lighter, lit token. Photo by BeInCrypto The first week of the year is starting out on a positive note, owing to the macro financial market response to the US’s attack on Venezuela being neutral. This makes the rest of the week appear rather bullish. In line with the same, BeInCrypto has analysed three altcoins that investors should watch in the first week of January. Stellar (XLM) XLM trades near $0.233 at the time of writing, posting nearly 16% gains over the past seven days. Despite the recovery, Ste ...

Core Insights - Coinbase has expanded its derivatives offerings by introducing eleven altcoins to its perpetual-style futures, following the earlier launch of Bitcoin and Ether products [1][3][4] Group 1: Expansion of Derivatives - The introduction of perpetual-style futures for altcoins marks a significant step in the normalization of regulated crypto derivatives in the U.S. market [2][7] - The new contracts are designed to replicate perpetual exposure while complying with U.S. derivatives regulations, differentiating them from traditional perpetual contracts [3][7] Group 2: Supported Altcoins - The eleven new altcoins added to Coinbase's perpetual-style derivatives include Avalanche (AVAX), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), Dogecoin (DOGE), Hedera (HBAR), Litecoin (LTC), Polkadot (DOT), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Sui (SUI), and Stellar (XLM) [4][5][6] - The selection focuses on large-cap, liquid tokens with established trading histories, alongside newer projects and popular memecoins [6] Group 3: Market Implications - Coinbase's perpetual-style futures are accessible to both retail and institutional traders in the U.S., highlighting a shift towards regulated trading environments [2][7] - These futures are listed on Coinbase Derivatives and require access through registered Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs) [7]

Photo by BeInCrypto The Stellar (XLM) network is quietly experiencing a surge in on-chain activity in December 2025. However, muted price action has caused investors to overlook these new records. These signals may reflect positive fundamentals that could support an upcoming price recovery. So what exactly are these new records? What Do Stellar’s New On-Chain Records Mean for December? Operations on Stellar represent desired changes on the ledger. They are submitted to the network as grouped components ...

Core Insights - The real-world asset (RWA) market is showing signs of recovery after a slow November, driven by interest in stablecoin experiments and strong technical setups [1] - Activity in the RWA sector remains uneven, but certain tokens are demonstrating clearer setups for potential growth [2] Stellar (XLM) - Stellar (XLM) is highlighted as a payments-first chain utilized by major financial players, despite experiencing an 18.9% decline in November [3] - A recent 4.9% bounce in the last week is attributed to US Bank's stablecoin tests and increased AUDD activity [3] - A bullish divergence is indicated by the price reaching a lower low while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) formed a higher low, suggesting that selling pressure may be diminishing [4] - XLM is currently trading within a tight range of $0.253 to $0.264, with a daily close above $0.264 signaling a potential bullish trend [5] - If the price falls below $0.239, the bullish setup weakens, potentially leading to a drop towards $0.217 [7] Quant (QNT) - Quant (QNT) is identified as an outlier among RWA tokens, having increased by approximately 32% in November and 37% in the past week, with a 12% rise in the last 24 hours [8] - The token is central to the "interoperability for finance" narrative, connecting private and public blockchains, which allows it to respond quickly to institutional demand [9] - A bullish EMA crossover is nearing completion on the daily chart, indicating that buyers may be gaining control, which could lead to further price increases [10]

Core Insights - The unexpected price decline of Stellar (XLM) in October has led to increased demand, indicating long-term investor confidence despite short-term price challenges [1][5] - The total value locked (TVL) on the Stellar chain has reached an all-time high of over 456 million XLM, reflecting strong investor faith in the ecosystem [2][3] - XLM's price has dropped by 50% since December, while the amount of XLM locked in DeFi protocols has increased more than fourfold, showcasing a divergence between price and utility [3][5] Investor Behavior - Significant accumulation of XLM was observed in October, with over 240 million XLM withdrawn from Binance, indicating a shift towards long-term holding or DeFi deployment [3][5] - The funding rate for XLM futures contracts has remained negative for the past two weeks, suggesting ongoing bearish sentiment among traders [5][6] - Some investors view XLM priced below $0.20 as an attractive entry point, anticipating a potential bull run similar to 2017 [7] Market Dynamics - The OI-weighted funding rate has been below zero since October 11, indicating traders are paying to maintain short positions, contributing to a pessimistic market sentiment [6] - Despite the negative funding rate, the increase in TVL and exchange reserves suggests long-term optimism among certain investors [6][9] - Stellar's recent upgrade to Protocol 24 and a 26.3% rise in the value of real-world assets on the platform to $638 million further support its long-term viability [9]

Group 1 - Stellar (XLM) is experiencing renewed optimism from traders and institutions despite a recent 60% flash crash, driven by fundamental developments such as the launch of a new physically backed ETP and key partnerships [1][2] - WisdomTree launched its Physical Stellar Lumens (XLMW) ETP on October 14, listed on the Swiss SIX Exchange and Euronext in Paris and Amsterdam, with a management expense ratio of 0.50% [2][3] - The ETP provides institutional investors with transparent and regulated access to Stellar's ecosystem, highlighting Stellar as a high-performance Layer-1 blockchain aimed at modernizing global finance [3][4] Group 2 - Stellar has evolved from a niche remittance protocol since its launch in 2014 into a globally distributed network facilitating cross-border payments, tokenized real-world assets, and decentralized finance applications [3][4] - The Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP) allows for near-instant transactions without mining rewards or excessive energy consumption, positioning Stellar as one of the most established blockchains focused on real-world financial solutions [4] - José Fernández da Ponte, President and Chief Growth Officer of the Stellar Development Foundation, joined the International Advisory Board of Santander, enhancing ties between open blockchain networks and traditional financial institutions [5]

Core Insights - Stellar (XLM) is showing signs of a potential bull run similar to its performance in 2017, with various indicators suggesting a strong market position in Q4 2025 [1] Group 1: Network Activity - Stellar's network activity has reached a yearly high, with over 69 million weekly transactions, indicating robust real network usage [2][3] - The increase in network activity is likely to enhance Stellar's intrinsic value, attracting more users and investors [3] Group 2: Correlation with Major Cryptocurrencies - The correlation between XLM and major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) has reached an annual peak, with XLM-BTC correlation at approximately 0.75 and XLM-ETH correlation around 0.7 [5][6] - This strong correlation suggests that XLM is perceived to share similar risk and growth potential with leading assets, which is crucial during the current selective altcoin season [6] Group 3: Supply Distribution Trends - The Supply Equality Ratio (SER) has declined, indicating a bullish accumulation trend as wealth distribution becomes more concentrated among larger wallets [7]

Core Insights - The article discusses the introduction of the Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF (NCIQ), which provides a diversified, regulated way for U.S. investors to gain exposure to multiple cryptocurrencies without the complexities of managing individual assets [2][4][44] - NCIQ is positioned as a significant innovation in the crypto investment landscape, allowing investors to own a basket of leading cryptocurrencies while benefiting from institutional-grade oversight and transparency [14][45][46] Fund Structure and Mechanics - NCIQ wraps major U.S.-eligible cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, Ripple, and Stellar, into a single investment vehicle that adjusts automatically based on market conditions [4][6] - The fund operates as a Delaware statutory trust, ensuring that all transactions occur in cash, which simplifies operations and enhances regulatory compliance [6][7] - The benchmark for NCIQ, the Nasdaq Crypto US Settlement Price Index (NCIUSS), employs strict methodologies to minimize manipulation and ensure transparency [5][12] Investment Case - NCIQ's inclusion of a broader range of cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum allows investors to capture diverse segments of the crypto economy, which is a shift from previous single-asset ETFs [8][10] - The management fee for NCIQ has been reduced to 0.25% through December 31, 2025, enhancing its cost efficiency and potentially leading to a fee war in the crypto ETF market [9][10] - The ETF provides a simple entry point for investors, allowing them to gain diversified exposure without the need for wallets or private keys, making it suitable for both retail and institutional investors [11][40] Performance Metrics - As of September 30, 2025, NCIQ has shown strong performance with a +3.40% return at market price over the past month and a +23.51% return since inception [17][18] - The fund has maintained tight bid-ask spreads and efficient arbitrage, indicating that its internal mechanics are functioning effectively [19][20] Risk Profile - NCIQ's Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) indicates a high concentration in Bitcoin, which drives most of the fund's returns and volatility [22][23] - The ETF's performance is significantly influenced by Bitcoin and Ethereum, which account for 80-85% of total index variance [24] - Operational risks, such as liquidity issues and regulatory changes, could impact NCIQ's performance and investor confidence [28][30] Portfolio Integration - NCIQ is designed to fit within diversified portfolios as a core crypto beta, typically making up 1-5% of total allocation [38] - For investors already holding Bitcoin or Ethereum, NCIQ serves as a complementary asset that reduces single-asset risk [39] - New investors can utilize NCIQ as a straightforward entry point into the crypto market, benefiting from institutional-grade custody and trading convenience [40][42]

Group 1 - Virtune, a regulated digital asset manager based in Sweden, has launched the Virtune Stellar ETP on Nasdaq Stockholm, the largest stock exchange in the Nordic region [1][9] - The Virtune Stellar ETP provides exposure to Stellar (XLM), is 100% physically backed, fully collateralized, and denominated in SEK for the Nordic audience [2][9] - The product is available through brokers and banks, including Avanza and Nordnet, and aims to offer a simple and secure way for investors to gain exposure to the crypto market [2][5] Group 2 - Stellar (XLM) is designed for fast, low-cost international payments, particularly for unbanked populations, and is managed by the non-profit Stellar Development Foundation [4] - The CEO of Virtune, Christopher Kock, emphasized the product's potential to provide financial services in emerging markets where traditional banking is lacking [5] - The ETP has a 1.95% annual management fee, with trading starting on April 28, 2025, under the ticker VIRXLM on Nasdaq Stockholm [9]