Core Insights - 21shares has published its latest State of Crypto report, outlining ten predictions for the evolution of digital assets leading into 2026, emphasizing the transition of crypto from peripheral finance to core infrastructure [1][2][3] Industry Developments - The report highlights a year of synchronized institutional adoption, regulatory clarity, and product innovation, which has strengthened the foundational aspects of the crypto market [2] - Key themes include the evolution of Bitcoin, the growth of the ETP market, the emergence of a trillion-dollar stablecoin market, a revitalized DeFi ecosystem, and the rise of agentic finance [2][3] Predictions for 2026 - Bitcoin's halving cycle is becoming less impactful, indicating a shift towards maturity as a macro asset, with structural inflows and regulatory clarity taking precedence [5] - Global crypto ETPs are projected to surpass the Nasdaq-100 ETF by the end of 2026, with assets under management (AUM) expected to reach $400 billion, driven by increasing regulatory frameworks [5] - The supply of stablecoins is anticipated to grow from over $300 billion in 2025 to $1 trillion in 2026, supported by regulatory advancements [5] - Prediction markets are expected to onboard millions of users, with annual traded volume projected to exceed $100 billion [5] - Tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) are forecasted to increase from $35 billion in total value locked (TVL) in 2025 to over $500 billion in 2026, driven by institutional adoption and regulatory support [5]

Core Insights - 21shares has published its latest State of Crypto report, outlining ten evidence-led predictions for the evolution of digital assets leading into 2026, emphasizing the transition of crypto from the edges of finance to its core infrastructure [1][2][3] Industry Developments - The report highlights a year of synchronized institutional adoption, regulatory clarity, and product innovation, which has anchored the market with structural inflows and macro realignment [2] - Key themes include the evolution of Bitcoin, the growth of the ETP market, a projected $1 trillion stablecoin market, a resurgent DeFi ecosystem, and the rise of agentic finance [2][3] Predictions for 2026 - Bitcoin's halving cycle is becoming less impactful as structural inflows and regulatory clarity take precedence, indicating a maturation of Bitcoin as a macro asset [5] - Global crypto ETPs are expected to surpass the Nasdaq-100 ETF by the end of 2026, with assets under management (AUM) projected to reach $400 billion, driven by increasing regulatory frameworks [5] - The supply of stablecoins is anticipated to grow from over $300 billion in 2025 to $1 trillion in 2026, supported by regulatory advancements like the Genius ACT and MiCA [5] - Prediction markets are expected to onboard millions of users, with annual traded volume projected to exceed $100 billion, driven by geopolitical events and improved crypto infrastructure [5] - Tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) are predicted to increase from $35 billion in total value locked (TVL) in 2025 to over $500 billion in 2026, facilitated by regulatory clarity such as the Clarity Act [5]

RT BSCN (@BSCNews)🧠 @Jasmy_Global is on many metrics the most successful crypto project to emerge from Japan EVER.But its native $JASMY token is often misunderstood.So we took an in-depth look at the token's...- Use cases & utility- Token distribution/allocationsHere's what we found ⬇️https://t.co/WbxF0mpdHt ...

Core Viewpoint - Leading cryptocurrencies experienced a decline in value following Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments, which dampened expectations for rate cuts in 2026 [1] Cryptocurrency Market Performance - Bitcoin decreased by 1.14% to $91,244.67, while Ethereum fell by 1.39% to $3,310.83. XRP and Solana saw declines of 3.09% and 2.65%, respectively, and Dogecoin dropped by 4.03% to $0.1409 [2] - Bitcoin reached an intraday high of $94,477.16 but fell back to the $91,000 range by late evening. Ethereum also retreated from $3,436 to $3,260 overnight [3] Cryptocurrency-Linked Stocks - Shares of cryptocurrency-related companies such as Strategy Inc. and Coinbase Global Inc. closed down by 2.30% and 0.82%, respectively, during the trading session [4] Liquidation and Open Interest - Cryptocurrency liquidations totaled $390 million in the last 24 hours, with $255 million coming from long positions. Bitcoin's open interest decreased by 0.10%, and since its all-time high on October 7, it has collapsed by 38% [5] - Over 60% of Binance traders with open BTC positions remained long, according to the Long/Short Ratio [6] Market Capitalization - The global cryptocurrency market capitalization was recorded at $3.14 trillion, reflecting a modest decline of 0.68% over the last 24 hours [7] Federal Reserve Impact - The Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50–3.75%, citing cooling labor conditions and moderating inflation. However, Powell indicated that a rate hike is not the base case for most policymakers [8][9] Analyst Insights - Analysts suggest that Bitcoin needs to hold above the crucial support level of $91,800 to potentially rally towards $100,000. Ethereum's key support is identified at $2,770 [10][11]

Group 1 - Sony is planning to launch a U.S. dollar stablecoin in 2026 to enhance its digital ecosystem, allowing users to pay for games, anime, and subscriptions [1][2] - The stablecoin aims to bypass credit card fees, with expectations that most U.S. users will adopt the service [2] - Sony Bank has applied for a national banking charter in the U.S. to enable its Connectia Trust unit to engage in cryptocurrency activities, including issuing dollar-pegged stablecoins [3] Group 2 - The stablecoin infrastructure will be provided by Bastion, which raised $14.6 million in a seed round led by Coinbase Ventures, with participation from Sony's venture arm [2] - The GENIUS Act, signed into law in April, has encouraged a surge in stablecoin interest from traditional financial institutions and tech companies [3] - Stablecoin issuers typically hold reserves in short-term treasury bonds, generating significant profits without sharing with users, as evidenced by Tether's reported net profits of over $13 billion for 2024 [4]

Core Insights - Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge Capital, praised Michael Saylor, Chairman of Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR), as the "smartest person" in the cryptocurrency sector [1][2] - Scaramucci expressed strong support for Saylor's Bitcoin strategy, which includes enhancing Strategy's balance sheet through strategic Bitcoin purchases and equity sales [2][3] - Despite Scaramucci's endorsement, there is criticism from Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff regarding Saylor's aggressive Bitcoin acquisition strategy [3] Company Performance - Strategy Inc. (MSTR) is currently facing challenges, with its market value at $55.54 billion, which is lower than its Bitcoin holdings valued at $59.66 billion [4] - The stock has experienced a significant decline, losing over 50% of its value in the past six months [4] - As of the latest data, MSTR shares fell 1.49% in after-hours trading to $181.89, following a 2.30% drop during regular trading [4] Growth Metrics - MSTR has shown a very low growth score, indicating weak historical expansion in earnings and revenue compared to other cryptocurrency-related stocks [5]

Core Insights - The choice between investing in XRP and Cardano reflects a decision between a network focused on global financial transactions and one that is still exploring its potential use cases [1][2]. Group 1: XRP Overview - XRP aims to serve as a fast and cost-effective settlement asset for international payments and the management of tokenized financial instruments [4]. - Ripple has integrated regulatory compliance into the XRP Ledger (XRPL), enabling it to support tokenized real-world assets and regulated stablecoins [4]. - Currently, over $300 million in stablecoin value exists on the XRPL, with Ripple USD being a key component backed by cash and equivalents [5]. - Financial institutions, such as Franklin Templeton, are actively testing tokenized money market funds on the XRPL, indicating practical use of the network [5]. - The launch of U.S. spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2025 has attracted nearly $1 billion in net inflows, marking a significant development for XRP [6]. - Institutional interest in XRP is growing, suggesting a defined niche that could lead to increased demand and price appreciation over time [7]. Group 2: Cardano Overview - Cardano currently lacks specific target users, positioning it as more of an ambitious research project rather than a fully operational financial network [8].

Market Overview - Bitcoin is trading above $91,000 following a 25 basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve, reflecting elevated uncertainty in the U.S. economic outlook [1] - Exchange inflows have sharply decreased from November highs, with whales reducing deposits, which has lessened near-term sell pressure and allowed the market to stabilize [2] - Whales have realized losses exceeding $600 million when Bitcoin fell below $100,000, with cumulative losses estimated at $3.2 billion, indicating a potential exhaustion of selling pressure [3] Current Market Conditions - Bitcoin has remained around $92,000 despite macroeconomic catalysts, with QCP noting that the market is in a holding pattern and ETF inflows have only improved modestly [4] - Attention is shifting to Japan, where a 25 basis point hike is expected at the upcoming Bank of Japan meeting, which could influence global risk appetite [5] - Bitcoin's price has shown little volatility, moving between $91,000 and $92,000, while Ether has remained near $3,270 without a clear breakout catalyst [6] Regional Market Movements - Most Asia Pacific markets have moved higher following the Fed's rate cut, although Japan's Nikkei 225 initially opened strong before slipping by 0.11 percent [7]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the risks associated with high-yield virtual currency investments, revealing common scams and the need for increased public awareness and regulatory scrutiny [1][4]. Group 1: Investment Risks - A recent court case in Shanghai involved a high-yield promise of 292% annual returns from a virtual currency investment platform, which turned out to be a scam [3]. - The investor was initially lured by a guarantee of returns and fake profit feedback, leading to significant financial losses when the platform ceased operations [3][9]. - Various scams involve creating fake trading platforms, misleading price data, and emotional manipulation to entice victims into investing [9][10]. Group 2: Regulatory Environment - Regulatory bodies have consistently emphasized that virtual currencies should not be treated as legal tender and that related activities are illegal financial operations [12][14]. - The Chinese government has a history of strict regulations against virtual currencies, dating back to 2013, with ongoing efforts to combat illegal activities associated with them [12][13]. - Recent warnings from regulatory authorities highlight the risks of new concepts like stablecoins and the need for public vigilance against fraudulent schemes [13][14].

Company Overview - Shayne Coplan, founder of Polymarket, briefly became the world's youngest self-made billionaire at age 27 in October 2023, emphasizing that success takes time and effort [1] - Polymarket is a blockchain-based prediction market platform that gained mainstream success in 2024, particularly during the U.S. presidential election, attracting billions in trading volume and outperforming traditional polls [4] Investment and Valuation - In October 2023, the Intercontinental Exchange, parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, announced a $2 billion investment in Polymarket, which valued the platform at $9 billion post-money [5] - This investment contributed to Coplan's net worth reaching $1 billion, as reported by Forbes [6] Historical Context - Coplan's journey began at age 14 when he emailed the SEC about his plans to create an electronic communication network-based stock exchange [2] - After a brief stint studying computer science at NYU, Coplan dropped out in 2017 to pursue various cryptocurrency projects, which were unsuccessful [3]