Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Mike Novogratz warns the16,703 active addresses holding XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) can’t justify its $115 billion market cap, but social media chatter is nevertheless debating major institutional accumulation. What Happened: Galaxy Digital (TSX:GLXY) founder and CEO Mike Novogratz challenged XRP and Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) to demonstrate genuine utility beyond loyal communities as the cryptocurrency market matures fro ...

Group 1 - Bitcoin is currently trading at over $87,000 per coin, despite being in the red for 2025, influenced by pro-crypto policies from President Donald Trump and new regulatory clarity [1][2] - Cardano, founded by Charles Hoskinson, is recognized for its strong technical network and operates on a proof-of-stake (PoS) mechanism, allowing coin holders to stake their coins for transaction validation and rewards [3][4] - Hoskinson predicts Bitcoin could reach $250,000 by 2026, representing a 187% increase, driven by institutional adoption and a limited supply of 21 million coins, most of which are already in circulation [4][5] Group 2 - Institutional adoption is seen as a key driver for Bitcoin's price increase, with firms like Morgan Stanley advising their wealth advisors to recommend crypto positions, particularly Bitcoin [5][6] - The dynamics that have historically pushed Bitcoin's price higher, such as demand from institutional investors and structured financial products, are expected to continue, reinforcing Hoskinson's bullish outlook [5][6]

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Core Insights - Investors often prefer smaller, unproven assets over established blue-chip assets, driven by the allure of high returns despite the risks involved [1] - The analysis focuses on comparing Bitcoin and Cardano to determine which asset has greater growth potential [2] Bitcoin Overview - Bitcoin is now a dominant player in the cryptocurrency market, representing over 50% of the total crypto market value with a market cap of $1.8 trillion [5] - Its supply is capped at 21 million coins, with approximately 95% already mined, leading to a very slow new issuance rate [5] - The introduction of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January 2024 has significantly increased demand, making Bitcoin accessible to a broader range of investors [6] - A substantial increase in Bitcoin's market cap would require a 10X move, which would position it alongside gold in terms of global wealth, although recent price actions show a disconnect between its narrative as "digital gold" and actual performance [7] Cardano Overview - Cardano is on the verge of significant growth opportunities, contrasting with Bitcoin's recent challenges [8] - The next 18 months are expected to present different trajectories for Bitcoin and Cardano, indicating potential shifts in market dynamics [8] Future Projections - If institutional adoption continues and spot ETFs maintain their demand for Bitcoin, a future where Bitcoin's value increases by 3X to 5X over the next decade is plausible [9]

This match-up has a clear winner, but that doesn't mean you should bet the farm on it.If you ask investors which they would rather own -- a hulking blue chip asset, or a smaller and unproven upstart -- many will prefer the latter option without thinking. After all, it's easy to fall in love with the idea of grabbing a multibagger, and it's also easy to forget how many lottery tickets inevitably expire worthless.But is that the right lens to analyze whether it's Bitcoin (BTC 1.40%) or Cardano (ADA 3.10%) tha ...

Key Points XRP is trying to get adopted by banks and financial institutions. Cardano is trying to get adopted as a new web-based transaction settlement layer. Both cryptocurrencies are fairly risky, but they aren't equally so. 10 stocks we like better than XRP › Most investors aren't looking for cryptoassets to buy so that they can feel the thrill of risk, yet that's exactly what many end up experiencing. On that note, it's pretty easy to take on more risk than intended, even if you're sticking ...

Market Performance - The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a record high of 48,685, gaining 1.3% on Thursday, following a 1.1% increase the previous day, marking the best two-day rally since May [1] - Small caps continued to rise, with the Russell 2000 up 1% at 2,590, while the Nasdaq 100 fell 0.6% due to declines in chipmakers [2] - Major US indices showed varied performance, with the Nasdaq 100 at 25,595.45 (-0.7%), S&P 500 at 6,884.86 (0.0%), Dow Jones at 48,653.82 (+1.2%), and Russell 2000 at 2,585.75 (+1.0%) [7] Sector Performance - Technology sector was the only S&P 500 sector trading in the red, with notable declines in shares of Nvidia Corp. (-2.5%), Broadcom Inc. (-2.3%), and Intel Corp. (-3%) [3] - The Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLK) lagged, down 1.1%, while the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLB) outperformed, up 2.0% [8] Company-Specific News - Oracle Corp. shares dropped 12% after disappointing earnings and guidance [2] - Vail Resorts, Inc. saw an increase of 8.60%, while The Mosaic Company and Rocket Lab USA, Inc. also posted gains of 8.13% and 7.73% respectively [9] - In contrast, Oracle Corporation experienced a significant decline of 13.28%, alongside other companies like Robinhood Markets, Inc. (-7.87%) and Medical Properties Trust Inc. (-6.62%) [9] Economic Indicators - Initial jobless claims rose to 236,000, indicating early signs of cooling in labor-market conditions, surpassing the consensus of 220,000 [4] - Despite the jobless claims data, traders expect the Federal Reserve to maintain interest rates at its late-January meeting, with an 82% probability of no change [4] Commodity and Crypto Markets - The dollar fell to a two-month low, while gold rose 1.1% to $4,280 an ounce, copper increased nearly 2%, and silver surged 3.7% to a record $64, marking a 121% year-to-date increase [5] - Crypto markets faced pressure, with Bitcoin dropping 2.5% below $90,000 and Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano also experiencing declines [6]

Group 1: Bitcoin Outlook - JPMorgan forecasts Bitcoin could rise by 60-70% to challenge gold's $28.3 trillion valuation, potentially reaching around $170,000 by 2026 from a recent trading level of $90,000 [1][5][7] - The bank identifies $94,000 as a production-cost floor for Bitcoin, emphasizing its role as a steady store-of-value despite potential macroeconomic challenges [7] Group 2: Ethereum Developments - Vitalik Buterin's plan aims to increase Ethereum's layer-1 throughput by 10 times by 2026, which is expected to enhance transaction speed and reduce costs [2][6] - Standard Chartered analysts project a bullish target of $12,000 for ETH in 2026, contingent on successful upgrades like Fusaka and Pectra [3] Group 3: Solana's Growth Potential - Solana's on-chain revenue surged 186% year-over-year in 2025, indicating strong developer and user interest post-2022 crash [9] - Institutional interest in Solana is rising, with $476 million in ETF inflows over 19 days, suggesting a preference for SOL over Bitcoin and Ethereum [10] - Analysts predict Solana could reach $280-$340 by late 2026, significantly above its late 2025 trading price of around $140 [11] Group 4: XRP's Regulatory Clarity - XRP's price increased from approximately $0.50 to $2.15 over the past year, marking a 330% gain, attributed to regulatory clarity and Ripple's use case in cross-border payments [12][13] - Ripple's network has over 300 banking and fintech partners, facilitating around $15 billion in annual payments, which reflects growing trust in XRP [13] Group 5: Infrastructure and Niche Tokens - Chainlink is highlighted as a key player in DeFi, with a recent ETF attracting $41 million in inflows, indicating strong institutional interest [16][17] - Emerging sectors like Layer-2 tokens and specialized blockchains for gaming, IoT, or AI services are also noted for potential significant moves [18][19] Group 6: Market Trends and Predictions - The crypto market in 2026 is expected to reward coins with strong fundamentals and real-world demand, such as BTC, ETH, SOL, and XRP [29] - Conversely, meme coins and low-utility chains are predicted to face declines or irrelevance, as evidenced by a 50-80% drop in meme coin portfolios in 2025 [21][30]

Key Points XRP's post-election rally produced sharp short-term gains and volatility, leaving valuation and regulatory questions for investors. Cardano's research-driven development and upcoming technical upgrades are the main catalysts bulls point to for long-term adoption. Cardano is a steadier option right now, while XRP offers higher long-term upside alongside bigger potholes. 10 stocks we like better than Cardano › The cryptocurrencies XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) and Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) have almost ...

Key Points Cardano's big move today has this token appreciating faster than all its mega-cap peers. This move appears to be a direct result of a new strategic road map Cardano's CEO Charles Hoskinson outlined today. Here's what investors need to know about this key update from the Cardano team, and what it means for this network's future growth and development. 10 stocks we like better than Cardano › Of all the household names making big moves in today's session, Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) is the clea ...