With a few exceptions, Messari expects Bitcoin to continue eroding the market share of L1 altcoins, a trend that will not reverse in 2026 and beyond.

According to Cointelegraph, current market conditions may hinder Bitcoin's ability to replicate its early 2025 price gains as it moves into 2026, according to Ophelia Snyder, co-founder of 21Shares. Snyder noted that the factors contributing to the current volatility are unlikely to be fully resolved in the short term, making a repeat performance next January heavily dependent on broader market sentiment. She highlighted that January often sees renewed inflows into Bitcoin exchange-traded funds as investors rebalance and reposition portfolios at the start of the year. Snyder emphasized that the downtrend is not specific to cryptocurrency, expressing uncertainty about Bitcoin's performance in January due to the current low level of positive market sentiment. Bitcoin reached a peak of $109,000 on January 9, just before U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration, as traders anticipated his proposed plans for the crypto sector would spark a rally. At the time of publication, Bitcoin is trading at $92,150, according to CoinMarketCap, down almost 10% over the past 30 days. Despite the recent downturn, Snyder remains optimistic about Bitcoin's long-term prospects. She views the recent correction as a response to a general risk-off sentiment in broader market conditions rather than anything specific to cryptocurrency. Snyder identified several factors that could drive Bitcoin to outperform, including the expansion of crypto ETFs on major platforms, increased government adoption, and rising demand for stores of value beyond gold. Conversely, potential catalysts for underperformance include risk-off sentiment across broader financial markets and continued strength in gold, which could make Bitcoin less appealing to traditional investors. Other industry executives share a more optimistic outlook, with BitMine chair Tom Lee predicting that Bitcoin will reach a new high before the end of January 2026. Historical data from CoinGlass shows that since 2013, Bitcoin has averaged a return of 3.81% during January, suggesting potential for positive performance in the coming year.

Italy’s Economy Ministry ordered a full review of the country’s crypto safeguards on Thursday after officials released an official warning on so-called “rising risks could hit retail investors. ” The decision came from a meeting of the Committee for Macroprudential Policies, which includes the head of the Bank of Italy, the chief of Consob, the insurance […] source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/italys-major-review-of-crypto-safeguards/

Bitcoin’s downturn has barely anything to do with “anything crypto specific,” but it’s unlikely to surge early next year, says 21Shares co-founder Ophelia Snyder. source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-price-all-time-high-january-repeat-uncertainty-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound

According to BlockBeats, data from Coinglass reveals that the funding rates on major centralized and decentralized exchanges (CEX and DEX) continue to reflect a bearish market sentiment. The funding rates for key cryptocurrencies are detailed in the accompanying chart. Funding rates are a mechanism used by cryptocurrency trading platforms to maintain the balance between contract prices and the prices of the underlying assets, typically applied to perpetual contracts. This mechanism involves the exchange of funds between long and short traders, with the trading platform not collecting this fee. It serves to adjust the cost or profit of holding contracts, ensuring that contract prices remain close to the underlying asset prices. A funding rate of 0.01% is considered the baseline rate. When the funding rate exceeds 0.01%, it indicates a generally bullish market sentiment. Conversely, when the funding rate falls below 0.005%, it suggests a predominantly bearish market outlook.

According to PANews, the Italian Ministry of Economy has announced a comprehensive review of the current risk control mechanisms related to cryptocurrency investments. This initiative aims to assess whether adequate safeguards are in place for retail investors engaging in direct or indirect investments in crypto assets. The decision was made by the Macroprudential Policy Committee, which includes the Bank of Italy, market regulator Consob, insurance and pension regulators, and the Ministry of Finance. Regulators have issued warnings about the increasing integration of crypto assets with the traditional financial system and the growing issue of fragmented international regulations, which could heighten potential risks. Although Italy's overall economic and financial situation remains stable, it faces significant global uncertainties.

TON treasury has submitted a meme shelf registration for $420. 69 million. source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/ton-treasury-files-420m-shelf/

On December 4th, at Dubai Blockchain Week, CZ and Schiff debated Bitcoin vs. Gold. Who do you think won?

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