price action.

A decisive break below $1.77 would likely trigger algorithmic selling toward the $1.50 strong support level, representing a potential 21% decline from current levels. Such a move would invalidate the current weak bullish trend and suggest deeper consolidation ahead.

Bears would gain control if RSI falls below 40 and MACD histogram turns decisively negative. The 50-day moving average at $2.06 continues to act as dynamic resistance, limiting upside potential until XRP can reclaim this level.

Should You Buy XRP Now? Entry Strategy
Based on current technical positioning, the optimal entry strategy for XRP involves waiting for a clear directional break rather than buying the current consolidation. For aggressive buyers, the $1.85-$1.87 range offers reasonable risk-reward if using $1.76 as a stop-loss level.

Conservative investors should wait for either a break above $1.95 for bullish confirmation or a dip to $1.77-$1.80 for support-based entries. The compressed volatility suggests a significant move is approaching, making patience the optimal strategy.

Position sizing should remain modest given the neutral technical setup. Risk management becomes crucial in range-bound markets, with stop-losses placed no more than 3-4% from entry points to account for potential false breakouts.

For those questioning whether to buy or sell XRP in current conditions, the technical evidence suggests holding existing positions while waiting for clearer directional signals rather than making aggressive new commitments.

XRP Price Prediction Conclusion
Our comprehensive XRP price prediction anticipates continued range-bound trading between $1.77-$1.95 through the first week of January 2026, with a slight bias toward testing $2.11 resistance if momentum indicators improve. Confidence level remains medium given the mixed technical signals.

Key indicators to monitor include the MACD histogram maintaining positive readings and RSI breaking above 50 for bullish confirmation. Conversely, a break below $1.77 would invalidate this forecast and suggest deeper correction toward $1.50.

The prediction timeline spans 2-3 weeks for initial directional resolution, with the ultimate price target of $2.11 achievable within 4-6 weeks if technical conditions align. This Ripple forecast emphasizes patience over aggressive positioning given the current consolidation phase.

Image source: Shutterstock

xrp price analysis
xrp price prediction

Caroline Bishop
Dec 29, 2025 06:43

ADA price prediction points to $0.48 target within 30 days as MACD shows bullish momentum. Current $0.38 level offers strategic entry for Cardano forecast upside.

Cardano's ADA token is displaying early signs of technical recovery after consolidating near key support levels. With the current price at $0.38 and technical indicators beginning to align bullishly, our comprehensive ADA price prediction analysis reveals strategic opportunities for the coming weeks.

ADA Price Prediction Summary
• ADA short-term target (1 week): $0.42 (+10.5%)
• Cardano medium-term forecast (1 month): $0.45-$0.48 range
• Key level to break for bullish continuation: $0.48 (immediate resistance)
• Critical support if bearish: $0.34 (strong support confluence)

Recent Cardano Price Predictions from Analysts
The latest analyst forecasts present a mixed but cautiously optimistic outlook for ADA. Short-term predictions from CoinCodex and Bitget converge around the $0.36-$0.37 range, suggesting modest consolidation in the immediate term. However, these conservative estimates may be undervaluing the technical setup we're observing.

More compelling is CoinMarketCap AI's medium-term Cardano forecast targeting $0.85-$1.20, driven by the anticipated Midnight Mainnet launch. While this represents a significant premium to current levels, the fundamental catalyst provides substance to bullish predictions beyond pure technical analysis.

The consensus among recent predictions leans toward gradual recovery rather than explosive moves, aligning with our measured ADA price prediction approach that emphasizes sustainable momentum building.

ADA Technical Analysis: Setting Up for Controlled Breakout
Current technical indicators paint a picture of accumulation and early momentum shift. The MACD histogram reading of 0.0037 confirms bullish momentum is beginning to emerge, while the RSI at 45.20 provides ample room for upward movement without entering overbought territory.

Cardano's position within the Bollinger Bands at 0.47 indicates price is approaching the middle band ($0.38), with room to test the upper band at $0.43. The recent 0.83% daily gain demonstrates buying interest is returning to ADA.

Volume analysis from Binance shows $45.4 million in 24-hour trading, indicating sufficient liquidity to support any breakout attempts. The key technical setup hinges on ADA's ability to reclaim and hold above the 20-day SMA at $0.38, which currently acts as dynamic resistance.

Cardano Price Targets: Bull and Bear Scenarios
Bullish Case for ADA
Our primary ADA price target sits at $0.48, representing the immediate resistance level that has capped previous recovery attempts. Breaking this level would trigger our medium-term Cardano forecast range of $0.45-$0.48, with potential extension to $0.55 if momentum accelerates.

The technical pathway requires ADA to first establish $0.38 as support, then challenge the upper Bollinger Band at $0.43. Sustained volume above 50 million daily and RSI progression toward 60+ would confirm the bullish thesis.

Bearish Risk for Cardano
Downside protection remains at the $0.34 level, which represents both immediate support and the 52-week low. A break below this critical threshold would invalidate our bullish ADA price prediction and target $0.27 as the next significant support zone.

Key risk factors include broader crypto market weakness, regulatory uncertainty, and potential delays in Cardano's upcoming network upgrades that form the basis for optimistic analyst predictions.

Should You Buy ADA Now? Entry Strategy
The current $0.38 level presents an attractive entry point for our ADA price prediction scenario. Technical analysis suggests implementing a laddered approach: initial position at current levels, with additional accumulation on any dips toward $0.36.

Risk management should include stop-loss placement below $0.34 to protect against invalidation of the bullish setup. Position sizing should account for ADA's daily ATR of $0.02, indicating moderate volatility that allows for reasonable risk-reward ratios.

For conservative investors questioning whether to buy or sell ADA, the current setup favors accumulation over distribution, particularly given the discount to the 52-week high of $0.96.

ADA Price Prediction Conclusion
Our comprehensive Cardano technical analysis supports a measured bullish outlook with $0.48 as the primary price target over the next 30 days. The confluence of improving momentum indicators, strategic support levels, and upcoming fundamental catalysts provides medium confidence in this prediction.

Key indicators to monitor include MACD histogram expansion, RSI progression above 50, and volume confirmation above $50 million daily. Timeline for our ADA price prediction centers on January 2026, with initial confirmation expected within 7-10 trading days.

The current risk-reward profile favors patient accumulation, with the Cardano forecast suggesting 26% upside potential against 11% downside risk to key support levels.

Image source: Shutterstock

ada price analysis
ada price prediction

INEX, a Korea-licensed Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP), has completed an internal proof of concept (PoC) for a USDC-based stablecoin payment flow in collaboration with Korea Payment Networks (KPN), a domestic payment gateway (PG) operator. The initiative represents an end-to-end internal validation of the operational process spanning payment initiation through settlement between a regulated digital asset service provider and an existing payment network. The PoC was finalized on December 17, 2025.

Rather than focusing solely on technical performance, the PoC was designed around practical operational readiness required for real-world deployment. Key areas of review included payment authorization procedures, settlement handling, transaction monitoring, and internal operational controls aligned with current regulatory expectations. INEX explained that as digital asset use cases expand beyond trading into payments and settlement, institutional partners are placing greater emphasis on regulatory clarity, accountability, and operational reliability.

Within this context, the PoC aimed to assess how stablecoin-based payments could be integrated into existing payment infrastructure while maintaining compliance standards. The internal review examined whether a regulated VASP and a traditional payment network could coordinate payment and settlement flows in a manner consistent with established oversight frameworks.

Based on the results of the internal PoC, INEX and KPN have outlined scenarios for introducing a limited pilot deployment targeting selected KPN-affiliated merchants. Any such pilot would be conducted within a controlled scope, with the possibility of gradual expansion depending on operational outcomes and evolving regulatory considerations.

Further preparations are expected to focus on refining merchant settlement policies, strengthening wallet verification and anti-money laundering (AML) integration—including procedures for refunds and misdirected payments—and standardizing reporting processes for accounting and tax purposes. The companies are also reviewing potential expansion into additional payment channels, encompassing both online and offline use cases.

An INEX representative stated, “This work was less about demonstrating a new payment technology and more about understanding how stablecoin payments could operate within existing settlement and compliance frameworks. The PoC allowed us to review these flows from a practical, operational perspective.”
A KPN representative added, “In merchant payment environments, stability and operational clarity are critical. Through this internal review, we were able to assess how stablecoin-based settlement might be applied in a limited and controlled manner.”

INEX is a Korea-based digital asset exchange operating under a VASP license within the domestic regulatory framework. Beyond exchange services, the company is expanding into payment, custody, and B2B digital asset infrastructure. As the digital asset market shifts from technology-driven differentiation toward regulation-based trust, INEX positions licensing and compliance capabilities as the core foundation of its long-term competitiveness.

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December 29, 2025 05:56:17 UTC Bitcoin News Today: BTC Pumps $2,600 as $102M Shorts Get Wiped Bitcoin surged $2,600 in just four hours, triggering over $102 million in short liquidations as bullish momentum returned to the crypto market. Total crypto market capitalization jumped by $80 billion, reclaiming the key $3 trillion level.

Journalist

Posted: December 29, 2025

Monero [XMR] could offer late bulls a buying opportunity if its Q4 2025 trend repeats itself. Like the rest of the altcoin market, the Santa rally lifted it by 7% from $432 to over $460. This followed a slight easing in Bitcoin dominance that offered a relief rally for altcoins. 

However, XMR’s bounce also came with thin liquidity and low trading volumes, and could be quickly reversed if the conditions persist into the new year. 

Still, such a scenario could be a juicy entry point for near-term bulls. 

Will XMR drop to $400-$420 support?
The $400-$420 area (white) was a May price peak and a resistance zone in H2 2025 that was only cleared in mid-December. 

As such, defending the level as support could set XMR for the next leg of its rally. Additionally, the price zone converged with the 50-day Moving Average (MA). 

Throughout Q4, the price bounced off the 50-day MA (white line). So, if the trend repeats itself and the price tag hits the level again, this could be a new buying opportunity. 

Source: XMR/USDT, TradingView

That being said, the MACD was on the verge of a Death Cross at press time. This could drag XMR lower, likely to the Moving Average. In fact, the previous Death Cross signals in October, November, and December all eased at the Moving Average.

This further supported the aforementioned thesis and calls for patience for late bulls. The immediate target would be $470, alluding to potential gains of 15% from the support level.

However, a sustained drop below the 50-day Moving Average would invalidate the thesis. 

No overheated market yet…
A broader weak market sentiment could send XMR lower in early 2026. However, such a risk was not evident on the Futures market at the time of writing.

In fact, there haven’t been many retail investors jumping on the asset with leverage – A lack of euphoria that underlined a healthy market for XMR. 

Source: CryptoQuant

In the past, ‘too many retail’ signals were followed by a retracement. 

Still, XMR’s market sentiment has not been fully into the positive territory for another upswing. In fact, the sentiment has been predominantly negative during the Christmas week. If it resets to positive, it could further bolster recovery odds. 

Source: Santiment

Final Thoughts

XMR saw a modest rally during Christmas week, but late bulls could still get a new buying opportunity. 
The Futures market was healthy, but market sentiment has remained weak for a sustainable recovery. 

Disclaimer: The information presented does not constitute financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice and is solely the writer’s opinion

Mon, 29/12/2025 - 6:30

Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong argues that the cryptocurrency fosters healthy competition, enforcing fiscal discipline on the greenback.

Cover image via U.Today

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has argued that Bitcoin is actually a net positive for the US dollar, which is a rather contrarian take. 

In the 2010s, for comparison, the prevailing view was that Bitcoin could only succeed if the U.S. lost.

Armstrong’s point is that BTC creates competition in a way that’s healthy for the dollar. This helps to provide a check and balance against high inflation and deficit spending.

HOT Stories

"I would say that Bitcoin provides a check and balance on the dollar…if there is too much deficit spending or inflation in the US, people will flee to Bitcoin in times of uncertainty," he said. 

He has noted that the incentives are actually not aligned for balancing the budget. "...if your inflation outstrips the growth of the economy, you will eventually lose the reserve currency status, and that would be a massive blow to the US," he said. 

The deficit issue  The rather grim fiscal landscape of 2025 has provided ample ammunition for crypto evangelists.

Earlier this year, the national debt ($1 trillion) officially surpassed the entire National Defense budget ($917 billion).

Armstrong has also been a vocal supporter of the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E), which was initially led by Elon Musk. 

The Coinbase boss has argued that that deficit could be tamed by bringing modern technology to the government's balance sheet. 

Supercharging US dollar Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), who announced her retirement, is also convinced that Bitcoin could potentially supercharge the U.S. dollar. 

She argued that it was necessary to create a strategic Bitcoin reserve to bolster the greenback with a hard currency. 

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This "pro-dollar via Bitcoin" narrative has also been adopted by MicroStrategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor. The billionaire is convinced that the US could strengthen its national balance sheet with digital capital. 

Survival tactic The sudden narrative change within the cryptocurrency space is mainly viewed as a survival tactic.

The industry has successfully managed to cluster various institutions and win political favors by rebranding BTC as the asset that actually backs the system instead of attempting to dismantle it. 

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Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of CRM 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.

This article is not personal financial advice. Do not treat this article as personal financial advice. I am not a financial advisor. Investors should do their due diligence before investing in any stock. Investing carries significant risk, including economic losses. This article only expresses my opinions regarding distinct investment opportunities. The numbers and calculations shown in this article could be wrong; investors must do their own research before investing in the company.

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.

AI-powered software stocks could help power the market in 2026 and beyond.

While semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure stocks have powered the market for the last few years, 2026 could finally be the year that AI software stocks break out.

Let's look at three AI software stocks to own in 2026.

1. SoundHound AI
SoundHound AI (SOUN 1.83%) made a name for itself as an AI voice company, but it's taking that leadership and transforming itself into a voice-led agentic AI company. Given the importance of AI agents understanding what you say and your intent, its voice technology could give it a strong edge in the space.

Image source: Getty Images.

The company grew at a rapid pace this year, and its revenue more than doubled through the first nine months of 2025. The company has established a strong presence in the automobile industry, where its technology is used for more advanced voice assistants, as well as the restaurant industry to help with voice-operated ordering systems. Meanwhile, its acquisition of Amelia gave it the technology to create its agentic AI platform, as well as customer relationships in the healthcare, financial services, and retail industries.

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SoundHound is also improving its gross margins and expects to soon generate positive EBITDA. Its Amelia 7 platform with AI agents is still being rolled out, and the company looks well-positioned for both next year and beyond.

2. Salesforce

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Salesforce (CRM +0.30%) has been bucketed as a potential AI loser, but as the importance of AI having clean, organized data comes to the forefront, it is actually in a solid position, given that its platform serves as the system of record for customer service, marketing, and front-office sales for a large number of companies around the globe. Meanwhile, its recent acquisition of Informatica, which specializes in gathering data from different sources and merging them into a single record, only solidifies its position as a source of truth for a company's data.

The software-as-a-service (SaaS) company is also embracing agentic AI with its Agentforce solution. It has integrated Agentforce throughout its product suite, including Slack and Tableau, and to date, Agentforce has seen strong uptake. The product's annual recurring revenue (ARR) surged 330% last quarter to $540 million. Salesforce's introduction of a flexible pricing model has helped drive the growth, as customers can choose from both seat-based and consumption plans.

Meanwhile, Salesforce's stock is cheap, trading at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of below 5.5 times, a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 20 times, and a price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of below 0.65. A positive PEG ratio under 1 generally indicates that a stock is undervalued.

3. Snowflake

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Another company playing an important role as a gatekeeper of data is Snowflake (SNOW +0.88%). The company operates a cloud-based data warehousing and analytics platform whose architecture separates storage from compute. Customers can store data in its data lake and then access it across different cloud computing providers. The benefit of this is that customers are not tied to a single cloud vendor, and they can quickly and securely access and share data in real time. However, once a customer's data is in the Snowflake system, it's difficult to move, and thus the platform is very sticky.

Meanwhile, Snowflake is also embracing AI agents. With Snowflake Intelligence, customers can now build their own AI agents that can access data securely from Snowflake. At the end of last quarter, it had over 1,200 customers using its Snowflake Intelligence solution, and a $100 million AI revenue run rate.

Despite originally being viewed as a potential AI loser, the company has been hitting on all cylinders. Last quarter, its revenue jumped 29%, and the company saw strong growth both from existing and new customers. It added a record number of new customers in the quarter, while its net revenue retention rate came in at a robust 125% over the past 12 months. Those are the metrics of a company poised to be an AI winner both in 2026 and beyond.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of HTGC 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.

XPENG-PKU Research Breakthrough: XPENG, in collaboration with Peking University, has developed FastDriveVLA—a novel visual token pruning framework that enables autonomous driving AI to "drive like a human" by focusing only on essential information, achieving a 7.5x reduction in computational load.
Top-Tier AI Recognition: The research has been accepted by AAAI 2026, one of the world's premier AI conferences, which had a highly selective acceptance rate of just 17.6% this year.
Accelerating L4 Autonomy: This achievement underscores XPENG's full-stack capabilities in AI-driven mobility and advances the industry toward efficient, scalable deployment of next-generation autonomous driving systems.

, /PRNewswire/ -- XPENG, in collaboration with Peking University, has had its paper "FastDriveVLA: Efficient End-to-End Driving via Plug-and-Play Reconstruction-based Token Pruning" accepted by AAAI 2026, one of the world's top conferences in artificial intelligence. AAAI 2026 received 23,680 submissions, with only 4,167 papers accepted, an acceptance rate of just 17.6%.

The paper introduces FastDriveVLA, an efficient visual token pruning framework specifically designed for end-to-end autonomous driving Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models. This work offers a new approach to visual token pruning by enabling AI to "drive like a human", focusing only on essential visual information while filtering out irrelevant data.

As AI large models evolve rapidly, VLA models are being widely adopted in end-to-end autonomous driving systems due to their strong capabilities in complex scene understanding and action reasoning. These models encode images into large numbers of visual tokens, which serve as the foundation for the model to "see" the world and make driving decisions. However, processing large numbers of tokens increases computational load onboard the vehicle, impacting inference speed and real-time performance.

While visual token pruning has been recognized as a viable method to accelerate VLA inference, existing approaches, whether based on text-visual attention or token similarity, have shown limitations in driving scenarios. To address this, XPENG and PKU developed FastDriveVLA, a novel reconstruction-based token pruning framework inspired by how human drivers focus on relevant foreground information while ignoring non-critical background areas.

The method introduces an adversarial foreground-background reconstruction strategy that enhances the model's ability to identify and retain valuable tokens. On the nuScenes autonomous driving benchmark, FastDriveVLA achieved state-of-the-art performance across various pruning ratios. When the number of visual tokens was reduced from 3,249 to 812, the framework achieved a nearly 7.5x reduction in computational load while maintaining high planning accuracy.

This is the second time this year that XPENG has been recognized at top-tier global AI conference. In June, XPENG was the only Chinese automaker invited to speak at CVPR WAD, where it shared advances in autonomous driving foundation models. At its AI Day in November, XPENG unveiled VLA 2.0 architecture, which removes the "language translation" step and enables direct Visual-to-Action generation, a breakthrough that redefines the conventional V-L-A pipeline.

These accomplishments reflect XPENG's full-stack in-house capabilities, from model architecture design and training to distillation and vehicle deployment. Looking ahead, XPENG remains committed to achieving L4 level autonomous driving to accelerate the integration of physical AI systems into vehicles, with the goal of delivering safe, efficient, and comfortable intelligent driving experiences to users around the world.

About XPENG
XPENG is committed to leading the transformation of future mobility through technological exploration, positioning itself as "Explorer of Future Mobility". Headquartered in Guangzhou, China, the company operates R&D centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, and Yangzhou, and has established intelligent manufacturing bases in Zhaoqing and Guangzhou.

XPENG pursues a global strategy for research, development, and sales, with an R&D center in the United States and subsidiaries across multiple European countries. The company adheres to full-stack in-house development of intelligent driver-assistance software and the development of core hardware, delivering an exceptional intelligent driving and riding experience for users.

On August 27, 2020, XPENG officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: XPEV), raising funds in an IPO that set a record at the time for the global new energy vehicle industry. On July 7, 2021, the company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX: 9868), becoming the first Chinese new-energy automaker to achieve dual primary listings in both Hong Kong and New York.

For more information, please visit https://www.xpeng.com/.

Contacts:
For Media Enquiries: Alison Liang, XPENG PR Department
Email: [email protected] 

SOURCE XPENG

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.

Don't get your hopes up.

Cannabis stocks soared in popularity at the end of the last decade. Two of the companies that led this rally were Canopy Growth (CGC 9.16%) and Aurora Cannabis (ACB 1.75%). However, both pot growers, along with the rest of the sector, have been southbound for the past five years. Recent developments could change that, though, at least that's what some are hoping. Let's look into what's going on in the industry and determine whether Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis have attractive prospects.

Image source: Getty Images.

A significant regulatory milestone
President Trump recently signed an executive order that rescheduled cannabis from a Schedule 1 substance to Schedule 3. Here's what that means. Controlled substances are put into one of five categories based on how dangerous and prone to abuse they are, as well as whether they have any accepted medical uses. Up until recently, cannabis was in the most restricted category, along with heroin and other extremely dangerous drugs.

Thanks to Trump's decision, though, it will now be a Schedule 3 drug, which means it has some accepted medical benefits and is far less prone to abuse than those in the two categories above.

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For cannabis companies operating in the U.S., it also means easier access to banking services and the ability to deduct normal business expenses as most other companies do. Perhaps this change could also boost demand for cannabis products in the country. For pot growers, this will mean higher revenue, lower expenses, and stronger profits. It's no wonder some investors are getting excited. However, in my view, this won't significantly boost Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis' prospects.

Investors should temper their expectations
Despite this milestone, it's important to point out that cannabis remains illegal at the federal level. Interstate commerce is still not permitted, which complicates matters for pot growers. Further, Aurora Cannabis does not have a cannabis retail or distribution business in the U.S. The company could potentially enter the market quickly, perhaps through acquisitions, and hit the ground running. That's one way in which it has increased its market share in Canada, where it is based. But the Canadian experience has taught us that even full-blown legalization is no guarantee of success.

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Aurora Cannabis' financial results have been subpar for years -- and it still generates a loss -- despite its relatively prominent status in its home market. Why expect it to succeed in the U.S., where legalization hasn't even happened yet? True, the U.S. could be a far bigger market, if for no other reason than its population size. That also means it could attract far more players, some of which would be in a better position to profit from these developments than Aurora Cannabis.

What about Canopy Growth? It has a more direct connection to the U.S. cannabis space through its subsidiary, Canopy USA. However, even with this advantage, it will still face similar problems, including unfavorable federal laws and stiff competition. In short, neither stock seems worth investing in today, despite the recent win for the cannabis industry.

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 EPR 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.

Investing in high-quality growth stocks and gradually building your positions can turn you into a millionaire investor. It takes a while to achieve that goal, and some people look beyond the S&P 500 index to amplify their returns. These are some of the most promising stocks that can produce appealing long-term returns.

Meta Platforms is still a top-tier ad platform

Image source: Getty Images.

Meta Platforms (META 0.64%) is the second-largest advertising stock, only behind Google. However, Facebook's parent company has been reporting higher financial growth rates than Google parent Alphabet (GOOG 0.23%) (GOOGL 0.20%), which gives it an edge for new investors.

Top-line results continue to expand, based on the company's 26% year-over-year revenue growth in the third quarter. Meta Platforms also recently launched its AI glasses, which may turn into a valuable revenue source that diversifies the company's finances in a few years.

Social media growth remains strong, with the company reporting 3.54 billion daily active users in Q3, which represents an 8% year-over-year increase. Continued demand for Meta Platforms' family of apps will yield more ad impressions and sales.

Interactive Brokers is riding strong demand from investors
When people make more stock trades and use margin to boost their exposure to equities, brokerage firms like Interactive Brokers (IBKR +0.27%) come out as the big winners. Shares are up by more than 40% year to date and have more than quadrupled over the past five years. Recent earnings results suggest that the momentum can continue.

Interactive Brokers increased its total revenue by more than 20% year over year in Q3, with commission revenue and net interest income as two of the biggest winners. Strong engagement drove these results, with customer account growth increasing by 32% year over year. Interactive Brokers added 4.13 million accounts while delivering stock and options trading volume gains of 67% and 27% year over year, respectively.

Investors are still feeling good about the stock market based on a 39% year-over-year increase in Interactive Brokers' customer margin loans. Strong demand for the stock market should help the brokerage firm continue to outperform the S&P 500 and deliver millionaire-maker returns.

Walmart's pivot to advertising is a long-term tailwind that will boost margins
Walmart (WMT +0.12%) has made its mark as the world's top retailer and has a real shot at exceeding a $1 trillion market cap in 2026. The company continues to boost sales and delivered 5.8% year-over-year revenue growth for investors in Q3 FY26.

However, the company's advertising segment is addressing one of Walmart's biggest weaknesses. Walmart enjoys high order volumes but struggles with profit margins. The company's net margins usually hover near 3% since retail stocks aren't known for high margins. Ads can be a game changer, especially since Walmart reported 53% year-over-year revenue growth for its global advertising business.

Ads don't make up a large portion of Walmart's total business, but they can grow over time and boost margins. In the meantime, Walmart continues to gain market share in retail while expanding its e-commerce sales, which were up by 27% year over year. Each Walmart store acts as a distribution facility, which results in lower shipping costs and quicker deliveries.

Few companies can compete with Walmart in terms of size, and that works well for investors who want millionaire-maker stocks.

Marc Guberti has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Interactive Brokers Group, Meta Platforms, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2027 $43.75 calls on Interactive Brokers Group and short January 2027 $46.25 calls on Interactive Brokers Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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.

HomeETFs and Funds AnalysisETF Analysis

SummaryiShares MSCI Israel ETF (EIS) is upgraded to a buy, reflecting strong valuation and technical momentum.EIS has surged 64% since April, outpacing the S&P 500, with robust A+ momentum and attractive 13.7x P/E and 1.48x PEG ratios.The ETF is concentrated in Financials and Information Technology, with notable risk from portfolio concentration and geopolitical volatility.Liquidity is limited, so use limit orders; further gains are expected in 2026 amid emerging Middle East peace. rangreiss/iStock via Getty Images

Foreign stocks are set to post their best year since 2009. A good final three trading sessions of 2025, and it could be the ex-US market’s top annual return since 2003. It hasn’t been a smooth ride, however. Recall the

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.

HomeETFs and Funds AnalysisETF Analysis

SummaryXMMO is a popular mid-cap momentum fund with a 0.35% expense ratio and $5.2 billion in assets under management. It's also one of the top-performing funds in its category.In July, I touted XMMO's outstanding momentum, excellent growth at a reasonable price, and adequate quality features as reasons to buy. However, the latter two have deteriorated since its Index's reconstitution in September.XMMO's forward P/E has increased from 18.84x to 23.28x, while its holdings' EBIT margins and ROTC have dropped by about four points.Still, that's no reason to abandon this solid mid-cap ETF. Rather, it's more practical for momentum investors to reduce risk by complementing it with the higher-quality XMHQ.As a result, XMMO remains a cautious "buy." new look casting/iStock via Getty Images

Investment Thesis I last reviewed the Invesco S&P MidCap Momentum ETF (XMMO) on July 23, 2025, when I rated it a "buy" due to its excellent momentum and growth-at-a-reasonable-price features. Quality was adequate, and it's my belief

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.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BR 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.

Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - December 28, 2025) -

Information Regarding this Document

This document is being filed pursuant to section 9.2(6)(a) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations and Alberta Securities Commission Blanket Order 51-520 in accordance with securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations in connection with the proposed solicitation by Tim de Freitas, Jim Masikewich and Kent Busby being certain concerned shareholders (the "Concerned Shareholders") who executed the Shareholder Requisition dated October 20, 2025 (the "Requisition") of Mr. Tim de Freitas, Mr. Timur Ganiev, Mr. Don Hamilton and Mr. Jim Masikewich (the "Shareholder Nominees") for election to the board of directors (the "Board") of Tuktu Resources Ltd. ("Tuktu" or the "Company") at the meeting resulting from the Requisition, which is currently scheduled to be held on January 15, 2026 (together with any adjournments and/or postponements thereof, the "Meeting").

Information Concerning the Nominees

The following table includes, in respect of each Shareholder Nominee, his name, province or state and country of residence, business or employment within at least the five preceding years, and the number of voting securities of Tuktu or any of its subsidiaries beneficially owned, or controlled or directed, directly or indirectly, by such individual as of the date of this document.

Name, Province and Country of Residence and Position with the CorporationPrincipal Occupation
and Background (1)Company Office Held and Date AppointedCommon Shares Beneficially Owned or Controlled or Directed, Directly or Indirectly (2)Tim de Freitas
BSc, MSc, PhD, PGeo
Alberta, CanadaTim de Freitas has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation from July 2022 to October 2025. Prior thereto, he was a founder of five oil and gas companies with assets both in Canada and internationally. Mr. de Freitas was the Chief Operating Officer of Pieridae Energy Limited from December 2018 until January 2021. Prior to that he was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ikkuma Resources Corp. from May 2014 to December 2018. Previously, Mr. de Freitas was the Vice President, Exploration and Chief Operating Officer of Manitok Energy and a Director and COO of Amarok Energy Inc. He has been, or is currently, a director of several private and public mining and oil and gas companies.Mr. de Freitas completed his BSc and MSc degrees at the University of Toronto and University of Western Ontario, respectively. He also completed his PhD at the University of Ottawa and subsequently completed an NSERC Post Doctoral Fellowship. He is a Professional Geoscientist.

President, Chief Executive Officer
July 2022 - October 2025Director

July 20221,696,666
(0.64%)Timur Ganiev
MBA, CFA, CBV
Alberta, CanadaTimur Ganiev is an investment professional with more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and investment management. He is currently Investment Manager at James A. Richardson Family Office in Winnipeg, where he is responsible for public, private and fund investments across North America, including, energy, industrial and technology companies. In this role he oversees portfolio construction and trading, leads due diligence and valuation work on new investments, manages investment exits and acts as a board observer for several private companies.Prior to joining the family office in 2019, Mr. Ganiev spent nearly a decade with KPMG LLP's Deal Advisory practice, including roles in Canada and Kazakhstan. He advised corporate and financial investors on acquisitions, divestitures, financings and valuation mandates, working closely with boards, management teams and business owners on transactions involving private and public companies.

Mr. Ganiev holds an MBA in Finance from the International University of Japan. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV).

n/a200,000
(0.01%)Don Hamilton
BCom
Alberta, CanadaDon Hamilton has over 40 years of experience as an independent businessman in the oil and gas industry. He has founded and operated a number of privately held companies serving the drilling, production and marketing sectors. Mr. Hamilton's blend of operational, management, entrepreneurial and investment experience in the oil and gas industry extends through all levels of energy operations in Western and Northern Canada. He holds a BCom degree from the University of Alberta with majors in Accounting and Economics, complemented by Gas Process Operations and Power Engineering certificates from SAIT.

n/a6,070,000
(2.29%)Jim Masikewich
Alberta, CanadaJim Masikewich has over 50 years of oil and gas industry experience. He has been a founder and President or former Board member of three successful drilling service companies based in Canada: Q-MAX Solutions Inc., XL Fluids Inc. and Dril-X Inc., some of which have expanded internationally into the United States, South America and Europe. Mr. Masikewich has extensive drilling management experience in the Alberta Foothills and the Beaufort Sea. He has managed logistics and supply as well as engineering design and execution in numerous locations around the world including the USA, South America, Europe, Africa and Russia in addition to offshore postings in the High Arctic, East Coast and North Sea.

Mr. Masikewich attended the University of Calgary. He has authored several published technical papers and has been granted both Canadian and US patents.

n/a1,430,000
(0.54%)Notes:

(1) The information as to principal occupation, business or employment of each Shareholder Nominee, not being within the knowledge of the Concerned Shareholders, has been furnished by the respective Shareholder Nominee.

(2) The information concerning the voting securities of Tuktu or any of its subsidiaries beneficially owned, or controlled or directed, directly or indirectly, of each Shareholder Nominee, not being within the knowledge of the Concerned Shareholders, has been furnished by the respective Shareholder Nominee.

Other Information Concerning the Shareholder Nominees

Each of the Shareholder Nominees has consented to serving as a director of Tuktu and meets the director eligibility requirements established under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) (the "Act"). If elected, each Shareholder Nominee will hold office until the next annual general meeting of shareholders of Tuktu or until his successor is elected or appointed, unless his office is earlier vacated.

With the exception of Mr. de Freitas, who is currently a director of the Company and who was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company from July 2022 until October 2025, none of the Shareholder Nominees has been, or is currently, a director, paid consultant or has held any other position or office with Tuktu.

None of the Shareholder Nominees is, or has been, within 10 years before the date hereof, a director or executive officer of any company (including Tuktu) that, while acting in that capacity (a) was the subject of a cease trade or similar order or an order that denied the relevant company access to any exemption under securities legislation, in each case, that was in effect for a period of more than thirty (30) consecutive days (an "Order"); (b) was subject to an Order that was issued after the proposed director ceased to be a director or executive officer and which resulted from an event that occurred while that person was acting in the capacity as director or executive officer; or (c) within a year of ceasing to act in the capacity of a director or executive officer, became bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency or was subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold its assets.

None of the Shareholder Nominees is, as of the date hereof, or has been within 10 years before the date hereof, bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or become subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors, or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the assets of the proposed director.

Other than the Shareholder Nominees' agreement to be nominated as a director of Tuktu by the Concerned Shareholders, none of the Shareholder Nominees is to be elected under any arrangement or understanding between such nominee and any other person or company.

None of the Shareholder Nominees, or their respective associates or affiliates, has: (a) any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the commencement of Tuktu's most recently completed financial year or in any proposed transaction which has materially affected or would materially affect Tuktu or any of its subsidiaries; or (b) any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter currently known to be acted up at the Meeting other than the election of directors.

Proxy Solicitation by Public Broadcast Disclosure

This solicitation of your support is being made by the Concerned Shareholders and is not by or on behalf of management of Tuktu. The address for Tuktu's head office is 960, 630 - 6th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 0S8, Canada.

Proxies may be solicited by the Concerned Shareholders by broadcast, speech or publication, including websites and other media, as well as exemptions from the solicitation requirements under applicable securities laws. All costs incurred for any solicitation will be borne by the Concerned Shareholders. While the Concerned Shareholders may be entitled to seek reimbursement under applicable law, the Concerned Shareholders will not seek reimbursement from Tuktu for fees incurred in connection with a successful vote in favour of the Requisition.

To the knowledge of the Concerned Shareholders, neither the Concerned Shareholders, nor any of their associates or affiliates of the foregoing, nor any of the Shareholders Nominees or their respective associates or affiliates has: (a) any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the commencement of the Company's most recently completed financial year or in any proposed transaction which has materially affected or would materially affect the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (b) any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted on at the Meeting, other than nominating the Shareholders Nominees for election as a director at the Meeting, in the case of Concerned Shareholders, standing for election as a director in the case of each Shareholders Nominee and any outstanding employment related matters in respect of Mr. Tim de Freitas and Mr. Kent Busby.

Tim de Freitas
403-478-0141

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/279076

Source: Concerned Shareholders of Tuktu Resources

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