Brazil’s B3 listing boosted visibility, but sentiment stayed tied to Bitcoin’s weakness.
Grayscale, one of the world’s largest digital asset managers, outlined its 2026 Digital Asset Outlook, projecting that the Bitcoin price could reach a new all-time high in the first half of 2026. The forecast is based on structural changes in market design, expanding institutional participation, and broader macroeconomic forces . These developments form the foundation of Grayscale’s view that capital structure and demand dynamics will define Bitcoin’s next market phase. Institutional Capital Redefines The Bitcoin Price Growth Curve A central pillar of Grayscale’s outlook is the transition of Bitcoin from a retail-led asset to an institutionally supported financial instrument . The firm argues that the market is entering a phase where large allocators, including asset managers, advisory platforms, and long-term capital pools, are no longer evaluating Bitcoin as an experiment but as a portfolio component. This shift fundamentally alters demand behavior, replacing short-term trading flows with measured, strategic allocations. Grayscale highlights that regulatory progress and clearer market rules are reducing friction for institutions that previously remained sidelined. As operational and compliance barriers fall, capital that once avoided digital assets due to uncertainty can now enter with greater confidence. This gradual but persistent inflow model creates sustained upward pressure on price rather than sharp, unstable spikes. Crucially, Grayscale notes that institutional exposure to Bitcoin remains relatively small compared to traditional asset classes. From a portfolio construction perspective, this leaves significant room for expansion. Even modest increases in allocation percentages can translate into meaningful demand, especially given Bitcoin’s fixed supply. The firm views this imbalance between potential demand and limited issuance as a key reason price discovery is expected to continue upward into 2026. Macro Pressures And Supply Dynamics Set The Stage For New Highs Beyond institutional adoption , Grayscale’s outlook identifies macroeconomic conditions as a key driver shaping Bitcoin’s next phase of price expansion. Elevated sovereign debt, currency dilution, and persistent inflation risks are directing capital toward assets with transparent and finite supply. In this context, Bitcoin’s fixed issuance schedule reinforces its role as a macro-aligned asset. This macro framing also underpins Grayscale’s reassessment of Bitcoin’s traditional four-year market cycles . As the asset integrates further into mainstream finance, the firm argues that historical, halving-centered models are losing relevance. In their place, Bitcoin’s valuation is increasingly influenced by liquidity conditions, market access, and investor behavior aligned with other macro-sensitive assets. This transition signals a market responding to structural inputs rather than repeating legacy patterns. Supply dynamics further strengthen this view . As issuance slows and long-term Bitcoin holders retain more coins, market liquidity tightens. Combined with expanding demand channels, this creates an environment where price appreciation is supported by structural fundamentals rather than episodic surges. Grayscale’s analysis indicates that these factors could drive Bitcoin to a new all-time high in early 2026. Considering the current all-time high of $126,198.06, the outlook positions the next phase of price discovery as a continuation of market maturation, supported by disciplined supply and macro alignment.
As global financial systems face mounting strain, Digital Ascension Group (DAG) CEO Jake Claver argues that XRP could benefit from a structural transformation in how liquidity moves across markets. In a recent commentary, Claver outlined how inefficiencies embedded in legacy banking frameworks continue to lock trillions of dollars out of productive use, creating conditions that favor neutral, real-time settlement assets. Legacy Banking and the $27 Trillion Liquidity Constraint Claver pointed to the continued reliance on correspondent banking structures, particularly the use of nostro and vostro accounts, as a major source of inefficiency. According to his assessment, banks worldwide must collectively immobilize roughly $27 trillion to facilitate cross-border payments. This capital remains parked to ensure transaction completion, rather than circulating through lending, investment, or economic activity. While the recent global adoption of ISO 20022 has improved data standards and communication between institutions, Claver emphasized that it does not resolve the underlying settlement delays. In his view, the standard serves as an upgrade to messaging infrastructure, not a solution to liquidity fragmentation or pre-funding requirements. Why Stablecoins Do Not Solve Institutional Settlement Claver also challenged the notion that stablecoins alone can address these issues. He argued that most stablecoins function as liabilities tied to specific issuers, making them unsuitable as neutral settlement tools between competing institutions. From a balance-sheet perspective, banks remain reluctant to hold digital liabilities issued by other entities, particularly at scale. He further noted that widespread institutional reliance on stablecoins could recreate existing inefficiencies. Managing multiple issuer-specific digital assets would fragment liquidity and increase operational complexity, undermining the efficiency gains the technology aims to deliver. XRP as a Neutral Settlement Layer Against this backdrop, Claver positioned XRP as a settlement asset designed to operate independently of institutional balance sheets. He highlighted XRP’s ability to facilitate value transfer without pre-funded accounts, while settling transactions in seconds at low cost. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 According to Claver, this neutrality allows XRP to function as a bridge between financial infrastructures without introducing counterparty exposure. He also referenced the XRP Ledger’s operational history, noting its long-term stability and extensive testing by financial institutions for backend settlement use cases rather than consumer-facing payments. Tokenized Deposits, AMMs, and Market Structure Shifts Claver suggested that banks are more likely to adopt tokenized deposits and on-chain financial products than to rely on public stablecoins. These instruments allow institutions to maintain yield from treasury holdings while enabling real-time settlement and programmability. He also addressed the growing role of automated market makers on networks like the XRP Ledger, arguing that they can reduce liquidity gaps, tighten spreads, and improve price efficiency through continuous rebalancing. Finally, Claver warned that high leverage, rising debt levels, and prolonged restrictive monetary policy could trigger a broad market repricing across asset classes. However, he framed this as a transition rather than a collapse. In such an environment, governments and institutions would require real-time settlement systems, shared ledgers, and programmable financial infrastructure to manage liquidity and policy execution effectively. Within that framework, Claver believes XRP could benefit as financial markets shift toward more automated, efficient, and interoperable settlement mechanisms. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post XRP Poised to Benefit from Global Liquidity Shift, Says DAG CEO appeared first on Times Tabloid .
A class-action lawsuit against crypto-friendly Silvergate Bank in California is inviting claimants connected to FTX or Alameda Research accounts. Investors who deposited fiat “into an FTX- or Alameda-related account” between 2019 and 2022 are encouraged to submit claims for a $10 million settlement filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of California The lawsuit indicates that Investors have until Jan. 30 to opt out or file a claim as part of a settlement that “resolves a lawsuit over whether Silvergate Bank, Silvergate Capital Corporation, and Alan J. Lane aided and abetted tortious conduct on the part of FTX, Alameda, and Sam Bankman-Fried. “The Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate ,” said a Dec. 8 court filing asking for approval. “It marks a significant recovery from the bankrupt Silvergate and will provide additional relief, beyond that obtained in the FTX Bankruptcy, for those affected by the multi-billion-dollar collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange.” Court sets final hearing as FTX-linked investors eye recovery Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro will hold a final hearing to consider the settlement on Feb. 9, giving any investors tied to FTX and Alameda over 30 days to file claims. According to court filings, the FTX bankruptcy case has achieved over 46,000 potential claimants via mail, which could result in proportional payments from the $10 million settlement. Silvergate voluntarily wound down operations in March 2023. It was initially one of the few crypto-friendly banks in the US that had ties to the FTX exchange at the time of its collapse in November 2022. While most criminal cases against former FTX and Alameda executives have been resolved over the past three years, some civil cases remain, as well as a potential prosecution of another individual linked to the exchange. Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison, and former FTX Digital Markets co-CEO Ryan Salame are serving federal prison sentences for their roles in the collapse. At the same time, executives Nishad Singh and Gary Wang received time served. Additionally, Michelle Bond, wife of Salame, faces campaign finance charges linked to FTX funds in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Her legal team says that prosecutors induced a guilty plea from Salame on the promise that they would not pursue a case against Bond. The next evidentiary hearing for Bond’s case is scheduled for March 4. Former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison moves to a community confinement program On related developments, former cryptocurrency executive Caroline Ellison, who was once Sam Bankman-Fried’s girlfriend, has been quietly transferred out of federal prison after serving approximately 11 months of her two-year sentence, according to Business Insider. The 31-year-old was moved on October 16 from the Danbury Federal Correctional Institution in Connecticut to a community confinement program, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed. That indicates Ellison, the former CEO of Bankman-Fried’s Alameda Research cryptocurrency hedge fund, will still be in federal custody but is now either in home confinement or a halfway house, BOP spokesperson Randilee Giamusso noted. “For privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not discuss the conditions of confinement for any individual, including reasons for transfers or release plans, nor do we specify an individual’s specific location while in community confinement,” Giamusso said. Data from prison records list Ellison’s projected release date as February 20, 2026 — nearly nine months early. When reached out by reporters, her attorneys declined to comment for this story. In early November 2024, Ellison reported to the low-security Danbury prison to serve a two-year sentence she received for her role in the massive multibillion-dollar fraud scheme that led to the collapse of Bankman-Fried’s business empire. She had pleaded guilty to conspiring with Bankman-Fried — the founder of the FTX crypto exchange and its sister company, Alameda Research — in the $11 billion fraud scheme. Ellison served as the main witness in Bankman-Fried’s 2023 criminal trial , testifying that the pair used Alameda to invest billions of dollars’ worth of assets secretly siphoned from FTX customers. Get $50 free to trade crypto when you sign up to Bybit now
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XRP is gaining momentum with institutions as new yield and tokenization models take shape in Asia, positioning the XRP Ledger for compliant, enterprise-grade finance and expanding XRP’s role as a productive digital asset. SBI Ripple Asia Reinforces XRP Enterprise Role as Yield-Bearing Use Cases Expand XRP is drawing increased institutional attention as new yield and
Prediction markets are emerging as one of the fastest-growing corners of crypto just as meme coins retreat from their recent peak, setting up a broader debate across the industry about where speculative capital is heading in 2026. The comparison gained momentum after Kalshi’s head of crypto, John Wang, described prediction markets as “the meme coins of 2023,” arguing that both capture attention during periods when traders are searching for asymmetric opportunities. JUST IN: Head of crypto at Kalshi John Wang says “prediction markets are the memecoins of 2023.” pic.twitter.com/ZtGGHBSaht — Whale Insider (@WhaleInsider) December 15, 2025 The remark landed as meme coin activity cooled sharply following a volatile run that defined much of the last two years. Meme Coins Had Their Moment — Is This the Collapse Phase? Meme coins surged in 2023, driven by new token launches and heavy social media exposure. The sector’s total market capitalization reached nearly $22 billion by the end of that year, while trading activity expanded dramatically. Source: Coinmarketcap Data from the period shows average trading volume rising more than ninefold over the first eleven months. Two intense rallies defined the year, particularly an April–May burst fueled by highly speculative launches. That speculative energy carried into 2024, when meme coins climbed to an estimated peak market cap of around $150 billion in December, helped by Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Pepe, and a wave of political-themed tokens. The reversal was equally sharp. By late 2025, the sector’s total value had fallen below $42 billion, with daily volumes shrinking and individual tokens losing most of their prior gains. Source: Coinmarketcap Market data now shows memecoin trading volumes down roughly 85% from their highs, reflecting a broad pullback in risk appetite. Are Traders Done With Meme Coins? Prediction Markets Are Quietly Taking Over As meme coins faded, prediction markets moved in the opposite direction. Platforms such as Kalshi, Polymarket, and Limitless recorded a combined $44 billion in trading volume this year, with Kalshi alone reaching $1 billion in weekly volume, driven largely by sports and political contracts. Source: dune/datadashboards On-chain prediction markets have expanded even faster. Monthly volume has jumped from under $100 million in early 2024 to more than $13 billion today, a 130-fold increase, according to joint research from Keyrock and Dune Analytics. Non-sports markets, including economics, politics, and technology-related events, accounted for most of the growth in 2025. The structure of prediction markets differs sharply from memecoins, a point repeatedly raised by industry participants. Prediction Markets vs Memecoins Watch in 2x speed – "Memecoins will die like NFTs. Prediction markets will take over" (starts @ 0:16) – Flaws in prediction markets (starts @ 2:25) – Flaws in memecoins (starts @ 5:24) – Prime @Pumpfun > prime @Polymarket (starts @ 5:59) https://t.co/ARppIQ8cTO pic.twitter.com/cesTAQNYEH — shaams (@shaams) December 16, 2025 Prediction contracts allow traders to buy “yes” or “no” shares tied to a specific outcome, with prices reflecting implied probabilities and settling through oracles once events conclude. Supporters argue this creates clearer pricing and limits some of the manipulation risks that have plagued low-liquidity token markets. Honestly makes sense why people are just moving over to Polymarket and all these other prediction market platforms. You don’t have to worry about 12 year olds bundling coins, you don’t have worry about your “favorite” kol shilling a coin then full clipping soon after, you don’t… — GH0STEE (@gh0stee) December 15, 2025 Critics counter that returns are capped by design, making it harder for smaller traders to achieve outsized gains compared with early-stage memecoin trades. Can Prediction Markets Kill Meme Coins? Framing the trend as “prediction markets killing memecoins” misses the point. Memecoins are not dead. Liquidity has simply receded, and that contraction is affecting many other crypto sectors as well. History shows that meme-driven markets tend to hibernate, not disappear. When volatility returns and risk appetite expands, memecoins can resurface quickly. At the same time, prediction markets are clearly earning a durable user base. Their growth isn’t purely cyclical hype; it’s being driven by real-world events, regulatory clarity in some jurisdictions, and demand for structured speculation. That gives them a resilience memecoins often lack during downturns. The more likely outcome is coexistence, not replacement . Memecoins will continue to dominate during speculative surges and attention-driven cycles. Prediction markets will attract traders seeking clarity, probability-based pricing, and event-driven exposure. They serve different psychological and financial needs. If anything, the current shift shows a maturing crypto market, one where capital rotates rather than evaporates and where speculation takes multiple forms instead of clustering around a single narrative. The post Prediction Markets vs Meme Coins: Is This Where Crypto’s Next Alpha Lives? appeared first on Cryptonews .
Many long-term XRP holders view their investment as a potential path to financial independence. Within this context, the XRP Rich List has become a frequent reference point for investors assessing their chances of retiring on crypto gains alone. However, whether reaching one of these tiers can realistically support retirement within the next ten years requires a careful review of both distribution data and price assumptions. XRP has maintained relevance in the digital asset market for more than twelve years, consistently ranking among the most liquid cryptocurrencies. Historical performance data shows that early adopters who accumulated XRP near launch achieved exceptional returns. While those outcomes are well documented, current investors face a very different market environment, prompting renewed debate over whether comparable gains remain achievable. Growth of the XRP Holder Base Recent on-chain data indicates that the number of XRP wallets has expanded meaningfully. At present, approximately 7.41 million addresses are holding XRP, reflecting an increase of more than 1.5 million wallets within the year. This growth suggests renewed participation in the network and a broadening investor base, even as price volatility persists. Despite this expansion, XRP ownership remains unevenly distributed. A relatively small percentage of wallets control a significant share of total supply, which is where the Rich List becomes relevant for long-term financial projections. XRP Rich List Thresholds Explained Current distribution metrics show that entry into the top 10% of XRP holders requires a balance of at least 2,316 XRP. The bar rises sharply for higher tiers, with the top 5% holding no less than 8,010 XRP. Meanwhile, wallets in the top 1% each control 48,895 XRP or more. These thresholds provide a framework for estimating potential outcomes under different price scenarios. Larger balances naturally offer greater leverage if XRP experiences sustained appreciation, but they also highlight how difficult it can be for newer investors to reach upper tiers. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 Retirement Targets and Regional Differences Retirement goals vary significantly depending on geographic location. In higher-cost economies such as the United States, surveys often cite $1 million as a minimum target for retirement. In contrast, individuals in lower-cost regions may require substantially less capital to achieve similar lifestyle outcomes. Using a $1 million benchmark, investors in the top 10% tier would need XRP to exceed $430 per token to meet that target. For those in the top 5%, a price near $125 would suffice. Investors within the top 1% would reach the same threshold at approximately $20 per XRP. Can XRP Reach These Levels in Ten Years? Whether these price levels are attainable within a decade remains uncertain. According to projections from Google Gemini, XRP could reach a maximum hypothetical price of $100 over the next ten years under highly favorable conditions. At that level, top 1% holders would control multimillion-dollar portfolios, while those in the top 5% could approach or surpass retirement benchmarks in many regions. However, such forecasts remain speculative. Market cycles, regulatory developments, adoption rates, and broader economic conditions will ultimately determine XRP’s long-term valuation. While placement on the XRP Rich List may improve the probability of achieving financial independence, it does not eliminate risk or guarantee retirement within a defined timeframe. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post XRP Rich List: Can Long-Term Holders Realistically Retire on Crypto Gains? appeared first on Times Tabloid .