Core Insights - The cryptocurrency market is experiencing a downturn, often referred to as "crypto winter," with Bitcoin's price fluctuating significantly [1][2] - Bitcoin recently reached a price of $100,000, which is seen as a critical level for traders, with opinions divided on whether it will rise to $125,000 or fall to $75,000 next [2][3] - The recent price movements have been volatile, with Bitcoin starting the year near $100,000, dropping to $75,000, and peaking at $126,000 in early October before falling back to $100,000 [3][4] Price Movements - Bitcoin's price journey has been tumultuous, with a notable drop from $126,000 to $100,000, marking a significant round trip for the year [4][6] - The emotional significance of the $100,000 price level is highlighted, as it serves as a battleground between buyers and sellers [3][4] Market Influences - The recent decline in Bitcoin's price is attributed to several factors, including the U.S. government shutdown and a strengthening dollar [5][6] - The tightening liquidity from the U.S. Treasury's cash buildup is also noted as a contributing factor to the price drop [6] - There are concerns regarding the valuation of technology stocks, which may influence market sentiment towards Bitcoin [7]

Core Insights - Bitcoin's 2025 rally sets a high benchmark, but altcoins are showing potential momentum that may extend into 2026 [2] - Large-cap crypto projects are experiencing price momentum and network upgrades that could enable them to outperform Bitcoin in 2026 [3] Ethereum (ETH): Institutional Upgrades Boost Demand - Ethereum rallied 66% in Q3 2025, nearing $5,000, driven by institutional demand and the upcoming "Fusaka" scaling upgrade [5][6] - Standard Chartered forecasts Ethereum could reach $8,000 by 2026, citing increased demand from gaming and asset tokenization [7] - The "Fusaka" upgrade aims to reduce fees and enhance transaction throughput, reinforcing Ethereum's position in decentralized finance [6] Solana (SOL): High-Speed Blockchain Coming of Age - Solana achieved a 35% gain in the last quarter, supported by significant institutional buying and record ecosystem revenue [9] - Major asset managers, including Fidelity, Invesco, and Grayscale, have filed for the first spot Solana ETFs, which could attract mainstream inflows if approved [10] - A $1.65 billion treasury fund has been established to buy and stake SOL, reflecting a strategy similar to that which propelled Bitcoin's 2024 growth [10]

DeFi Integration - ShapeShift mobile integrates with major DeFi protocols like Aave, Morpho, Yearnfi, and Pendle_fi [1] - The platform supports multiple chains, offering users access to various DeFi opportunities [1] Product Offering - ShapeShift provides a one-tap solution for earning DeFi yields [1] - The platform aims to bring the best protocols and chains to users' pockets via mobile access [1]

Core Insights - Altcoins are becoming essential diversification tools for investors seeking alternatives to bitcoin, with institutional adoption of blockchain infrastructure on the rise [1][2] - The altcoin market includes various tokens from platforms like Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche, which aim to disrupt traditional finance [1][2] Altcoin Characteristics - Altcoins complement bitcoin by providing diversification opportunities, similar to the difference between small-cap stocks and blue chips [2] - CoinShares research categorizes altcoins based on their real-world utility versus speculative nature [2] Investment Products - CoinShares offers two investment products: the CoinShares Bitcoin ETF (BRRR) for direct bitcoin exposure and the CoinShares Bitcoin and Ether Strategy ETF (BTF) for exposure to both bitcoin and ether through futures contracts, with a 1.24% expense ratio [3] - Ether is treated as a proven asset due to its smart contract capabilities, distinguishing it from other speculative altcoins [4] Market Volatility - Altcoins exhibit greater price volatility compared to bitcoin due to their smaller market values and fewer participants, making them more sensitive to market changes [5] - For instance, during a market sell-off in October 2025, bitcoin fell 14%, while the Avalanche protocol experienced a 70% drop [5] Market Trends - Over 50% of nearly 7 million coins listed on CoinGecko since 2021 have disappeared, yet memecoins have reached a market cap of $57 billion as of October 2025 [6] - Traditional financial institutions are increasingly engaging with altcoin infrastructure, as seen with BlackRock's tokenized money market fund BUIDL on Ethereum, which amassed $2.8 billion in assets under management by October 2025 [7] Decentralized Finance Applications - The research highlights various investment categories, particularly decentralized finance applications like AAVE and Uniswap, which reduce transaction costs by enabling direct transactions without intermediaries [8]

Core Insights - Elixir has decided to wind down its deUSD synthetic dollar stablecoin following a significant loss disclosed by Stream Finance, which has caused ripple effects across the DeFi ecosystem [1][7]. Incident Overview - Stream Finance reported a loss of approximately $93 million in assets managed by an external fund manager, leading to the suspension of all withdrawals and deposits [2][3]. - Elixir had parked 65% of deUSD's collateral with Stream, which lost $93 million using its own stablecoin (xUSD) as collateral, resulting in a 77% drop in xUSD and effectively nullifying deUSD's backing [3][6]. Market Impact - The value of deUSD collapsed by over 97% within 24 hours, trading around $0.025 [5]. - Panic selling ensued, with over $30 million dumped on-chain as holders rushed to exit [3]. Redemption Process - Elixir announced that all remaining holders of deUSD and sdeUSD would be able to redeem their assets for a dollar, and a claim page was launched for users to redeem their assets in USDC [4][6]. - The protocol has taken a snapshot of all remaining holder balances and expects all claims to be honored on a 1:1 basis [6]. Broader Implications - The incident underscores the interconnectedness of DeFi systems, highlighting how losses in one protocol can significantly impact others, and raises ongoing discussions about collateral design, transparency, and risk management in decentralized finance [7].

"What happened over the past half a decade is that DeFi has been able to prove it has become extremely resilient infrastructure."Aave Founder @StaniKulechov, @AltcoinDaily's Aaron Arnold, and @SergeyNazarov discuss institutional DeFi, tokenized asset utility, and how Aave and Chainlink are powering the next era of decentralized finance ↓ ...

Proud to share that BitMart Global CEO Nenter (Nathan) Chow @50Nent has joined the Forbes Business Council!This invitation-only community brings together top business leaders and innovators. Nenter’s inclusion reflects BitMart’s commitment to advancing financial inclusion and bridging traditional and decentralized finance through digital assets and AI-driven innovation.🔗 Learn more: https://t.co/JqsEcQdalk ...

Core Viewpoint - Standard Chartered's crypto analyst Geoffrey Kendrick believes Bitcoin's recent dip below $100,000 may be the last opportunity for investors to buy at this level, suggesting a staged buying strategy based on technical indicators [1][2]. Group 1: Bitcoin Trading Strategy - Kendrick recommends a three-stage entry strategy for Bitcoin, starting with an immediate allocation of 25% at current levels, adding another 25% if Bitcoin closes above $103,000, and committing the remaining 50% when the Bitcoin-gold ratio exceeds 30 [3]. - The current trading price of Bitcoin is approximately $103,045, just $1,100 above its critical 50-week moving average [2]. Group 2: Market Analysis and Historical Performance - Historical data shows that Bitcoin has only lost its 50-week moving average support level four times, each time leading to tests of the 200-week moving average, which is currently around $55,000 [2]. - Analysis of Bitcoin's performance during market crises since 2020 indicates that it tends to outperform gold and equities after initial panic subsides, despite being perceived as a high-risk asset during acute stress [5][6]. - During the COVID-19 crash in March 2020, Bitcoin took two months to recover to pre-crisis levels but achieved a 220% gain over the following six months, significantly outperforming gold and the S&P 500 [6].

Congratulations to our partner, @Memento_Bc, for tokenizing their third, and biggest, RWA Fund on their ZK Chain.Traditional Finance ➡️Incorruptible FinanceMemento (@Memento_Bc):Bigger Than Previous Funds COMBINED!The Third TradFi RWA Fund is now tokenized on Memento ZK Chain 🏛️On track to onboarding Billions in TradFi funds onchain.$DEXTF https://t.co/2pWl02kkbU ...

🗣️ According to our data, top trending tokens driving markets and circulating across social media are:🪙 Bitcoin $BTC: Trending due to extensive discussions about Bitcoin's price cycles, investment strategies, and market predictions on Reddit, frequent mentions in flash transactions, pricing, and wallet compatibility on Telegram, and significant activity around Bitcoin's price movements, trading volumes, whale investor behavior, and institutional borrowing on Twitter. The trend reflects strong interest in Bi ...