Market Signal Briefing

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These stocks are reasonably priced right now.

The S&P 500 is heading for its third straight annual gain as artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have powered the index higher. But in recent weeks, some investors have worried about the possibility of an AI bubble forming -- and as a result, certain AI stocks have slipped.

It's true that valuations of AI players -- and even stocks in general -- have advanced significantly in this bull market. But some still trade for reasonable valuations, especially considering their long-term prospects. It's important to remember that signs point to a bright future for AI, with the market potentially reaching into the trillions of dollars in just a few years. Tech companies have spoken of high demand for their AI products and services, and these players have delivered strong earnings growth in recent quarters.

Still, if you're a cautious investor, you might be wondering which AI players offer you the most safety now and into the future. Here are three I'd happily hold now and even through the worst of stock market times, such as a crash. These well-established players have what it takes to navigate the toughest moments and go on to grow.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Nvidia
Nvidia (NVDA +1.02%) is the world's leading AI chip player, and you might think that makes the company vulnerable to any potential slowdown in AI. But this actually makes Nvidia the safest bet. The company sells the fastest chips around, as well as an entire portfolio of products and services to address all of a customer's AI needs. It also serves customers with deep pockets, such as Microsoft (MSFT 0.06%) and Amazon. So, amid any possible dip in AI spending, I would expect weaker players to suffer before a market powerhouse like Nvidia.

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I also like the fact that Nvidia has broadened its offerings, serving industries with specific platforms built for their needs -- such as healthcare, for example. And the company is expanding the use of its chips into areas like telecom. All of this sets Nvidia up for growth over the long term, making the stock look reasonably priced at 38x forward earnings estimates today.

2. Microsoft
You probably know Microsoft best for its software, but the company also has become a significant player in the world of AI. It offers AI products and services -- such as Nvidia systems -- through its cloud business, and this has supercharged revenue growth in recent times. In the latest quarter, Microsoft's cloud revenue climbed 40%, and the company said it will continue to invest in AI to "meet the massive opportunity ahead."

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So, Microsoft is on track to benefit from the next phases of AI growth. But, cautious investors will like the fact that Microsoft has a solid track record of earnings growth thanks to a variety of revenue drivers -- from personal computing to gaming and a wide range of cloud services -- so it doesn't rely uniquely on AI. And this momentum may continue.

Microsoft also looks reasonably priced at today's level, trading for 29x forward earnings estimates, and that makes now a great time to get in on this market giant.

3. Alphabet
Alphabet (GOOG 0.23%) (GOOGL 0.20%) is another company that built revenue strength well before the AI boom took shape. Its biggest revenue driver is something most of us use on a daily basis -- Google Search. Google is the world's most popular search engine with 90% market share, and advertisers flock to the platform to connect with us there.

Alphabet has developed its own large language model, Gemini, and is using it to power features across Google -- and Alphabet offers access to Gemini as well as a full portfolio of AI products and services to customers of its cloud business, Google Cloud.

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Advertising revenue continues to climb, and Google Cloud revenue has soared in recent times thanks to demand from AI customers. In fact, Alphabet recently reported its first-ever $100 billion quarter.

So, Alphabet is benefiting from its well-established revenue source and from AI. All of this makes the tech company, trading for 29x forward earnings estimates, a stock to buy -- and then hold through the good times as well as through any potential market crash.

Joerg Hiller
Dec 27, 2025 08:30

Bitcoin faces potential drop to $84,000 support before rallying to $105,000+ target. Technical indicators show mixed signals with bullish MACD divergence emerging.

BTC Price Prediction Summary
• BTC short-term target (1 week): $84,500 (-3.5% downside risk)
• Bitcoin medium-term forecast (1 month): $95,000-$105,000 range
• Key level to break for bullish continuation: $94,589
• Critical support if bearish: $80,600

Recent Bitcoin Price Predictions from Analysts
The latest BTC price prediction landscape reveals a fascinating divide among cryptocurrency analysts. Arthur Hayes maintains the most aggressive Bitcoin forecast, projecting $200,000-$250,000 based on anticipated Federal Reserve liquidity measures. This contrasts sharply with Standard Chartered's more conservative $100,000 target, reflecting concerns about slower ETF inflows.

JPMorgan's $150,000-$170,000 BTC price prediction stands out for its high confidence rating, backed by production-cost models and gold-parity analysis. Meanwhile, Darius Baruo's technical-focused Bitcoin forecast of $105,000-$115,000 aligns closely with emerging double-bottom patterns in the current price structure.

The consensus among major institutions suggests Bitcoin will breach $100,000 again, but the timeline and magnitude vary significantly. Short-term bearish sentiment from technical analysts like ChatGPT's $85,000-$86,000 prediction reflects current momentum indicators, creating an interesting dichotomy between near-term weakness and long-term bullishness.

BTC Technical Analysis: Setting Up for Recovery Rally
Bitcoin's current technical landscape presents a compelling case for a delayed but significant recovery. The RSI at 43.73 sits in neutral territory, suggesting neither oversold nor overbought conditions that might trigger immediate directional moves. However, the MACD histogram showing +196.69 indicates emerging bullish momentum despite the negative MACD line at -1,230.86.

The Bollinger Bands positioning tells a crucial story for our BTC price prediction. With Bitcoin trading at 0.3646 position between the bands, there's substantial room for upward movement toward the upper band at $92,694. The current price of $87,600 sits uncomfortably below all major moving averages except the 7-day SMA, indicating short-term consolidation within a broader downtrend.

Volume analysis from Binance shows healthy $975 million in 24-hour trading, sufficient to support meaningful price movements. The daily ATR of $2,864 suggests Bitcoin maintains adequate volatility for traders while indicating potential for significant moves in either direction.

Bitcoin Price Targets: Bull and Bear Scenarios
Bullish Case for BTC
The primary bullish BTC price prediction scenario targets $105,000 by late January 2026, supported by the double-bottom formation that Darius Baruo identified. For this Bitcoin forecast to materialize, BTC must first reclaim the immediate resistance at $94,589, which would signal a break above the current consolidation range.

Technical confluence suggests $115,000 as the ultimate target if momentum accelerates, aligning with the 50% Fibonacci retracement from the recent high. The bullish case requires sustained volume above $1 billion daily and RSI climbing above 60 to confirm momentum shift.

Key catalysts supporting the upside BTC price target include potential Federal Reserve policy shifts that Arthur Hayes anticipates, institutional accumulation during current weakness, and resolution of regulatory uncertainties that have pressured the market.

Bearish Risk for Bitcoin
The bearish scenario for our Bitcoin forecast involves a break below the critical $84,450 support level, potentially targeting the strong support zone at $80,600. This represents the most significant downside risk in the near term, particularly if broader market conditions deteriorate.

A confirmed break below $80,600 could trigger algorithmic selling and stop-loss cascades, potentially driving Bitcoin toward the 52-week low region around $74,000. However, this extreme bearish BTC price prediction appears unlikely given current institutional positioning and the approaching supply halvings cycle effects.

Risk factors include continued ETF outflows, regulatory crackdowns in major markets, and broader economic recession fears that could impact risk assets across all categories.

Should You Buy BTC Now? Entry Strategy
Based on current Bitcoin technical analysis, the optimal entry strategy involves a layered approach rather than a single purchase. Primary accumulation should target the $84,500-$86,500 range, where strong buyers historically emerged and technical confluence suggests solid support.

For aggressive traders, a smaller position at current levels around $87,600 makes sense with a tight stop-loss below $84,000. This provides exposure to any immediate bounce while limiting downside to approximately 4%. The risk-reward ratio favors buyers at these levels, especially given the $105,000 medium-term BTC price target.

Conservative investors should wait for either a clear break above $94,589 resistance to confirm trend reversal, or a successful test of the $84,500 support zone. Position sizing should reflect the high volatility environment, with no more than 2-3% portfolio allocation for most investors.

BTC Price Prediction Conclusion
My Bitcoin forecast anticipates initial weakness toward $84,500 within the next 7-10 days, followed by a substantial recovery rally targeting $105,000 by January 2026. This prediction carries MEDIUM-HIGH confidence based on the convergence of institutional analyst targets and technical setup.

The key indicators to monitor for confirmation include MACD line crossing above the signal line, RSI breaking above 50 convincingly, and volume exceeding $1.2 billion on any breakout move. Invalidation signals would be a decisive break below $80,600 with high volume.

Timeline expectations suggest the initial decline completes by early January, with the recovery phase extending through Q1 2026. Whether you should buy or sell BTC depends on your risk tolerance, but the medium-term technical picture favors accumulation during weakness for patient investors targeting the $105,000+ price objectives that multiple analysts have identified.

Image source: Shutterstock

btc price analysis
btc price prediction

Ripple’s native token XRP has been under debate almost since the day it launched. While Ripple continues to grow as a blockchain payments company, many argue that XRP’s price no longer reflects how much it is actually used.

Now, those questions are back in focus again. 

Crypto analyst Atlas recently shared an on-chain analysis, calling XRP the most useless token.

Ripple Thrives, But XRP Lags BehindIn a detailed breakdown of Ripple’s business model and on-chain data, Atlas argues that while Ripple as a company remains active and profitable, its native token XRP is becoming increasingly disconnected from real-world usage. 

His main point is simple: Ripple can operate without XRP, and in many cases, it already does. Banks and institutions can use Ripple’s payment technology without holding or using the XRP token at all.

Atlas highlights a growing gap between XRP’s market value and its actual demand. XRP’s market cap is close to $100 billion, yet activity on the XRP Ledger tells a very different story.

DeFi usage on XRPL is still small, with total value locked in the tens of millions, not billions. For Atlas, this isn’t just a small mismatch, it’s a fundamental problem.

Ripple, XRP, and XRPL Are Not the Same ThingAnother key point Atlas stresses is that Ripple, XRP, and the XRP Ledger are not the same thing. Ripple sells software and payment infrastructure to banks and institutions, but those services do not always require XRP. 

Due to this, Ripple’s success does not automatically increase demand for XRP.

Atlas also raises concerns about decentralization, noting that the XRP Ledger relies on trusted validator lists that remain closely tied to Ripple.

Activity Spikes Don’t Equal AdoptionAAtlas questions recent increases in XRP transaction activity. He points out that Ripple has admitted some of this growth came from micro-transaction spam, meaning higher transaction counts did not reflect real economic use.

He also notes that past adoption was often supported by incentives. Programs such as XRP rebates helped create liquidity, but partners like MoneyGram reportedly sold the tokens quickly, suggesting demand was artificial rather than organic.

Despite his criticism, Atlas does not expect XRP to collapse. Instead, he calls it a “zombie asset,” one that survives on belief, liquidity, and supply control rather than growing utility. For now, he believes XRP’s price remains driven more by faith than usage.

➠ 9

◈ This is why “zombie asset” fits

◈ XRP doesn’t collapse

◈ It doesn’t grow in utility either

◈ It survives on belief, liquidity, and supply control

— Atlas (@crptAtlas) December 26, 2025 Atlas says the SEC lawsuit kept XRP alive through headlines, not usage. When the SEC sued Ripple in December 2020, XRP was trading near $0.60, then dropped to $0.17 as exchanges delisted it. 

Now, SEC lawsuits have ended, XRP price is trading around $1.85 with a market cap hitting $111.89 billion.

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9h20 ▪
4
min read ▪ by
Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

Ethereum is establishing itself as a new central player in global finance. Driven by the rise of tokenization, the blockchain is now attracting the attention of Wall Street. Major institutions like BlackRock and Robinhood are actively exploring this technology, marking a turning point in crypto adoption. For Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat, Ethereum is becoming a key infrastructure of the financial system. A dynamic that, according to him, could push the asset’s price to unprecedented levels.

In brief

Ethereum is taking a central place in traditional finance thanks to the rise of tokenization.
Tom Lee (Fundstrat) states that Ethereum is becoming a reference infrastructure for Wall Street.
Giants like BlackRock, Robinhood, and DTCC are actively exploring blockchain tokenization.
Ethereum dominates the tokenized real assets market, hosting over $12 billion on its network.

Tokenization : a transformation lever for Ethereum
Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat Global Advisors, revealed this week on CNBC Ethereum’s growing role in institutional finance.

According to him, the blockchain is no longer limited to decentralized applications or NFTs, but is becoming a true technological foundation for traditional financial markets. “Wall Street wants to tokenize everything it can“, he said on the show Power Lunch, referring to initiatives already underway by heavyweights such as BlackRock and Robinhood.

He believes Ethereum is well positioned to capture this emerging demand : “Ether is becoming a reference financial infrastructure“.

This evolution is confirmed in the most recent data published by RWA.xyz, showing strong growth in tokenized real-world assets over this year. Ethereum largely dominates this rapidly expanding segment, strengthening its status as leader.

Here are the key points to remember :

The total value of tokenized RWAs rose from $5.6 billion at the start of 2025 to $18.9 billion in December ;

Ethereum alone holds more than $12 billion of these assets, far ahead of other blockchains like Solana, Arbitrum, or BNB Chain ;

The main RWA segment is represented by U.S. sovereign debt totaling about $8.5 billion ;

Currently, DTCC (Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation) has announced plans to tokenize some Treasury bonds held via its subsidiary Depository Trust Company, on the Canton Network ;

Furthermore, Ethereum remains the leading blockchain for stablecoins, with approximately $170 billion issued to date.

These data confirm that tokenization has now surpassed the experimental stage. It is part of a concrete institutional adoption dynamic, in which Ethereum plays a key role as a trusted infrastructure.

Tom Lee Bets on an Ethereum Price Explosion by 2026
Beyond the observations, Tom Lee laid out a particularly ambitious price projection for Ethereum.

“We believe Ether can reach between $7,000 and $9,000 by early 2026“, he stated during his appearance. For him, this evolution would only be the first step, as “the price could rise up to $20,000 as adoption expands“. This scenario is based on one hypothesis: the more tokenization progresses, the more Ethereum establishes itself as a trusted infrastructure, and the more demand grows for this network’s native asset.

Tom Lee is no stranger to betting on the Ethereum crypto. He is also president of BitMine Immersion Technologies, a treasury company specializing in ETH, which holds over 4 million Ether.

This significant exposure gives weight to his convictions but also shows that his analysis is not disinterested. Moreover, he remains bullish on Bitcoin, which he describes as a “true store of value” with a target of $200,000 for 2026, while distinguishing Ethereum’s growing utility role in financial markets.

Ethereum’s trajectory swings between institutional ambition and structural challenges. While Tom Lee bets on massive crypto adoption, Vitalik Buterin advocates for a simpler Ethereum. A balance to find, as the platform becomes central to tokenization strategies.

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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.

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Cover image via www.freepik.com

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

More than 50 billion SHIB tokens left centralized exchanges in a brief amount of time, according to a recent massive exchange outflow event reported by Shiba Inu. Practically speaking, this indicates that a sizable portion of the liquid supply has been removed from marketplaces, intended mainly for sales. That by itself does not ensure a rally, but it significantly alters short-term supply dynamics.

Shiba Inu exchange flowsOne of three behaviors – long-term accumulation, cold storage transfers or internal restructuring by large holders – is typically indicated by significant exchange outflows. Instead of just shuffling wallets, the size and persistence of the negative netflow in this instance tend to favor accumulation. 

SHIB/USDT Chart by TradingViewLiquidity would normally move onto exchanges rather than off of them if participants were getting ready to sell. According to the data, sellers are either becoming much less aggressive at the current price levels or are thinning out.

HOT Stories

Although the price chart does not yet shout bull market, it does support this interpretation. Although SHIB is still trading below its major moving averages and in a wider downtrend, the downtrend’s slope has significantly flattened. Instead of acceleration, recent price action indicates compression. 

SHIB stays oversoldMomentum indicators are hovering in oversold territory without causing panic-driven breakdowns, lower lows are minimal and volatility has decreased. That is a classic example of late-stage bearishness.

From a midterm standpoint, this arrangement is beneficial but weak. It takes less additional demand to raise prices when supply leaves exchanges because it lessens the immediate sell pressure. Demand still needs to be demonstrated, though. In the absence of a catalyst or a wider market tailwind, SHIB may stay in consolidation for longer than impatient traders anticipate.

Exhaustion selling seems to be limiting the downside, while even modest inflows could increase the upside risk. When accumulation phases give way to momentum moves, SHIB has historically been extremely reactive, frequently without much notice.

However, several users reported missing out on the sweep rewards because of an app glitch.

Key Takeaways

Robinhood is launching its Hood Holidays countdown event, offering $500,000 worth of Dogecoin (DOGE) to participating users.
Beyond DOGE, the campaign includes high-value items like Rolex watches and Apple AirPods.

Robinhood, the commission-free trading platform, is giving away $500,000 worth of Dogecoin (DOGE) to users who take part in its Hood Holidays countdown event, which just kicked off tonight.

Apart from DOGE, a meme-inspired token that has grown into one of the most widely recognized digital assets traded, the team also offers prizes such as Rolex watches and Apple AirPods as part of the festive campaign.

However, on the first day of the event, many users stated that they experienced glitches in the Robinhood app that stopped them from claiming rewards during the five-minute window. Some reported waiting ahead of time, but were shown a blank screen and later told they had missed rewards.

Hey @RobinhoodApp – what gives? I joined today’s countdown and was given a blank screen, couldn’t get into the countdown. Was waiting minutes before the countdown and still couldn’t get it. pic.twitter.com/D4p7rX5L0H

— Keita Fabrega (@keitafabrega) December 27, 2025

Notification said countdown to 8:30, i believe today since no other date or time mentioned.. this is where i am and got nothing.. @RobinhoodApp @AskRobinhood pic.twitter.com/bveycD7RhC

— Saajan Patel (@saajp) December 27, 2025

I was logged in on the Robinhood App and was on the countdown screen and…. it was broken and I didn’t win 💩 @RobinhoodApp $HOOD pic.twitter.com/UjufQ4jnwJ

— Lior (@liorsela) December 27, 2025

Robinhood has yet to respond to user complaints.

Disclaimer

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

On-chain data shows the year 2025 saw Bitcoin mining become notably harder for miners as Difficulty witnessed net growth of 35%.

Bitcoin Difficulty Has Crossed 148 Trillion Hashes
2025 is coming to a close, and it was a year where Bitcoin miners significantly expanded their facilities. According to data from Blockchain.com, the network Hashrate, a measure of the total amount of computing power connected by the miners, has seen its 7-day average value go from 795.7 terahashes per second (TH/s) at the start of the year to 1070.3 TH/s today.

How the BTC Hashrate changed in the past year | Source: Blockchain.com
During this phase of growth, the Hashrate set multiple new records, with the final all-time high (ATH) of 1,151.6 TH/s coming in October. Since then, the metric has slowed down, but even with the decline to the current level, it remains about 34.5% up since January 1st.

Bitcoin miner revenue mostly comes from the block subsidy, which remains fixed in BTC value outside of Halving events, so miners tend to be dependent on growth in the price for a boost in their income. This is why the Hashrate usually follows the price trend.

From the chart, it’s visible that the Hashrate’s ATH came right after the top in the cryptocurrency and the pullback in the metric since then has also come alongside a drawdown in the price. Miners have been more resilient than the asset, however, as BTC is down year-to-date, while the Hashrate is still up notably.

Growth in the Bitcoin Hashrate always results in an increase in another metric, called the Difficulty. The Difficulty is a feature baked into the blockchain’s code, controlling how hard miners would find it to discover the next block on the network.

It automatically changes its value about every two weeks, based on how miners performed since the last adjustment. Satoshi set a standard block time of 10 minutes for the network to follow; if miners take an average period faster than this to add blocks, the chain increases the Difficulty.

The exact degree of the upward adjustment is always just enough to counteract the speed increase of the miners. In other words, it balances out the jump in the Hashrate.

As miners were in a phase of growth this year, Bitcoin had to repeatedly elevate its Difficulty, setting new ATHs in the process.

The trend in the BTC Difficulty over the last twelve months | Source: Blockchain.com
Since setting a new record above 155 trillion hashes in October, the Bitcoin Difficulty has also witnessed a decline. Even so, the metric at its current value of about 148.2 is still 35% up compared to the 109.8 trillion hashes level from the start of the year.

The growth in the Difficulty has been pretty similar to that in the Hashrate, a natural consequence of the former reacting to the latter.

BTC Price
Bitcoin saw recovery above $89,000 earlier, but it seems the rally couldn’t last as the asset is already back at $87,300.

Looks like the price of the coin has been consolidating in recent days | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView
Featured image from Dall-E, Blockchain.com, chart from TradingView.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

CME FedWatch Tool – March Rate Cut Odds
XRP-Spot ETF Inflows Reflect Steady Institutional Demand
Easing fears of a yen carry trade unwind and rising bets on a March Fed rate cut have bolstered demand for US XRP-spot ETFs.

The US XRP-spot ETF market saw total net inflows of $64 million in the shortened reporting week ending December 26. Notably, XRP-spot ETFs extended their inflow streak to seven consecutive weeks, bringing total net inflows to $1.14 billion.

By contrast, the US BTC-spot ETF market had net outflows of $415.1 million in the reporting week ending December 26.

Grayscale’s Zach Pandl discussed the crypto-spot ETF market outlook on the Paul Barron podcast on December 26. Some key takeaways from the session included:

Institutional investors to drive crypto ETF flows in 2026.
Large-cap crypto-linked ETFs are likely to benefit from institutional demand.
Asset tokenization, bringing traditional assets onto blockchain, is a mega trend for crypto in 2026.
Bipartisan support for the crypto regulations in January is likely to send crypto prices higher.
Partisan opposition to crypto legislation would be a downside risk.
Institutional investors will likely target higher yields in DeFi products, boosting XRP and ETH demand.
A low interest rate and a higher inflation backdrop would increase demand for alternative stores of value.

Zach Pandl’s outlook aligned with the key XRP price drivers outlined in recent weeks, supporting the constructive outlook.

Medium- and Long-Term Outlook Remains Constructive
Increased bets on a March Fed rate cut and easing concerns about aggressive BoJ rate hikes support a positive outlook for XRP. Stronger demand for XRP-spot ETFs and bipartisan support for the Market Structure Bill would add to the upbeat narrative for 2026.

Considering the current market dynamics, the short-term (1-4 weeks) outlook remains cautiously bullish, despite the current pullback, with a $2.0 price target. The medium-term (4-8 weeks) and longer-term (8-12 weeks) outlooks remain constructive, with price targets of $2.5 and $3.0, respectively.

Key Downside Risks That Could Alter the Outlook
Several events could reverse the positive price outlook narrative. These include:

The Bank of Japan declares a neutral interest rate of between 1.5% and 2.5%, indicating multiple rate hikes.
US economic data and the Fed cool bets on a March rate cut.
The MSCI delists digital asset treasury companies (DATs). Delistings would likely reduce interest in XRP as a treasury reserve asset.
The Market Structure Bill faces partisan opposition.
XRP-spot ETFs report outflows.

These scenarios would likely push XRP toward $1.75, signaling a bearish trend reversal.

In summary, the short-term outlook remains cautiously bullish as fundamentals counter the bearish technicals. Meanwhile, the medium- to longer-term outlooks are constructive.

Technical Indicators Continue to Signal Caution
XRP gained 0.61% on Friday, December 26, partially reversing the previous day’s 1.55% loss to close at $1.8437. The token tracked the broader crypto market, which advanced 0.47%.

Despite Friday’s gain, XRP remained below the 50-day and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), indicating a bearish bias. While technicals remain bearish, bullish fundamentals are developing, outweighing the technical structure.

Key technical levels to watch include:

Support levels: $1.75, and then $1.50.
50-day EMA resistance: $2.0825.
200-day EMA resistance: $2.3824.
Resistance levels: $2, $2.5, $3.0, and $3.66.

Looking at the daily chart, a breakout above the $2.0 psychological level would open the door to testing the 50-day EMA. A sustained move through the 50-day EMA would indicate a near-term bullish trend reversal, bringing the 200-day EMA and the $2.5 resistance level into play.

A sustained break above the EMAs would affirm the constructive medium-term outlook and the longer-term (8-12 weeks) $3.0 price target.

American financial analyst and Fundstrat co-founder Tom Lee believes that Wall Street’s growing interest in tokenizing stocks will drive Ethereum prices higher in 2026. He reiterated that the token could rise to $7,000 or even as high as $9,000 in early 2026 and eventually reach $20,000 in the years to come.

Speaking on the Power Lunch episode, he explained that Wall Street’s push to tokenise everything would play directly into Ethereum’s strengths. He said, “It will bring use cases forward for Ethereum.”

Lee had claimed Ethereum could surpass Bitcoin
Lee stated that the overall crypto market will continue to hold up well for the next five to ten years, even as Bitcoin continues to work through its “gold envy” phase and the fallout from liquidation. Next year, he predicts, the top crypto asset will bounce back and reach an all-time high of $200,000, while Ethereum may peak at $ 9,000.

Earlier this month, in November, the Fundstrat founder had argued that Ethereum would eventually dominate the cryptocurrency space, overtaking prominent names such as Bitcoin. He claimed the network’s extensive developer ecosystem and technical resilience set it apart structurally. He added, “I think it’s a true robust community with actual known values, and it’s a neutral blockchain with 100% uptime.”

Even then, he maintained that institutional tokenization would contribute to the growth of the network, the claim being that if big institutions hold back from rolling out round-the-clock tokenized equity offerings into the network, others will catch up without delay. At the time, he also said that the token could range between “$7,000–$9,000” by the end of January 2026, blaming the asset’s then decline on the October 10 crypto market crash.

Crypto analyst Christopher Perkins had supported Lee’s remarks, affirming that more institutions are turning to the network and tokenisation. He also said most firms will likely prioritize risk management, uptime, and security for their blockchain of use.

Sharplink’s Chalom says Ethereum’s TVL could increase ten times in 2026
On Friday, Sharplink’s co-CEO, Joseph Chalom, also shared a more bullish outlook on Ethereum, predicting that its total value locked will grow tenfold in 2026, following the growth of institutions and applications that join the pool. Typically, a rise in TVL indicates increased network participation and hints at potential price implications. 

Currently, the network’s TVL stands at approximately $68 billion, and with about 797,704 ETH holdings, Sharplink Gaming now ranks as the second-largest public Ethereum treasury firm.

Chalom also projects that the stablecoin market will reach $500 billion by the end of next year. He asserted that the crypto community can expect an increasing use of global stablecoins, including cross-border remittances, retail payments, and institutional transactions, with Ethereum becoming the fundamental settlement layer for value movement. Furthermore, he anticipates that more large players will enter the market next year.

He added that tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) could surpass $300 billion by 2026, largely due to heightened engagement from major asset managers and banks, including JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Franklin Templeton, and BlackRock. 

Moreover, he said sovereign wealth funds will increase their ETH holdings by five to ten times as tokenisation increases, and Ethereum remains the trust foundation for most blockchain innovation. Most wealth funds favour the network for its “ubiquity and time-tested nature,” he contended. He also believes more onchain AI agents and prediction markets will be integrated on mainstream platforms, increasing network activity and TVL in 2026.

Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.

Journalist

Posted: December 27, 2025

At Russia’s year-end State Council meeting on 25 December, the official topic was routine training of government staff.

However, according to reporting from Kommersant’s Andrei Kolesnikov, the real message coming out of the Kremlin points to a surprising new twist in U.S–Russia relations.

President Vladimir Putin reportedly said that the United States has shown interest in using a potential stake in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to run large-scale cryptocurrency mining.

If true, this would shift the plant’s role from a wartime frontline asset to a major piece of global digital infrastructure.

Bitcoin mining discussion begins
Instead of being only about Ukraine’s electricity supply or military control, the plant could become a bargaining chip in broader peace talks.

Turning it from a conflict zone into a crypto-mining hub would be an unusual mix of energy politics, digital economics, and high-level diplomacy.

Providing further insights on the matter, Kommersant reported, 

“Vladimir Putin asserted that the Russian side is still ready to make the concessions that he made in Anchorage. In other words, that ‘Donbas is ours.'” 

According to Kommersant’s reporter, the Kremlin is considering a high-risk territorial deal in which Putin still aims for full control of the Donbas region, but appears open to trading land outside it.

In this scenario, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) would become a key bargaining tool.

The role of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
Russia has occupied the plant since March 2022. And yet, Ukrainian engineers, now required to take Russian passports, continue to run it, creating a form of “forced cooperation” that directly mirrors the joint-operation ideas appearing in peace talks.

Naturally, the main conflict now centers on who will manage the plant.

The U.S has reportedly proposed a three-way 33% split, placing American officials in charge of operations.

On the other hand, Ukraine has rejected any joint business with Russia. Instead, it is pushing for a 50-50 partnership with the U.S, giving Washington the authority to decide whether to allocate any of its share to Russia.

The irony, however, is that the ZNPP cannot produce power at all.

Its six reactors remain shut down. The plant depends on diesel generators, and thousands of Russian strikes have pushed Ukraine’s energy grid to the brink.

While Ukraine’s current crypto miners use only about 33 kW per hour, a fully restored ZNPP could support some of the world’s largest mining farms. And yet, safety risks, grid damage, and legal limits make a restart impossible for now.

More changes
Still, all of this fits into Russia’s dramatic shift in crypto policy.

Recently, Russia highlighted its plan of building a tightly controlled digital-asset system to launch by 1 July, 2026, allowing institutional investors broad access while limiting retail users to tests and a yearly 300,000-ruble cap.

By 2027, any crypto activity outside this regulated system will be treated like illegal banking.

Together, the ZNPP mining proposal and Russia’s new crypto rules reveal a clear pattern – Moscow isn’t embracing crypto for ideological reasons, but using it as a strategic tool. 

Final Thoughts

Putin’s willingness to trade land outside Donbas indicates selective flexibility, but also a desire to cement irreversible control over the region.
Crypto mining emerging in nuclear-peace talks is a sign of how unpredictable 21st-century diplomacy has become.

More than 40% of Ethereum’s circulating supply is now held at unrealized losses.
Prominent holders like Erik Voorhees and Arthur Hayes are exiting ETH positions.
Whale address 0x46DB accumulated 41,767 ETH despite $8.3 million paper losses.

Ethereum holders are navigating difficult market conditions as December 2025 concludes. On-chain data reveals that over 40% of ETH’s circulating supply is currently held at a loss. The asset has posted three consecutive months of negative performance, with November alone recording a 22.2% decline.

December brought continued volatility for Ethereum. Despite briefly reclaiming the $3,000 price level, ETH failed to maintain support above this threshold and has since fallen back below it. The weakness has directly impacted holder profitability across the network.

Profitability metrics deteriorate across Ethereum network
Earlier this month, Glassnode data showed more than 75% of Ethereum’s supply was held at a profit. That figure has now dropped to 59%, indicating a rapid shift in holder positions.

The decline shows how quickly market conditions can change profitability for large portions of token holders.

Ethereum Supply in Profit. Source: Glassnode
The growing number of underwater positions has prompted different responses from major holders. Some are exiting while others continue accumulating despite mounting paper losses.

Prominent investors reduce Ethereum exposure
Erik Voorhees, founder of Venice AI, deposited 1,635 ETH worth approximately $4.81 million into THORChain to swap for Bitcoin Cash.

Lookonchain reported this transaction follows a similar move earlier this month when Voorhees swapped ETH for BCH from a wallet inactive for nearly nine years. The repeated transactions signal a clear portfolio shift away from Ethereum.

Arthur Hayes has also transferred ETH to exchanges. Hayes stated he is “rotating out of ETH and into high-quality DeFi names,” citing expectations that select tokens could outperform Ethereum as fiat liquidity conditions improve.

Winslow Strong, partner at Cluster Capital, transferred 1,900 ETH and 307 cbBTC to Coinbase totaling approximately $32.62 million.

An on-chain analyst noted the ETH was withdrawn one month ago at an average price of $3,402.25, while cbBTC was accumulated between August and December 2025 at $97,936.68 average. If sold, the total loss would reach approximately $3.907 million.

Seasoned Crypto Content Writer, Editor and Journalist who entered the cryptocurrency industry out of sheer passion and love for writing.

Story HighlightsThe live Price of the Maker Dao token is  $ 1,459.83244243MKR could target the $2,800 zone by 2026 if DAI adoption and protocol revenues continue to expand.By 2030, MKR may hit $12,000 levels if MakerDAO successfully evolves into a sustainable DeFi financial backbone.Maker (MKR) is the governance token of MakerDAO and the Maker Protocol, both built on the Ethereum blockchain. The platform allows users to create and manage DAI, one of the most widely used decentralized stablecoins in crypto.

As the system behind DAI, Maker plays an important role in lending, borrowing, payments, and on-chain liquidity across the crypto market.

However, Maker’s native token MKR has faced a strong decline in recent months. The ongoing bear phase has pushed the token below the $1,600 level, making recovery difficult despite signs of improvement in the broader market.

With MKR under pressure, investors are now looking ahead to understand what may come next. Let’s take a closer look at Maker (MKR) price predictions for 2026, 2027, and 2030.

Maker Price TodayCryptocurrencyMakerTokenMKRPrice$1,459.8324 -8.63% Market Cap$ 1,236,807,154.1724h Volume$ 885,421.9078Circulating Supply0.00Total Supply870,827.47All-Time High$ 6,339.0242 on 03 May 2021All-Time Low$ 21.0598 on 30 January 2017Maker Dao Price Targets For January 2026Unlike speculative DeFi tokens, MKR derives value from real protocol responsibility. It governs risk parameters, absorbs losses when things go wrong, and benefits when the system generates surplus. This makes MKR closer to an ownership-like asset than a simple utility token.

As 2026 approaches, MKR’s short-term outlook is closely tied to the growth in DAI circulation and Maker’s ongoing protocol restructuring. 

Unlike many DeFi tokens, MKR tends to move in response to changes in fundamentals rather than during hype-driven rallies.

Technical AnalysisMaker (MKR) is currently trading under pressure after failing to hold above the $1,600 level. On the 4-hour chart, MKR had been moving in an upward channel, but recent candles show rejection near the upper band around $1,620–$1,630.

In the short term, MKR looks weak to neutral. Holding above $1,500 is crucial to avoid a deeper correction. A recovery above $1,580 would improve sentiment, while a breakout above $1,630 could restart an upward move.

The RSI is near 45, below the neutral 50 mark. This shows that momentum is currently tilted toward sellers. 

Meanwhile, a breakout above the resistance level will open the door for an upwards rally towards $2470.

MonthPotential Low ($)Potential Average ($)Potential High ($)Maker Crypto Price Prediction January 2026$1216$1835$2470The year 2026 may mark a transition phase for MakerDAO. The protocol has been gradually shifting toward a more structured and revenue-focused model, emphasizing efficiency, resilience, and long-term sustainability.

Key factors that could influence MKR in 2026 includeGrowth in DAI supply across DeFi and paymentsProtocol-generated fees and surplus managementGovernance participation and risk controlsIf Maker continues strengthening its financial foundations, MKR could experience steady appreciation rather than sudden spikes.

YearPotential Low ($)Potential Average ($)Potential High ($)Maker Price Prediction 2026$1197$2050$2804Maker Price Prediction 2026 – 2030YearPotential Low ($)Potential Average ($)Potential High ($)2026$1197$2050$28032027$1914$2000$47622028$2800$4891$67002029$3900$6870$93262030$4817$8500$12000MKR Price Prediction 2026In 2026, MKR’s price is expected to reflect measured growth rather than speculation. If MakerDAO maintains strong risk controls while expanding DAI adoption, MKR could approach $2,803.

MKR Price Prediction 2027By 2027, MakerDAO may benefit from greater institutional and DeFi integration of DAI. Under this scenario, MKR could trade between $1,900 and $4,762.

MKR Price Prediction 2028As decentralized stablecoins gain wider acceptance, Maker’s role as a trusted issuer could strengthen. This may push MKR toward the $6,700 level.

MKR Price Prediction 2029In 2029, investors may increasingly value protocols with consistent revenue. If MakerDAO continues generating surplus, MKR could be priced closer to $9,326.

MKR Price Prediction 2030By 2030, MakerDAO’s success will depend on whether DAI remains competitive against centralized stablecoins. If so, MKR could potentially reach $12,000, reflecting its role as a core DeFi financial layer.

What Does The Market Say?Year202620272030CoinCodex$2473$3805$5451CoinChepkup$3516$5736$6715Mudrex$2800$4000$12000CoinPedia’s MakerDAO (MKR) Price PredictionAccording to CoinPedia analysts, MakerDAO stands apart from most DeFi projects due to its direct link to real on-chain revenue and risk management. While MKR may not deliver explosive short-term rallies, its long-term value proposition remains strong.

CoinPedia analyst suggests that MKR will trade with moderate upside in 2026, targeting a high near $2,800. But long-term projections remain constructive, as experts eye $12000 mark until 2030.

YearPotential Low ($)Potential Average ($)Potential High ($)2026$1250$2050$2803Never Miss a Beat in the Crypto World!Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.

FAQsWhat is the Maker (MKR) price prediction for 2026?

MKR could trade between $1,200 and $2,800 in 2026, driven by DAI adoption, protocol revenue, and MakerDAO’s focus on long-term sustainability.

Can Maker (MKR) reach $10,000 by 2030?

Yes, MKR may approach or exceed $10,000 by 2030 if DAI remains competitive and MakerDAO continues generating consistent on-chain revenue.

Is Maker (MKR) a good long-term investment?

MKR is considered a long-term asset due to its role in governance, risk management, and value capture from MakerDAO’s real protocol revenues.

What factors influence MKR price the most?

Key drivers include DAI supply growth, protocol fees, governance decisions, risk controls, and overall DeFi and crypto market conditions.

How is MKR different from other DeFi tokens?

Unlike hype-driven tokens, MKR derives value from real responsibility—governing DAI, absorbing losses, and benefiting from MakerDAO’s surplus.

Bitcoin rose to $126,000 in 2025, and Ethereum edged to near $5,000, but this was a challenging year for cryptocurrency markets.

And many projects in the layer 1 (L1) blockchain ecosystem experienced widespread declines.

The widespread sell-off saw several high-profile networks post steep losses, this coming despite some major wins.

Key among these are regulatory developments, institutional interest and broader ecosystem growth.

A year of pain for top L1 tokens
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Sui, Avalanche, and TON suffered the most severe drawdowns among top L1s.

Mainly, it’s a result of investor caution amid shifting capital flows toward more established or niche narratives.

Data from Castle Labs has outlined the broad underperformance of L1 tokens throughout 2025.

While some privacy-focused or legacy chains held ground, the majority faced significant pressure.

Notable declines included Hyperliquid (HYPE) down 6.5%, Ethereum (ETH) 15.3%, and Solana (SOL) 35.9%.

The sharpest drops came from newer high-throughput networks.

Sui (SUI) fell 67.3%, Avalanche (AVAX) 67.9%, and TON 73.8%. These losses occurred against a backdrop of robust on-chain activity in some cases, such as rising total value locked and transaction volumes.

However, market sentiment favoured selective allocation, with capital rotating away from speculative L1 bets.

Factors contributing to the downturn included competition from Layer 2 scaling solutions, delayed adoption in key sectors like gaming and DeFi, and broader risk-off behaviour in altcoins.

Smaller L1 chains, in particular, lost traffic to more mature ecosystems, exacerbating price pressure.

BNB and TRON bucked the trend
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Amid the L1 sector’s struggles, Binance Coin (BNB) and Tron (TRX) stood out as rare outperformers.

The BNB token has posted gains of just over 18% YTD, having gone parabolic as the price hit a new all-time high above $1,300.

TRON also showed resilience, with just under 10% return in 2025.

BNB’s resilience stemmed from its deep integration with the Binance ecosystem, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

Key strengths include deflationary tokenomics through regular coin burns, which reduce supply and support price stability, alongside utility in trading fee discounts, staking, and governance within Binance Smart Chain.

The chain’s high activity benefited from institutional partnerships and expansions into DeFi and NFTs, as did digital asset treasury strategies.

These trends and other factors could shape the BNB price outlook in 2026.

TRX, similarly, demonstrated stability driven by Tron’s dominance in stablecoin transfers and low-cost transactions.

Memecoin activity and the network’s focus on high-throughput applications, particularly in content sharing and decentralized entertainment, helped bulls.

However, Tron’s revenue explosion, fueled by USDT dominance, provided a buffer for buyers as volatility hit peers.against market volatility.

Market outlook: Sectors to watch in 2026
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Despite the 2025 downturn for many L1 tokens, broader crypto narratives painted a more nuanced picture.

According to CoinGecko’s recent analysis of profitable crypto sectors in the past year, privacy coins and real-world asset coins showed remarkable traction.

Real World Assets (RWA) emerged as the top-performing sector with average returns of nearly 186% year-to-date.

Driving this uptick has been tokenization of traditional assets like Treasuries and private credit. Interestingly, the L1 category as a whole ranked second with around 80% average gains.

Privacy coins such as Zcash and Monero exploded to push the segment into the green.

Another sector that witnessed notable gains is the “Made in USA” segment, which boasted about 30% YTD as of December 26, 2025.

However, Memecoins, AI tokens, DePIN and GameFi are all on track to end the year in the red.

Heading into 2026, analysts anticipate a cautiously optimistic environment for cryptocurrencies.

Expected interest rate cuts could enhance liquidity for risk assets, while advancing tokenization and stablecoin adoption may bolster infrastructure plays.

For L1 tokens specifically, differentiation through specialised use cases could spur recovery.

Meanwhile, institutional inflows, regulatory clarity, and renewed focus on fundamentals may favour established coins.

Journalist

Posted: December 27, 2025

Bitcoin has continued to trend lower on the back of selling pressure building across the market. In fact, the world’s largest cryptocurrency is now well off its all-time high of close to $126k, with BTC valued at $87.4k at press time.

However, selling pressure might be fading now. Structural patterns point to exhaustion, while improving liquidity conditions suggest capital could begin to re-enter the market. Such a shift would also strengthen the broader recovery outlook.

Bitcoin hits structural exhaustion
Bitcoin’s [BTC] recent decline has been driven by several converging bearish factors that struck the market in succession.

The downturn began on 29 October, following a major liquidation cascade that forced approximately $19 billion out of the market.

This was reinforced by a hawkish Federal Open Market Committee outlook. It pushed institutional investors to reduce exposure, resulting in a record $903 million Bitcoin outflow.

According to 10xResearch, this environment pushed investors towards assets with stronger near-term return potential. This likely explains the recent rallies in traditional safe-haven assets such as gold and silver, both of which hit record highs.

Source: 10xResearch

Despite this backdrop, however, market analysis now suggests Bitcoin may be approaching a bullish inflection point and could attempt a multi-week recovery.

In fact, structural patterns at press time indicated that a breakout above the descending resistance trendline could trigger a renewed upside move.

Will conditions support a rebound?
There is a high probability that Bitcoin stages a rebound as the market approaches the new year.

Consider this – Milk Road’s recent analysis compared one-year inflation swaps with the five-year forward breakeven five-year inflation swap and highlighted a widening divergence in long-term inflation expectations.

According to the report, this divergence could turn constructive for Bitcoin, even though such setups are relatively rare.

“Inflation is likely to cool through the first half of 2026, giving the Fed room to cut rates further.”

Source : MilkRoad

Cooling inflation would likely return liquidity to risk assets such as Bitcoin. That being said, persistent long-term inflation risks could still limit the pace of capital inflows.

Milk Road also noted that the recent U.S government shutdown drained liquidity from markets. Even so, the firm emphasized that recovery odds remain elevated. It added that reverse repo management could see the Federal Reserve inject up to $40 billion into markets monthly through April.

Finally, the analysis pointed out that quantitative easing has begun. If inflation continues to ease, additional rate cuts could follow – A development that would likely increase capital flows into crypto markets.

Spot investors remain active
Finally, spot investors have continued to accumulate Bitcoin despite recent price weakness – Signaling underlying demand.

Data from CoinGlass revealed that since the first week of December, spot market participants have consistently added to their holdings. In fact, total spot purchases over the past four weeks now amount to approximately $3.72 billion.

Source: CoinGlass

Sustained spot accumulation, combined with improving macro and structural conditions, could support Bitcoin’s recovery. This will also increase the likelihood of a move back towards its previous all-time high of $126,000.

Final Thoughts

Bitcoin’s structural pattern revealed signs of exhaustion, supporting the likelihood of a relief rally.
Inflation and employment data suggested liquidity could rotate back into financial markets during the first half of 2026.

Five more days left on X, he said.

Citing the overall direction X (formerly Twitter) is heading, IOHK’s leader, Charles Hoskinson, said he would be leaving the platform in less than a week, when a “digital twin” takes over the account.

He didn’t give any further details about his replacement to his million followers on X, but promised to do so in the first YouTube stream of the new year.

Five more days on X.

Come January, a digital twin takes over this account—I’ll explain what that means on the first YouTube stream of the new year.

Where to find me: Midnight Discord for weekly AMAs, YouTube for livestreams, and the long-form writing I’ve owed myself for a… pic.twitter.com/QnDMNqZ5DM

— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) December 27, 2025

Hoskinson to Leave X?
Starting from January 1, Hoskinson’s fan base will be able to engage with him on Midnight Discord for weekly AMAs, YouTube for livestreams, and he also said he will focus on long-form writing that has been a decade in the making.

The person behind Cardano and, in parts, Ethereum believes X “rewards outrage,” while the work that they are building, including Africa, Midnight 1.0, and Cardano governance, “rewards building.”

The comments below his post were split. Some were quick to praise his move, agreeing that this is a decision many are “contemplating, given the direction of the platform.” Others were a bit more dismissive, saying that Hoskinson didn’t have to announce his departure as X is not an airport.

ADA Price Impact?
Hoskinson’s most important engagements on X have sometimes impacted the price of ADA, including on multiple occasions last year when he said he would work with the Trump administration in 2026 to establish clear crypto regulations. Or, when he hinted that Cardano might partner with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Both of these led to immediate double-digit price pumps.

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Cardano (ADA) News Today: September 4th

The situation now seems rather different, though. He has taken sabbaticals from X in the past, which didn’t really affect ADA. Even if he doesn’t return this time, he would still be available on other platforms.

Nevertheless, ADA has been dropping hard in the past several months. It’s down by over 5% weekly and 18% monthly, and sits well below the cycle peak of over $1, currently trading at $0.35.

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SummaryThe Unusual Whales Subversive Democratic Trading ETF systematically mirrors trades disclosed by Democratic members of Congress and their spouses.NANC's outperformance since inception stems from heavy, disclosure-driven allocations to Big Tech leaders like Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Apple.Momentum could persist if AI-driven tech spending remains dominant, but high concentration and lagged disclosures pose structural risks.Potential regulatory changes restricting lawmakers’ trading or shifts in political dynamics could undermine NANC’s core strategy and future performance. arlutz73/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

I don't know about you, but I personally find it HILARIOUS (and disturbing) that apparently all it takes to beat the stock market is to monitor the trades of politicians. Not a day goes by where on X

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.

The Lead-Lag Report is provided by Lead-Lag Publishing, LLC. All opinions and views mentioned in this report constitute our judgments as of the date of writing and are subject to change at any time. Information within this material is not intended to be used as a primary basis for investment decisions, and should also not be construed as advice meeting the particular investment needs of any individual investor. Trading signals produced by the Lead-Lag Report are independent of other services provided by Lead-Lag Publishing, LLC, or its affiliates, and the positioning of accounts under their management may differ. Please remember that investing involves risk, including loss of principal, and past performance may not be indicative of future results. Lead-Lag Publishing, LLC, its members, officers, directors, and employees expressly disclaim all liability with respect to actions taken based on any or all of the information in this writing.

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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SummaryMicron Technology (MU) has transformed from a cyclical commodity player into a structurally defensible leader in the memory semiconductor oligopoly.MU's Q4 FY25 results showed record-high gross (46%), operating (35%), and net (31%) margins, driven by high-margin HBM and limited price competition.The company's hybrid EUV and deep ultraviolet lithography strategy, capital efficiency, and accumulated expertise create a widening moat against competitors.Fair value for MU is estimated at $251.12, offering 43.9% upside, with risks mitigated by diversified HBM demand and a fast-follower innovation approach.Editor's note: Seeking Alpha is proud to welcome Vega North as a new contributing analyst. You can become one too! Share your best investment idea by submitting your article for review to our editors. Get published, earn money, and unlock exclusive SA Premium access.

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.

This tech stock impressed investors in 2025, as it delivered soaring revenue and substantial profits.

AppLovin (APP 1.88%) has been one of the market's biggest winners in 2025, with the tech stock up 120% year to date as of this writing. The move comes as the advertising technology company has not only delivered impressive top-line growth but soaring profits.

Why should investors care?

Because the same set of facts can lead to two different conclusions for investors: The business looks meaningfully stronger than it did a year ago, but the price investors are being asked to pay now is much less forgiving.

AppLovin is a classic example of a great business with an unattractive stock.

Image source: Getty Images.

What powered AppLovin's 2025 run
Results are even more impressive when looking at AppLovin's year-to-date quarterly results in aggregate. Trailng-9-month revenue as of Sept. 30 was about $3.8 billion, up 72% year over year. And the company earned over $2.2 billion of net income (up 128% year over year) on these sales. Adjusted EBITDA for the period rose 90% year over year to $3.1 billion.

With this being said, one detail investors should not gloss over is the direction of growth. Third-quarter revenue growth of 68% was still fast, but it was lower than the 77% year-over-year growth AppLovin posted in the second quarter.

Still, the broader takeaway is clear: in 2025, AppLovin has looked less like a niche ad-tech name and more like a scaled platform with unusual profitability.

An unforgiving valuation
When a stock more than doubles, the question is rarely whether the company is doing well. In this case, AppLovin is firing on all cylinders. The harder part is whether the current price leaves any room for error.

With a price-to-sales ratio of about 40 and a price-to-earnings ratio of 50 as of this writing, investors clearly expect strong growth to persist.

While there's no indication that growth will come down substantially anytime soon, it is worth noting that management expects a further deceleration in Q4. AppLovin guided to revenue of $1.57 billion to $1.60 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $1.29 billion to $1.32 billion. That guidance implies 57% to 60% year-over-year revenue growth -- impressive but a marked deceleration from 68% growth in Q3.

AppLovin's bulls would likely point out that the company's initiatives to ramp up capabilities for self-service advertisers could help the company keep its growth rates high. But it may take time for these efforts to move the needle.

"We're already seeing spend from these self-service advertisers grow around roughly 50% week-over-week," said AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi in the company's third-quarter earnings call. Though he also noted that it's "too soon for this to be significant..." and proceeded to acknowledge that it does show promise for the platform's potential success in "being an open platform to any type of advertiser."

Given the stock's high valuation, investors should proceed carefully. The valuation leaves very little room for error. Adding in the risks facing any advertising platform business, such as how an uncertain macroeconomic environment could reduce advertiser budgets, or how technological changes can impact ad tracking and measurement, narrows the margin for error further.

Even so, there's a lot to like. AppLovin is executing, and the guidance suggests this momentum will continue. But given the stock's big run-up, staying on the sidelines and hoping for a better price is probably wise.

, /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until January 26, 2026 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. ("Sprouts" or the "Company") (NasdaqGS: SFM), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities between June 4, 2025 and October 29, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.

Get Help

Sprouts investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nasdaq-sfm-2/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Sprouts and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On October 29, 2025, the Company announced its third quarter fiscal 2025 results, disclosing comparable stores sales growth below expectations as well as disappointing fourth quarter guidance and cuts to its full year estimates, despite raising them only one quarter prior, due to "challenging year-on-year comparisons as well as signs of a softening consumer."

On this news, the price of Sprouts' shares fell from a closing market price of $104.55 per share on October 29, 2025 to $77.25 per share on October 30, 2025, a decline of about 26.11% in the span of just a single day.

The case is Singh Family Revocable Trust u/a dtd 02/18/2019 v. Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-04416.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler

, /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until February 2, 2026 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Bitdeer Technologies Group ("Bitdeer" or the "Company") (NasdaqCM: BTDR), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities between June 6, 2024 and November 10, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Get Help

Bitdeer investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nasdaq-btdr/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Bitdeer and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On November 10, 2025, despite prior positive statements to investors regarding its research and technology roadmap for its SEALMINER Bitcoin mining machine, the Company announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2025, disclosing a net loss that had widened to $266.7 million or $1.28 per share, due to increased operating expenses related to the "R&D of our ASICs roadmap."

On this news, the price of Bitdeer's shares fell from a closing market price of $17.65 per share on November 10, 2025 to $15.02 per share on November 11, 2025, a decline of more than 14%.

The case is Ismail N. Sakar v. Bitdeer Technologies Group, et al., No. 25-cv-10069.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler

, /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until February 9, 2026 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Integer Holdings Corporation ("Integer" or the "Company") (NYSE: ITGR), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's shares between July 25, 2024 and October 22, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Get Help

Integer Holdings investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-itgr/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Integer and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On October 23, 2025, the Company disclosed a lower full-year 2025 sales guidance to a range between $1.840 billion and $1.854 billion, well short of analysts' estimates, as well as expected net sales growth of -2% to 2% and organic sales growth of 0% and 4% for the full year of 2026, among other things, due to the market adoption of its products being slower than anticipated.

On this news, the price of Integer's shares fell $35.22 per share, or more than 32%, from a closing price of $109.11 per share on October 22, 2025, to a closing price of $73.89 per share on October 23, 2025.

The case is West Palm Beach Firefighters' Pension Fund v. Integer Holdings Corporation, et al., No. 25-cv-10251.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler

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 ANGI 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.

A sell-off presents an opportunity for investors.

Heading into 2026, the stock market is coming off one of its best three-year runs in history, up roughly 75%.

The AI boom that kicked off with the Nov. 2022 launch of ChatGPT has led to some concerns about a bubble in AI, and the S&P 500 is now trading at a historically high price-to-earnings ratio. In such an environment, finding a growth stock isn't so easy. Ideally, investors will want to find a company that not only offers strong long-term growth potential but also trades at a reasonable valuation.

One such stock that fits the bill is MercadoLibre (MELI +0.50%), the Latin American e-commerce leader, whose business covers verticals like fintech and logistics, and if you're looking to invest $2,000, then you have just enough to afford one share as the stock is trading at $1,998 a share as of Dec. 26. MercadoLibre has already made early investors rich. Keep reading to see why it still has a lot of growth potential.

Image source: MercadoLibre.

A track record of success
MercadoLibre has long been a top growth stock on the market. In fact, since its 2007 IPO, the stock is up 6,950%, which is based on its closing price from that day. However, based on its $18 IPO price, the stock has returned more than 100 times to IPO buyers. The chart below shows the performance.

MELI data by YCharts

MercadoLibre has delivered those kinds of results through consistently high revenue growth and a business model that has reinforced the company's competitive advantages as it's scaled up. Much like Amazon, the company has layered on complementary businesses such as MercadoPago, its fintech business, MercadoEnvios, its logistics business, and MercadoCredito, a financing business, to find success.

However, as you can see from the chart below, MercadoLibre is now down 23% from its peak in June as the stock has struggled.

Among the investor concerns that have weighed on the stock are increasing competition from the likes of Amazon, Temu, and Sea Holdings' Shopee. That's led to margin compression at MercadoLibre as it's had to offer shipping discounts in order to protect its market share.

In the third quarter, MercadoLibre's revenue jumped 39% to $7.4 billion, which marked its 27th consecutive quarter with revenue growth above 30%. However, its operating margin fell to 9.8% due to investments like lowering the free shipping threshold in Brazil, ramping up spending on the first-party e-commerce business, investing in social commerce, and expanding its credits business.

Today's Change

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2008.27

Why MercadoLibre is a top buy for 2026
The margin and competitive concerns facing MercadoLibre are valid, but they aren't entirely new. Amazon has been operating in Brazil for years, as has Shopee, though both companies are making a renewed push in the market.

However, MercadoLibre's consistently strong revenue growth and advantages include its MELI+ membership program, which offers a package of benefits similar to Amazon Prime.

There's also enough room in the market for more than one company to be successful. Management said that e-commerce penetration rates are still in just the mid-teens in Latin America, and even lower in fintech, giving it a long runway of growth as it can take market share from traditional forms of retail and banking.

After the recent pullback, the stock has also gotten more affordable, trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 49. MercadoLibre has bounced back from adversity before, and the business is strong enough to recover again. Wall Street, meanwhile, expects margins to expand in 2026 as products like its credit card in Brazil begin to mature.

Overall, taking advantage of the recent sell-off in MercadoLibre looks like a smart move as the Latin American superstar still has a long growth path ahead of it.