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Key Takeaways
The Senate Banking Committee is set to vote on the CLARITY Act on January 15, a decision that could finally reshape how digital assets are regulated in the United States.The legislation is designed to end the long-running jurisdictional conflict between the SEC and the CFTC by introducing clear, functional categories for cryptocurrencies and related assets.At the center of the proposal is a new “Maturity Test,” which would allow sufficiently decentralized networks to transition from SEC oversight to the CFTC.

For nearly a decade, the US crypto sector has operated in regulatory limbo. Two powerful watchdogs-the SEC and the CFTC-have competed for authority, leaving founders, investors, and exchanges navigating uncertainty. That stalemate may now be breaking. Lawmakers in Washington have formally placed the CLARITY Act on the Senate Banking Committee’s calendar, with a decisive vote scheduled for January 15.
Why the CLARITY Act Matters Now
The root of the problem lies in outdated legislation. Regulators are still attempting to apply financial laws written in the 1930s to blockchain-based systems that did not exist at the time.
Because these frameworks do not map cleanly onto digital assets, enforcement has replaced clarity. Instead of rulebooks, agencies have relied on lawsuits to assert control-an approach widely criticized as “regulation by enforcement.”
The consequences have been costly. Since 2020, the SEC alone has launched more than 100 enforcement actions against crypto-related firms, resulting in billions of dollars in penalties and legal expenses.
This has occurred while the digital asset market has expanded beyond $3.1 trillion in value-yet still lacks a comprehensive federal structure governing how assets are issued, traded, and classified. The CLARITY Act aims to close that gap.
The Core Structure of the CLARITY Act
The bill introduces a formal classification system to replace ambiguity. Digital assets are divided into three distinct categories, each with a clear regulatory authority.
The first category covers tokens linked to decentralized, fully developed blockchain networks. When no single entity controls a system, its token qualifies as a Digital Commodity and falls under the sole jurisdiction of the CFTC. This category would firmly establish regulatory certainty for assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as other networks that have outgrown centralized leadership.
The second category applies to tokens initially sold to fund a core development team. These assets remain under SEC supervision because they resemble traditional investment instruments. Crucially, the bill does not lock projects into this status permanently. As decentralization increases, tokens can transition to CFTC oversight, offering a defined and predictable path forward for builders.
The third category addresses payment-focused stablecoins. Building on prior stablecoin legislation, the CLARITY Act enforces strict safeguards, including full 1:1 backing with low-risk assets such as US Treasuries. Issuers would also be subject to ongoing supervision by federal banking regulators to ensure stability and consumer protection.
The Role of the Maturity Test
The Maturity Test is the most transformative element of the bill. It allows a project to demonstrate that its network has reached a level of decentralization where no individual or group can unilaterally control or alter its operation.
Once a network meets this standard, its token is legally treated as a commodity rather than a security. This removes a major fear within the industry-that success and adoption could actually increase regulatory risk.
For developers, this clarity is critical. It shifts resources away from legal defense and toward innovation, product development, and long-term infrastructure building.
Why the January 15 Vote Is Critical
Timing is everything. A potential government shutdown later in January could derail legislative momentum, pushing the bill back into uncertainty. In addition, upcoming midterm elections narrow the window for bipartisan action.
Key senators are still resolving outstanding concerns, including how decentralized finance protocols should be addressed given their lack of centralized governance, and whether exchanges should be permitted to offer yield or rewards on stablecoin holdings.
These final negotiations must be completed quickly if the bill is to advance.
Disclaimer: BFM Times provides information strictly for educational purposes and does not offer financial advice. Readers should consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Yes-XRP’s long-term relevance is supported by several structural advantages. It maintains a multi-billion-dollar market capitalization, is already integrated with multiple banking institutions, and operates a mature ecosystem that includes On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), the XRP Ledger, and RLUSD. With more than 7.5 million users globally, XRP is no longer a speculative experiment-it is an active financial network.
XRP’s Market Strength
Following the conclusion of its regulatory battle with the SEC, XRP has firmly positioned itself among the top five cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. For most of 2025, its valuation has remained above $100 billion, reflecting sustained confidence from investors and institutions alike.
A larger market cap creates natural resistance against hostile manipulation. Coordinated attacks, even deceptive ones, require significantly more capital to execute. It also provides resilience during market-wide downturns. When broad sell-offs occur, high-cap assets tend to bleed slowly, while smaller projects collapse outright due to thinner liquidity and weaker moats.
The Terra collapse illustrates this clearly. Despite bankruptcy, LUNA Classic and USDTC continue to exist with meaningful trading volume and market caps-demonstrating how scale alone can prevent total extinction.
The XRP Ecosystem
XRP supports a growing network of applications and services that depend on the token for operational costs. Because XRP is the native asset of the XRP Ledger, it benefits from inherent, utility-driven demand. Every transaction, every integration, and every product built on the ledger reinforces XRP’s role at the center of the ecosystem.
On-Demand Liquidity (ODL)
XRP’s ODL infrastructure is one of its most practical innovations. It allows users and institutions to move value instantly by converting between XRP, RLUSD, and fiat without waiting for market conditions to stabilize. This removes friction from cross-border payments and ensures liquidity is available at all times, even during periods of volatility.
XRP Ledger
The XRP Ledger is the foundation of the entire network. All on-chain activity requires XRP for transaction fees, meaning usage directly translates into demand. As more applications adopt the ledger for real-world transactions, XRP’s role as a utility asset strengthens, contributing to long-term price stability rather than speculative spikes.
RLUSD Stablecoin
RLUSD serves as the native stablecoin of the XRP Ledger and is optimized for frequent transfers-whether between individuals, enterprises, or institutions. Each RLUSD transaction consumes a small amount of XRP for gas fees. Because stablecoins move more often than most crypto assets, they generate consistent fee activity, creating steady baseline demand for XRP.
Why Banks Prefer XRP
Traditional cross-border payment systems like SWIFT and Western Union are slow, expensive, and operationally inefficient. Transfers can take days to settle-something blockchains resolve in seconds.
XRP processes settlements in roughly three to four seconds. This efficiency has already driven adoption among banks and financial institutions for internal accounting, interbank transfers, and international settlements. The cost and time advantages are not theoretical-they are already being deployed.
Institutional Accumulation
Institutional demand is becoming a stabilizing force for XRP. ETFs, treasury holdings, and long-term custodial buyers reduce volatility by absorbing sell pressure that would otherwise be driven by retail panic.
Bitcoin followed the same path. Once ETFs and treasury strategies entered the market, sustained price appreciation became structurally easier. XRP appears to be moving along a similar trajectory.
The Trade-Off
Despite its strengths, XRP is not without limitations. The most notable gap is functionality.
No Native Smart Contracts
The XRP Ledger does not support full smart contract capabilities. This limits its ability to host complex decentralized applications such as automated DEXs, advanced DeFi protocols, algorithmic escrows, cross-chain bridges, and programmable financial instruments.
While XRP excels as a settlement and liquidity layer, the absence of native smart contracts prevents it from competing directly with generalized application platforms. Until this gap is addressed, XRP remains specialized rather than fully versatile.

Fibonacci Retracements play a decisive role when markets begin transitioning between trends. They help identify zones where a reversal is statistically most likely, allowing traders to act with precision rather than emotion. During deep downtrends, these levels help prevent panic-driven exits by highlighting where selling pressure may exhaust. In strong uptrends, they serve as reference points to anticipate pullbacks or potential tops, enabling better-timed profit-taking.
What Is a Fibonacci Retracement?
A Fibonacci Retracement is a widely used technical analysis tool designed to highlight potential reversal zones within an ongoing trend. It does not forecast future price action. Instead, it identifies price levels where reversals are more likely to occur based on historical market behavior.
In practice, the origin of a trend is marked as 0%, while the end of the move is marked as 100%. Retracement levels are then plotted between these two extremes to measure how much of the prior move has been retraced before the trend potentially resumes or reverses.
The most commonly tracked retracement levels are 23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8%, and 78.6%. Among these, 61.8%, known as the Golden Ratio, carries the highest significance. A retracement occurs when price rebounds or pulls back by one of these percentages from the start of the original move.
Fibonacci Retracement Example
Consider a scenario where an asset declines from $1.03 to $1.02 and then begins to recover. As the price rebounds, it encounters resistance near the 38.2% retracement level. Failing to break above this zone, the asset reverses again, resuming its downward trend. This behavior illustrates how retracement levels often act as critical decision points for the market.
How Traders Use Fibonacci Retracements
Markets rarely move in straight lines. Assets tend to retrace part of their move before continuing in the original direction. Traders closely monitor Fibonacci levels and often set alerts around key ratios. When price approaches levels such as 61.8%, traders prepare for a potential reversal. To reduce risk from false signals, many use options or hedging strategies to protect against unexpected moves.
How to Confirm a Retracement
Fibonacci levels should never be used in isolation. Confirmation is essential to avoid acting on misleading price reactions.
There are two primary methods traders use for validation:
Technical confirmation: Indicators such as RSI, MACD, or volume analysis help determine whether the retracement has sufficient momentum to support a reversal.
Fundamental confirmation: Broader factors like market liquidity, macroeconomic developments, or upcoming policy changes provide context on whether the price movement is supported by real demand rather than short-term speculation.
When Fibonacci retracements align with both technical signals and fundamental drivers, their reliability increases significantly.

ZCash (ZEC) has emerged as one of the most sought-after privacy-focused cryptocurrencies over the past few months. Strong demand and tightening global regulations have pushed it back into focus, with projections placing ZEC above $740 in the first quarter of 2026 and potential upside toward the $1,000-$1,200 range by year-end.
What Is ZCash (ZEC)?
ZCash is a privacy-centric cryptocurrency designed to enable fully confidential transactions. It allows users to transfer value without exposing wallet addresses, transaction amounts, or counterparties on the public blockchain. This privacy is achieved through advanced cryptography, specifically zero-knowledge proofs and zk-SNARKs, which validate transactions without revealing sensitive data.
Unlike Monero, which relies on ring signatures to obscure transaction details, ZCash employs cryptographic techniques similar in structure to those used in rollup-based systems, but applied to privacy instead of scalability.
Launched in 2016, ZCash operates on a Proof-of-Work consensus model identical to Bitcoin’s, prioritizing network security and censorship resistance from its inception.
Fundamental Outlook
ZEC’s renewed demand is closely tied to the global expansion of strict KYC and financial surveillance frameworks across major regions, including China, India, the European Union, and Russia. As governments increase oversight, demand for on-chain financial privacy has risen sharply within crypto markets.
With Monero increasingly sidelined or restricted on exchanges, ZCash has effectively become the dominant large-cap privacy coin still accessible to a broad user base.
Additionally, the proposed transition from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake is expected to further decentralize the network by lowering hardware requirements for participation. Staking is also likely to reduce circulating supply, creating additional upward pressure on price over time.
Technical Structure
ZEC entered a powerful uptrend beginning in September 2025, rallying from approximately $50 to nearly $700 within a short time frame. Following this rapid ascent, the price corrected and stabilized around the $312 level, where it has since consolidated.
Recent daily charts indicate the formation of a well-defined symmetrical triangle pattern, with a clear bullish bias. This structure is supported by strong macro fundamentals, particularly the rising demand for privacy-driven assets amid regulatory tightening.
If ZEC breaks out above this formation—expected around mid-January 2026—it could reclaim the $740 level and push into new all-time highs. Conversely, a breakdown below $312 would invalidate the bullish setup and likely trigger a retest of lower support zones.
2026 Price Outlook
The macro environment heading into early 2026 appears favorable for ZCash, especially as anticipated U.S. Federal Reserve easing injects liquidity back into risk assets.
A bullish resolution of the current chart structure could propel ZEC beyond its previous highs near $738, though short-term resistance and corrective pullbacks should be expected at those levels.
For the full year, conservative projections place ZCash around $1,000, while more aggressive scenarios support upside toward $1,200 if privacy narratives continue to strengthen and supply dynamics tighten.
#zcash $ZEC

Key Takeaways
Market analysts believe Bitcoin requires a last-minute surge to avoid ending the year in negative territory.Selling pressure has noticeably cooled since November, helping stabilize prices.Despite this, Bitcoin remains trapped within a tight trading range that has defined most of December.
Year-End Market Outlook
This year-end Bitcoin outlook evaluates whether BTC can still climb roughly 6.24% to close above its yearly opening price of $93,374 with only days left on the calendar. Analyst Nic Puckrin has cautioned that a negative annual close would be historically significant, marking the first post-halving year to finish lower. After retreating nearly 30% from its October peak near $125,000 to a November low around $80,000, Bitcoin continues to trade below its 365-day moving average. While selling pressure appears to be easing, limited new demand has kept the market in a fragile balance, raising questions about whether 2026 brings recovery or prolonged consolidation.
Bitcoin is entering the final stretch of the year under visible pressure. Although the price remains below its yearly opening level, a late rally could still shift sentiment.
Analysts remain divided. Some see signs of stabilization, while others believe the lack of strong buying interest could extend weakness into early 2026.
Recent indicators paint a mixed picture. Certain metrics suggest stress in the market is easing, but participation from new buyers remains muted.
Bitcoin Approaches Year-End With Limited Upside
Bitcoin began the year trading near $93,374, a level it has failed to reclaim.
To finish the year in positive territory, the price must rise approximately 6.24% in the coming days.
Nic Puckrin emphasized the importance of this threshold, noting that a positive annual close would preserve a long-standing trend, while a negative finish would break post-halving historical patterns.
Bitcoin surged to a record high above $125,000 in October, but the rally quickly faded. Prices declined sharply across the market, with Bitcoin losing nearly 30% and forming a local bottom near $80,000 in November.
This pullback has sparked debate over whether the broader bull phase has concluded or if the market is simply consolidating before another move higher.
Long-Term Technical Support Under Pressure
From a technical standpoint, Bitcoin slipped below its 365-day moving average in November, a level that had consistently supported the uptrend since 2023.
Since losing this support, Bitcoin has struggled to reclaim it, and many traders now view the average as a key dividing line between strength and vulnerability.
Despite the breakdown, prices have not continued to fall aggressively. Instead, Bitcoin has moved sideways for most of December, signaling equilibrium rather than panic-driven selling.
Thin Holiday Liquidity Defines December Trading
Bitcoin briefly pushed above $90,000 toward the end of December, surprising some market participants. However, the move lacked follow-through.
Analysts attributed the short-lived rally to technical dynamics, as $90,000 had previously acted as resistance. Once breached, short sellers rushed to cover positions, briefly lifting prices.
Lower holiday trading activity amplified price sensitivity, as reduced liquidity made even modest flows more impactful.
Despite the bounce, Bitcoin remained range-bound, with prices largely confined between $86,500 and $90,000.
What Could Influence Bitcoin in Early 2026
Looking ahead, several developments could shape Bitcoin’s trajectory in the months to come. ETF inflows may recover once year-end selling pressure fades, regulatory clarity in regions such as Europe could improve sentiment, and monetary policy decisions will continue to play a central role.
However, risks remain. Unexpected macro shocks could disrupt stability, and the absence of sustained buying interest could prolong consolidation. While analysts believe renewed panic selling is unlikely, bearish momentum appears largely exhausted.
Bitcoin now sits at a pivotal point. A late-year rally could still salvage sentiment and set a constructive tone for the year ahead.
Disclaimer: BFM Times provides informational content for educational purposes only and does not offer financial advice. Always consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

Key Takeaways
Solana offers ultra-low fees and high throughput, making it ideal for frequent, small transactions. However, its ecosystem remains relatively limited in terms of decentralization, DeFi depth, and overall dApp diversity.Ethereum, while more expensive and slower at the base layer, leads in security, decentralization, liquidity, and application maturity. Its ecosystem remains the benchmark for serious on-chain activity despite higher costs.
Introduction
Since Solana’s launch, it has positioned itself as a direct challenger to Ethereum. The rivalry spans critical dimensions such as scalability, transaction costs, security, liquidity, decentralized applications, and stablecoin activity.
This comparison breaks down where each blockchain excels and where it falls short, with the goal of identifying which network best serves users across different use cases rather than declaring a one-size-fits-all winner.
Transaction Costs
Even after major upgrades such as Dencun and Pectra, a standard Ethereum transaction can still cost around $0.25 under normal conditions. On Solana, transaction fees are typically well below one cent.
This cost advantage gives Solana a clear edge for micro-transactions and high-frequency activity, which collectively form the majority of on-chain interactions across crypto networks.
Scalability and Network Performance
Ethereum remains one of the least scalable major blockchains, second only to Bitcoin. During peak usage hours-often aligned with U.S. market activity-congestion becomes noticeable. This limitation has driven users toward Layer-2 networks, which introduce additional complexity, bridge costs, and security trade-offs.
Solana takes a different approach by delivering scalability directly at the Layer-1 level. With theoretical throughput of up to 65,000 transactions per second, the network is built to absorb sudden spikes in demand, a crucial advantage during periods of intense DeFi or trading activity.
DeFi Ecosystem Strength
Ethereum dominates decentralized finance by a wide margin. Its total value locked stands near $69 billion, compared to roughly $8.4 billion on Solana. This gap reflects Ethereum’s role as the primary hub for staking, lending, borrowing, yield strategies, and institutional-grade DeFi products.
Solana’s growth, by contrast, has largely been fueled by speculative activity, particularly memecoins. That said, as infrastructure improves and user confidence grows, Solana’s DeFi ecosystem is gradually gaining broader acceptance.
dApp Ecosystem and Developer Adoption
Ethereum benefits from a significant first-mover advantage. With more than 5,000 live decentralized applications, it offers one of the most diverse and mature on-chain service ecosystems in crypto.
Solana, however, is closing the gap faster than expected. Several Solana-based DeFi applications, including major decentralized exchanges, now process transaction volumes comparable to-or occasionally exceeding-those on Ethereum, signaling rising developer and user traction.
On-Chain Liquidity
Liquidity remains a foundational driver of blockchain utility. The most practical proxy for this is stablecoin supply.
Ethereum currently hosts approximately $165 billion in stablecoins, while Solana holds closer to $8 billion. This imbalance directly impacts user experience, capital efficiency, and the range of available financial services on each network.
Decentralization and Security
Ethereum is significantly more decentralized, supported by over one million validators. This broad validator base enhances censorship resistance, fault tolerance, and network security.
Solana operates with roughly 380 validators, which, while sufficient for performance, introduces greater centralization risk. However, Ethereum’s roadmap includes proposals to reduce the minimum staked ETH requirement from 32 ETH to as low as 1 ETH, a move that could further strengthen its decentralization over time.
Final Perspective
Solana prioritizes speed and cost efficiency. Ethereum prioritizes resilience, security, and ecosystem depth. The choice between the two depends less on ideology and more on use case.
For experimentation, high-frequency trading, and low-value transfers, Solana is hard to beat. For serious DeFi, long-term capital deployment, and decentralized infrastructure, Ethereum remains the industry standard-for now.

Key Takeaways
Bitcoin Cash is holding its ground above the $518 level after successfully absorbing recent selling pressure near $520.Market participants are increasingly watching BCH as price action gradually tilts toward the $580–$625 resistance band.Chart indicators suggest there is still room for a controlled upward move rather than an overheated rally.
Bitcoin Cash has moved back into traders’ focus as it works toward a sustained move above the $600 mark. After defending key support near $518, the asset is now trading in the low-to-mid $530 range, a zone that often signals consolidation before a directional move.
With broader market sentiment still uneven, the question now is whether BCH’s underlying strength can develop into a confirmed breakout.
Buyers Successfully Defend Key Support
The recent dip toward $518 tested buyer conviction, but selling pressure quickly faded as demand stepped in. That reaction helped Bitcoin Cash stabilise around $535 and prevented a deeper retracement.
Price action remains constructive, with BCH trading above major moving averages that define the broader trend. Holding above these levels typically reinforces confidence among swing and trend traders, especially after a pullback has been absorbed without panic selling.
This type of defence often acts as a reset point before the next phase of price discovery.
Analysts Converge on Similar Upside Levels
Market analysts are largely aligned on near-term targets, with most projections clustering between $580 and $625. This overlap suggests growing consensus rather than fragmented speculation.
A decisive move above the $607 area is seen as the key trigger. That zone coincides with prior rejection points and upper technical boundaries, making it a critical hurdle for bulls.
Some forecasts extend further, highlighting $650 as a potential continuation level if momentum accelerates and buyers maintain pressure after a breakout.
Indicators Show Stability, Not Exhaustion
Technical indicators currently reflect balance rather than excess. The relative strength index hovering near 45 points to neutral conditions, indicating the market is neither overbought nor stretched.
This environment often supports gradual trend continuation rather than sharp reversals. While short-term MACD readings still reflect residual selling pressure, such signals frequently appear late in pullbacks and can shift quickly once momentum flips.
Bollinger Band positioning shows BCH trading in the upper portion of its recent range. In a weaker scenario, a pullback toward the mid-band near $560 remains possible, but it would still fall within a constructive structure.
The Road Ahead for Bitcoin Cash
For the bullish thesis to fully materialise, Bitcoin Cash must clear resistance around $607. A confirmed break above that level would likely invite fresh participation and open the door to a test of the $625 zone.
Support from key moving averages continues to strengthen this outlook, as sustained trading above them typically keeps trend-following strategies engaged.
With RSI still offering headroom, the asset can move higher without immediately triggering profit-taking. If volume and broader market conditions cooperate, BCH could challenge the $650 level before year-end.
Disclaimer: BFM Times provides information for educational purposes only and does not offer financial advice. Readers should consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Key Takeaways
Large Zcash holders rapidly expanded their positions, lifting whale-held supply by nearly 47% during a broader market slowdown.At the same time, ZEC balances on centralized exchanges dropped by more than half as investors shifted coins into long-term storage.Against a weak crypto backdrop, Zcash delivered outsized performance and emerged as a clear outlier among major assets.
Zcash has re-entered market focus after decisively breaking above the $500 level, a move that came while the wider crypto market showed clear signs of strain. With Bitcoin struggling to regain momentum below $90,000, Zcash surged higher, supported by aggressive accumulation from large holders and tightening liquid supply.
Whale Activity Fuels the Breakout
The rally gained traction as top Zcash holders significantly increased exposure. On-chain data from Nansen shows that the top 100 ZEC wallets expanded their holdings by approximately 47%, now controlling close to two-thirds of the total circulating supply.
Historically, this type of concentrated accumulation tends to signal conviction rather than speculation, as large holders often position themselves ahead of sustained price expansion.
This accumulation coincided with a sharp decline in exchange balances. Zcash supply held on centralized platforms fell by roughly 55.36%, indicating that investors were moving assets into cold storage rather than preparing to sell.
Blockchain tracking revealed several notable withdrawals. Two newly created wallets transferred a combined 200,000 ZEC-worth over $91 million-from Binance. Another wallet moved more than $1.9 million in ZEC off Kraken, while a separate whale withdrew 30,000 ZEC, valued at around $13 million, earlier in the week.
These large-scale outflows rapidly reduced available market liquidity, a dynamic that often amplifies price movements when demand remains steady.
Strength Stands Out in a Weak Market
Zcash’s performance has been particularly notable given the broader market context. While most large-cap cryptocurrencies struggled to find upside, ZEC moved decisively higher.
Over the past week alone, the asset gained more than 20%, while year-to-date performance now approaches an extraordinary 800%. This places Zcash among the strongest-performing major cryptocurrencies this cycle.
The token rebounded sharply from a recent local low near $310 earlier this month, supported by increasing buy-side interest and a visible decline in selling pressure. Privacy-focused assets have historically shown resilience during periods of uncertainty, and Zcash appears to be benefiting from that defensive appeal.
Derivatives Markets Signal Bullish Bias
Futures and derivatives data reinforce the bullish narrative. According to CoinGlass, open interest in Zcash derivatives has been rising steadily, indicating that traders are adding exposure as price trends higher.
The long-to-short ratio has consistently remained above 1, suggesting that bullish positions outweigh bearish bets. This imbalance often helps stabilize price during short-term pullbacks, as leveraged traders continue to favor upside scenarios.
Adding to the optimism, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes shared a bullish long-term view, suggesting that Zcash could eventually reach the $1,000 mark-implying a potential doubling from current levels.
Exchange Outflows Point to Long-Term Conviction
The scale of exchange withdrawals deserves particular attention. A decline of more than 55% in exchange-held supply typically reflects strategic positioning rather than short-term trading behavior.
Investors often move assets into cold storage to reduce counterparty risk or to hold through extended periods of volatility. The recent pattern of large ZEC withdrawals from major exchanges suggests that whales are preparing for longer holding horizons rather than quick exits.
Near-Term Risks Remain
Despite strong momentum, analysts caution that short-term volatility remains a risk. After such a rapid advance, some expect a temporary retracement toward the $400 region before any sustained continuation higher.
The $500 level now serves as a critical psychological and technical zone. Holding above it could reinforce bullish confidence, while a breakdown below $400 may trigger profit-taking.
For now, upside targets between $700 and $1,000 remain in play, but near-term price action will determine whether Zcash can maintain its momentum.
Disclaimer: BFM Times provides information strictly for educational purposes and does not offer financial advice. Always consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

Key Takeaways

Bitmine now commands more than 3% of Ethereum’s circulating supplyOver $1.2 billion worth of ETH is actively staked and generating yieldEthereum price action remains compressed within a defined range

Bitmine is pressing ahead with its Ethereum strategy, expanding its staking operations even as ETH struggles to find clear directional momentum. With over $1.2 billion worth of ETH now locked in staking contracts, the firm is signaling long-term conviction at a time when broader market sentiment remains divided.
Ethereum continues to trade in a narrow range, reflecting hesitation among short-term traders. Yet Bitmine’s positioning suggests that institutional players are focusing less on near-term price movement and more on structural accumulation.
Bitmine Strengthens Its Ethereum Treasury Strategy
Bitmine Immersion Technologies has quietly assembled one of the most significant Ethereum treasuries in the market today. Recent filings show the firm controls approximately 4.11 million ETH, representing roughly 3.41% of Ethereum’s total circulating supply.
This places Bitmine among the largest corporate crypto holders globally. Outside of Bitcoin-focused firms such as Strategy, few public companies hold digital assets at this scale.
When combined with cash reserves and other balance-sheet assets, Bitmine’s total holdings now exceed $13.2 billion. Of this, nearly 408,627 ETH has already been deployed into staking contracts.
At current market prices, the staked ETH alone carries a valuation north of $1.2 billion, allowing the company to earn yield while contributing to Ethereum’s network security.
Tom Lee, chairman of Bitmine, has framed the move as a long-term infrastructure play rather than a short-term trade. According to Lee, staking rewards are expected to scale further once the firm completes its validator rollout.
MAVAN Set to Expand Staking Operations in 2026
Bitmine plans to accelerate its staking strategy through the launch of its Made in America Validator Network (MAVAN), scheduled to go live in early 2026.
Currently, the firm works with three external staking providers. MAVAN is designed to internalize and scale validator operations, giving Bitmine greater control over infrastructure, security, and yield optimization.
Once fully operational, the company expects to stake a majority of its ETH reserves.
Based on a blended Ethereum staking yield of 2.81%, Bitmine estimates potential annual staking revenue of approximately $374 million. On a daily basis, this would translate to more than $1 million in recurring income.
Beyond revenue, large-scale staking reduces liquid ETH supply, which can act as a stabilizing force during periods of weak demand or sideways markets.
Ethereum Holder Data Sends Mixed Signals
On-chain data shows a clear split among Ethereum holders.
Long-term investors have resumed accumulation after several months of net selling. Recent metrics indicate that nearly five months of consistent outflows have come to an end, suggesting renewed confidence among holders with longer time horizons.
This shift is notable because long-term holders typically dampen volatility and are less reactive to short-term price swings.
In contrast, whale behavior tells a different story. Wallets holding between 100,000 and 1 million ETH collectively offloaded approximately 270,000 ETH over a five-day period. At current valuations, that selling pressure amounts to more than $790 million.
Ethereum Price Remains Range-Bound
At the time of writing, Ethereum trades near $2,940, with price action compressed inside a symmetrical triangle pattern.
Key resistance remains clustered around the $3,000–$3,131 zone, while strong support sits near $2,902. Each test of these levels has triggered sharp reactions, reinforcing the market’s indecision.
This structure reflects a standoff: buyers lack the momentum to force a breakout, while sellers have been unable to drive a sustained breakdown.
A decisive move above $3,131 would likely confirm bullish continuation and open the door to an early-year rally. Conversely, a loss of $2,902 could expose ETH to a deeper pullback toward $2,796, undermining near-term confidence.
Disclaimer
BFM Times is an informational platform and does not provide financial advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct independent research and consult qualified financial professionals before making investment decisions.

If you had invested just ₹1,000 in Bitcoin back in 2010-when one Bitcoin was priced at roughly ₹3.38-your holdings would be worth around ₹2,263 crore by January 2026.
Put plainly, that single decision would place you among India’s top 10,000 wealthiest individuals today.
What Was Bitcoin’s Price in 2010?
In 2010, Bitcoin traded at an average price of about ₹3.38 per BTC. In US dollar terms, the price hovered between $0.004 and $0.05, making it one of the cheapest entry points in financial history.
That same year marked Bitcoin’s first real-world transaction. Programmer Laszlo Hanyecz famously paid 40,000 BTC for two Papa John’s pizzas, with fellow programmer Jeremy Sturdivant facilitating the deal-an event that later became symbolic of Bitcoin’s humble beginnings.
How Much Would That Investment Be Worth?
In absolute numbers, your ₹1,000 investment would translate to approximately ₹2,263 crore today.
These calculations are based on:
A Bitcoin purchase price of ₹3.38An assumed Bitcoin price of $85,000A USD–INR exchange rate of ₹90
Would That Make You One of India’s Richest?
Yes. With that level of wealth, you would fall within the top 0.01% of Indians, with fewer than 10,000 people in the country holding equal or greater net worth.
However, you still wouldn’t top the rich list. India’s wealthiest individuals command fortunes exceeding ₹3,00,000 crore, far surpassing ₹2,263 crore. After applying a 30% tax, your net worth would drop further to roughly ₹1,584 crore.
The Realities Behind the Numbers
This scenario assumes one critical thing: that you never sold your Bitcoin. In reality, that would have been extraordinarily difficult.
In 2010, most users relied on Mt. Gox, then the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange. In 2014, it collapsed after a massive hack that wiped out user funds. Legal proceedings dragged on for over a decade, and even by 2025, repayments remained far below original Bitcoin values.
There’s also India’s regulatory history to consider. In 2018, the Indian government effectively banned Bitcoin, forcing holders to liquidate or face penalties and potential jail time. For most law-abiding investors, holding through that period would have been a serious risk-especially with no certainty the ban would ever be lifted.
Frequently Asked Question
Was it legal to hold Bitcoin in India in 2010?

Yes. In 2010, Bitcoin was completely unregulated worldwide-neither legal nor illegal. In India, however, it was effectively prohibited between 2018 and 2021, before regulatory clarity began to return.

Key Takeaways
XRP exchange-traded funds have outperformed both Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in recent capital flows, recording nearly $1 billion in net inflows over the past 45 days. Notably, none of the XRP ETFs experienced a single day of outflows during this period.
XRP ETFs Maintain a 45-Day Inflow Streak
Since November 14, 2025, XRP ETFs have sustained an uninterrupted inflow streak lasting 45 consecutive days. During this time, total inflows reached approximately $1 billion, signaling strong and consistent institutional demand.
What stands out is the complete absence of outflows-even from issuers like Grayscale, which previously saw heavy redemptions following the launch of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. This level of stability is rare for newly launched crypto ETFs.
Despite XRP’s market price declining from $2.40 to $1.80 over the same timeframe, investor inflows remained firmly positive throughout, indicating conviction beyond short-term price movements.

$1 Billion in 45 Days: XRP ETFs Outpace Bitcoin and Ethereum
Over the last month and a half, XRP ETFs have emerged as the strongest performers among crypto ETFs. While XRP products attracted close to $1 billion in new capital, both Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs recorded net outflows during the same period.
This divergence suggests a clear shift in investor preference, with capital rotating toward XRP-based exposure while legacy crypto ETFs face profit-taking and reduced demand.

Why XRP ETFs Are Gaining Momentum
The rising popularity of XRP ETFs is closely tied to XRP’s real-world utility and its alignment with traditional finance infrastructure.
XRP is widely used by banks and financial institutions for fast, low-cost cross-border and interbank settlements, offering near-instant transfers at a fraction of the cost of legacy systems. This makes it particularly attractive to institutions operating at scale.
However, direct ownership of XRP poses technical challenges for many professionals in traditional finance, including wallet management, custody risks, and compliance constraints. ETFs eliminate these barriers by offering regulated, familiar investment vehicles.
Additionally, ETFs appeal to investors who prefer a hands-off ownership model, where custodians manage security and infrastructure while investors gain exposure through standard brokerage accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who holds the crypto backing an ETF?

Each crypto ETF relies on a designated custodian-either in-house or third-party-to securely store the underlying assets. Major custodians, such as Coinbase Custody, safeguard assets for multiple Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.
Can governments seize ETF holdings?

Yes. Like other regulated financial instruments, ETFs can be subject to government action, including asset freezes or seizures, under applicable laws.

ETFs vs Digital Asset Treasury Shares: Which is better?

ETFs provide indirect exposure to cryptocurrencies without governance rights or operational influence. In contrast, holding digital asset treasury shares means owning equity in a company, which may offer voting rights and limited participation in strategic decisions.

Managing Crypto Transactions Outside India: A Practical Overview
Some crypto users structure their activities through overseas exchanges and foreign bank accounts, ensuring that digital assets and transaction flows remain outside India’s domestic financial system. In such setups, cryptocurrencies are held on global blockchains and linked to non-Indian accounts, without directly interacting with Indian exchanges or wallets.
When structured correctly and transparently reported, this approach focuses on cross-border income management, not concealment.

Is Using Foreign Crypto and Bank Accounts Legal?
Holding crypto assets on international platforms and maintaining overseas bank accounts is not illegal under Indian law by default. Assets that remain outside India and do not pass through Indian exchanges or wallets are generally considered foreign assets.
However, legality depends on accurate disclosure and compliance, not geography alone. Indian residents are required to declare foreign assets and overseas income under applicable income tax rules.
Bringing Funds Into India
Funds earned abroad can be remitted to India through standard international channels such as:
SWIFT bank transfersWestern UnionPayPal or similar regulated platforms

These inflows are typically classified as foreign-sourced income or export-related income, depending on the nature of the activity. Proper documentation and reporting are essential to remain compliant.
How Crypto-Related Foreign Income Is Reported in India
To stay fully compliant under Indian tax regulations, two disclosures are generally required:

Declaration of Foreign Assets

Overseas bank accounts and financial holdings must be disclosed in the relevant schedules of the Income Tax Return (commonly under foreign asset reporting sections).
Reporting Foreign Income

Any income earned during the financial year-regardless of where it originates-must be declared in the annual return.

In certain cases, authorities may request clarification or conduct an audit. Engaging a qualified chartered accountant or tax advisor is strongly recommended.
Are You Liable for Taxes Overseas?
This depends on the jurisdiction where the foreign account is held. Some countries impose personal income tax, while others do not.
For example, jurisdictions such as the UAE currently do not levy personal income tax. If income is earned and retained there, local tax liability may be nil-subject to residency rules and evolving regulations.
Double taxation agreements (DTAA) may also apply depending on the country involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do banks in the UAE offer zero-balance accounts?

Yes. Several UAE banks provide zero-balance or low-maintenance accounts, depending on account type and residency status.
What documents are typically required to open a UAE bank account?

Requirements usually include a valid passport, Emirates ID or residency visa, proof of address, and source-of-funds documentation. Specific requirements vary by bank and account category.
Final Note
Cross-border crypto activity is not a loophole-it is a regulated financial reality. The key is transparency, proper reporting, and professional guidance. Laws evolve, enforcement tightens, and assumptions can be costly. Structure first. Disclose always. Consult experts.