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Institutional XRP Yield Products Coming as Doppler Finance Partners With SBI Ripple Asia

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In an interesting development, leading XRPL project Doppler Finance has entered into a strategic partnership with SBI Ripple Asia. 

Per a statement released today, the collaboration will focus on developing institutional-grade XRP yield products and advancing the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) on the XRP Ledger (XRPL).  

First Partnership Between SBI Ripple Asia and XRPL-Native Protocol 

Notably, the agreement marks SBI Ripple Asia’s first partnership with a native XRPL protocol. Under the arrangement, Doppler Finance will work closely with SBI Ripple Asia to create XRP yield-bearing products for institutional clients.

The move highlights the growing interest among traditional financial institutions for blockchain-based yield solutions. This trend is particularly evident in jurisdictions such as Japan and Singapore, where regulatory clarity continues to encourage institutional participation.

Notably, the partners have appointed SBI Digital Markets, an entity licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), as the institutional custodian for the initiative. In this role, SBI Digital Markets will provide segregated, independent custody solutions, ensuring that client assets are securely held and fully protected. 

Providing Institutions Access to XRP Yields 

The move represents a significant step toward expanding institutional participation on the XRP Ledger. While institutions have engaged with the network for years, their involvement has primarily been through payment use cases or treasury initiatives. 

Moreover, XRPL has lagged behind established networks such as Ethereum and Solana in offering yield-bearing opportunities. Projects like Flare Network and Axelar have introduced alternative ways for XRP holders, particularly retail investors, to access yield-related activity. 

Now, through this latest partnership, Doppler Finance and SBI Ripple Asia are actively exploring the development of XRP yield-bearing products for institutions while advancing RWA tokenization on XRPL.  

“An Interesting Move” 

In a statement, Rox Park, Head of Institutions at Doppler Finance, noted that the collaboration with SBI Ripple Asia will expand XRP’s utility beyond payments and position it as a yield-bearing asset. 

Similarly, an SBI spokesperson echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the partnership aims to accelerate the development of yield-focused infrastructure on the XRP Ledger.

Meanwhile, the initiative has drawn attention from the broader XRP community. Notably, prominent community figure WrathofKahneman described the partnership as an interesting move. 

Analyst Says If You Want to Sell Your XRP, Think Again Before Selling

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X Finance Bull, a widely followed figure in the XRP community, has cautioned holders against selling XRP at current levels.

According to him, the market is overlooking a major regulatory milestone that could reshape XRP’s long-term supply dynamics.

He referenced comments from Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, who previously suggested that the U.S. CLARITY Act could pass in the first half of 2026. In X Finance Bull’s view, this is no longer mere speculation but a timeline the market should be preparing for.

Why the CLARITY Act Matters for XRP

The analyst stressed that once the CLARITY Act passes, Ripple may need to formally clarify the future of the 34.4 billion XRP still held in escrow. Rather than this supply hitting the open market, he believes Ripple’s strategy will differ significantly from what many investors fear.

Instead of selling into the market, X Finance Bull argues that the escrowed XRP is likely to be pre-allocated for specific, large-scale use cases tied to global finance.

Escrow XRP as Infrastructure, Not Selling Pressure

According to his analysis, XRP in escrow could be intended for allocation across:

  • Banking corridors
  • Sovereign payment rails involving governments and central banks
  • Liquidity hubs supporting G20 cross-border settlements
  • Institutional frameworks linked to entities such as the IMF and BIS
  • National payment systems integrating next-generation rails

From this perspective, what many see as potential “overhead supply” could already be effectively earmarked.

Locked Liquidity, Not a Market Dump

Furthermore, X Finance Bull stressed that investor anxiety over a massive selloff may be misplaced. In his view, the more likely outcome is that the locked tokens flow into banks, foreign-exchange routes, and regulated custody systems rather than being dumped on exchanges.

He sees this potential outcome as embedding XRP into the core infrastructure of global financial systems.

Repricing Moment Ahead

The analyst concluded that once Ripple publishes an official escrow roadmap, the market reaction could be swift. He suggested that clarity around allocation and utility could trigger a rapid, demand-driven repricing of XRP.

While this remains speculative, the statement stresses that selling XRP now, without considering the regulatory and structural changes ahead, may be a decision some investors come to regret later.

Pundit Predicts XRP Rally Before CLARITY Act Signing

Separately, market commentator Zach Rector predicts XRP’s next major move will occur before the CLARITY Act becomes law. He argues that markets react to expectations, not official documents.

Rector warns that waiting for the Act’s signing risks missing the classic crypto pattern: “buy the rumor, sell the news.”

He cites XRP’s history of surging ahead of regulatory milestones, including a 580% rise from $0.50 to $3.40 between November 2024 and January 2025, reaching $3.66 by July 2025—well before the CLARITY Act reached serious Senate discussions.

Currently, Congress is rushing to finalize crypto rules before the holiday break. Rector says the market is unlikely to wait, emphasizing that the Act is a catalyst, not a requirement. He believes investors who delay buying until full regulatory certainty may miss the breakout entirely.

Cardano Forecast for Dec 17: ADA is Approaching Crucial Support, Where Next?

Cardano is nearing a key support level, with bearish signals from technical indicators. Where’s ADA headed?

Cardano has seen a slight decline over the past 24 hours, currently trading for $0.378, reflecting a 0.8% drop within a daily range that fluctuated between $0.3775 and $0.3898. Despite a modest upward push earlier, Cardano’s performance over the past week remains negative, with a decrease of 18.2%. Over the last 14 days, it has seen a further dip of 15%, indicating a broader market trend that has put pressure on its price.

While Cardano’s market cap stands at $13.8 billion, indicating its solid position in the market, its recent price movement and downward trend signal a lack of buying momentum. The 24-hour trading volume of $500 million highlights active trading, but the persistent downward pressure suggests that traders are cautious.

Cardano is Testing Key Support Levels

Notably, Cardano is currently experiencing a downward trend, with the price testing key support levels. The recent Fibonacci retracement levels indicate that the price is approaching the 1 level, currently at $0.3714, which has historically acted as a critical support zone. If Cardano fails to hold above this level, the next major support lies around the $0.30 region, marked by the extended Fibonacci levels.

ADA 1-Day Price Chart
ADA 1-Day Price Chart

Notably, the technical indicators are also showing bearish signals. The Chande Momentum Oscillator (CMO) is currently at -41.68, indicating that Cardano is in oversold territory. It also suggests that there could be some short-term relief if buying pressure picks up. 

However, the overall downtrend remains intact, with the price well below the 50% retracement level of $0.427, making higher resistance at the $0.44 and $0.46 levels significant. For any bullish momentum to develop, Cardano needs to break above these resistance levels, but first reclaim the 50% Fibonacci retracement zone to confirm a reversal.

ADA Weekly Update

On the social commentary end, Crypto Crew University has provided an important weekly update on Cardano’s price movement, noting that the price is approaching a key long-term support level (S1) at $0.3241. This level will be crucial in determining whether Cardano can maintain its position or if it will face a breakdown. The analyst suggests that traders should watch this support zone closely.

ADA Prediction
ADA Prediction

Despite this critical support, both the Stochastic RSI (SRSI) and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) are showing bearish signals, indicating continued downward pressure. This raises concerns about the strength of the support level and whether it will hold or break in the coming weeks. 

XRP Price Prediction for Dec 17: Can XRP Find a Floor to Reach $3

XRP shows a potential recovery if it holds key support, with liquidity available above $3.

XRP has experienced a slight uptrend over the past 24 hours, currently priced at $1.91, reflecting a 1.5% increase in the daily range, which fluctuated between $1.88 and $1.94.

Despite this recent upward movement, XRP’s performance over the past week remains relatively subdued, down 8.5%. Additionally, its 14-day performance shows a 13.1% drop, reflecting the broader market’s cautious sentiment.

With a market cap of around $115.3 billion and strong trading volume, XRP continues to hold a prominent position in the market. However, its recent price volatility suggests that traders are awaiting clearer signals for future movements. 

Will XRP Find a Floor?

XRP’s daily price movement is exhibiting some critical technical signals that may influence the coin’s next steps. The price currently trades near the lower end of the Bollinger Bands, with the lower band marked at $1.88 and the upper band at $2.23. XRP recently tested the lower band and is showing a potential move toward that support again. 

XRP 1-Day Chart
XRP 1-Day Chart

If XRP holds at this support level, it may find the floor and the necessary momentum to attempt a recovery. However, a breach below this support could signal further downside pressure, with the next major support area potentially around $1.85.

The Stochastic RSI indicator is also indicating oversold conditions, with values at 11.09, which suggests that XRP may be due for a short-term reversal if buying pressure increases. This could provide a bullish divergence in the near term.

However, the bearish momentum remains intact, as seen with the downtrend in the Stochastic RSI and the general movement away from the 20-period moving average (SMA). To regain bullish momentum, XRP must break above the middle Bollinger Band (currently at $2.05), which could indicate a more sustainable rally toward the $2.23 resistance level.

XRP’s Path to $3?

Elsewhere, XRP’s 3-month heatmap shared by an analyst, dubbed Steph Is Crypto, reveals a growing liquidity magnet above the $3 level. This indicates that liquidity is accumulating in this area, which could attract significant price action as XRP moves toward this zone.

XRP Liquidation Heatmap
XRP Liquidation Heatmap

The analyst points out that price often gravitates toward areas with higher liquidity, suggesting that the price may be poised for a potential move upward if it reaches this level. Traders should keep an eye on the $3 mark for a possible breakout or significant resistance. To reach $3, XRP would need to surge approximately 57.07% from its current price of $1.91. 

Whale Suffers Massive Loss After Turning $23M Into $2.58M on AI Agent Tokens

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A major crypto investor has suffered losses exceeding $20 million after a large bet on AI agent tokens unraveled, according to on-chain data.

Blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain reported that the whale initially deployed roughly $23 million across several AI-focused tokens. As market conditions deteriorated, liquidity dried up and exit options narrowed, amplifying downside risk. The portfolio’s value eventually collapsed to about $2.58 million, representing a drawdown of nearly 89%.

Lookonchain flagged the trades as some of the poorest recent performances among Base chain AI tokens. Rather than offering stability, the sheer size of the positions intensified losses once prices began to slide.

Losses Concentrated Across Six AI Tokens

A closer look at the wallet activity shows that the damage was spread across six AI agent tokens, each suffering steep declines.

FAI accounted for the largest dollar loss, falling more than 92% and erasing close to $9.9 million. AIXBT followed with a drop of roughly 84%, resulting in losses of approximately $7.8 million.

Elsewhere, BOTTO slid over 83%, cutting about $936,000 from its value. POLY declined nearly 99%, removing approximately $839,000.

The sharpest percentage drop came from NFTXBT, which lost just over 99% and around $594,000. MAICRO also suffered heavily, falling almost 90% and shedding roughly $381,000.

Together, these positions explain nearly the entire collapse of the portfolio.

Whale Realized Losses in Six AI Tokens
Whale Realized Losses in Six AI Tokens

Wallet Reduced to Residual Assets

Following the sell-off, the whale’s wallet now holds minimal value. Data from Arkham Intelligence indicate a remaining balance of $3,626.11, primarily composed of ETH, with minor allocations to MONK, BYTE, and SANTA.

The residual holdings suggest the investor has effectively exited AI agent tokens, locking in a near-total loss on the original investment thesis.

The whale’s losses reflect a wider downturn across the AI crypto sector. On-chain data shows the segment plummeted by roughly 77% earlier in 2025, as speculative interest waned.

AI agent tokens have since slipped below $5 billion in combined market value. Current estimates place total capitalization at around $3.28 billion, down 1.1% over the previous day. Most AI-related tokens have moved lower in tandem, reflecting systemic pressure rather than isolated project failures.

From Breakthrough Narrative to Reality Check

Not long ago, AI agents were promoted as a transformative leap for automation. Industry players, including Kore.ai, highlighted their potential to complete complex tasks with little human oversight.

By late 2025, however, companies experimenting with highly autonomous systems began reporting mounting challenges. Limited control, inefficiencies, and unpredictable outcomes increasingly overshadowed earlier optimism.

This shift coincided with a dramatic market reversal. After peaking near $16 billion, AI agent token valuations dropped more than 90%, with many projects failing to meet development expectations.

Differing Views on Long-Term Prospects

Despite the steep decline, some industry voices remain cautious rather than dismissive. Coin Bureau co-founder Guy Turner has argued that the sector’s downturn does not eliminate its long-term potential.

According to Turner, future growth could depend on clearer regulation, institutional participation, and renewed retail interest. He has also suggested that involvement from governments and major technology firms could help legitimize the space. Labeling AI agent tokens as simple meme assets, he argued, overlooks their broader ambitions.

Analyst Expects Wave 3 to Smash Cardano Through Previous ATH

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Cardano could rally to unprecedented price marks spurred by bullish technical setups and a treasury-backed stablecoin expansion.

A TradingView analysis by “Migoreng_wrap” identified bullish potential for Cardano, tipping the altcoin to recover from recent consolidation. At the time of writing, ADA has pulled back by 18% over the past seven days and a staggering 55% since the start of the year.

Wave 3 to Lift Cardano

Notably, the analyst views the current market condition as temporary, predicting a lift for ADA. He highlighted that the third wave of a 5-wave Elliott Wave pattern would fuel this rally.

For context, ADA traded within a descending channel from its 2021 all-time high of $3.10 before eventually breaking out in January 2023. After reaching a peak of $0.46 in April 2023, the coin pulled back to retest the support around $0.22 by September.

An extensive Elliott Wave structure began forming around the support area in September 2023, with the first progressive wave pushing ADA to a high of $1.32 in December 2024. From there, the second corrective wave began and has persisted to its current price lows of $0.37.

Cardano Elliott Wave Pattern
Cardano Elliott Wave Pattern

The analyst predicts that the third wave is on the horizon and could push Cardano to unprecedented heights. He projected an over 846% growth from here, past $3.10, to a new all-time high of $3.50.

Furthermore, the commentator noted that the ADA/BTC chart is showing signs of imminent reversal. While he didn’t provide further perspective, the chart shows an obvious downtrend, with Cardano showing weakness against the crypto leader.

Meanwhile, his USD chart shows that the completion of the 5-wave Elliot Wave pattern could take ADA to double digits. 

Stablecoin Push, a Core Price Catalyst

The analyst also highlighted the recent push by the Cardano Foundation to boost global adoption by injecting life into the ecosystem’s stablecoin DeFi liquidity. The Foundation committed an eight-figure ADA to boost this sector, aiming to solve the long-standing issue of a lack of user traction to Cardano DeFi.

According to the market watcher, the stablecoin push would be at the center of the Cardano ecosystem’s 2025/2026 strategy, potentially boosting adoption.

Shiba Inu Whale Resurfaces After Year-Long Dormancy, Withdraws 53 Billion SHIB From Coinbase

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A Coinbase user known for making large Shiba Inu (SHIB) transfers has resurfaced after a year of inactivity. 

The address, identified as 0x1b1…bb27D, recently transferred tens of billions of tokens in a single transaction. According to Arkham Intelligence, the wallet withdrew 53.59 billion SHIB tokens from Coinbase on December 15, 2025.

This marks the wallet’s first recorded activity since December 16, 2024, precisely a year apart. At the time of the transfer, the 53.59 billion SHIB tokens were worth approximately $418,550.

Withdrawals from exchanges can indicate a move to long-term self-custody or preparation for over-the-counter transactions. 

How the Tokens Could be Managed 

Notably, the wallet’s activity offers clues about how the withdrawn funds might be managed. For context, this wallet first withdrew SHIB from Coinbase in 2022, moving roughly 52 billion tokens. On December 16, 2024, it returned the entire 52 billion SHIB to Coinbase through two separate transactions.

After a full year of dormancy, the wallet became active again on December 15, 2025, transferring 53.59 billion SHIB in a single transaction. Currently, the 53 billion SHIB tokens remain in the wallet, with SHIB holding the largest dollar position in the portfolio.

The wallet’s remaining holdings, including ETH and BASED, are worth below $100, highlighting the dominance of SHIB in this account. 

Shiba Inu whale withdraws 53 billion SHIB from Coinbase
Shiba Inu whale withdraws 53 billion SHIB from Coinbase

Growing Whale Activity 

The transaction comes amid a surge in whale activity involving Shiba Inu. Earlier this month, a mysterious whale moved approximately 169 billion SHIB tokens from Coinbase into a newly created blockchain wallet.

By December 10, roughly 8 trillion SHIB tokens had been withdrawn from exchanges, including a single whale transferring 2.2 trillion tokens from Coinbase across six transactions.

While whales have been actively withdrawing SHIB from exchanges, reports show that some are simultaneously moving substantial amounts onto centralized trading platforms.

Notably, Santiment recently suggested that on December 9, approximately 406 whale transactions added 1.06 trillion SHIB to Shiba Inu’s exchange reserves. 

Currently, Shiba Inu is trading at $0.000007741, marking a 72% decline over the past year, a 14.3% drop in the past month, and a 0.98% decrease over the last 24 hours. 

Will Entering the XRP Rich List Help You Retire in 10 Years

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Most XRP investors have a long-term goal of retiring with their stack, but could entering the XRP rich list help with this goal in the next 10 years?

XRP has maintained a spot among the largest and most liquid crypto assets since its debut over a decade ago. With CoinMarketCap suggesting a 32,655% increase since launch, multiple investors may have already retired from XRP. For perspective, a 32,655% ROI would yield $3.27 million from a $10,000 investment.

While some believe XRP may have already run its course and it might be too late to see such substantial gains again, others remain confident that XRP still has a long way to go. Most of the analysts who hold this belief insist that the market is still early despite XRP being over 12 years old, projecting much higher targets from here.

However, should some of these targets play out as expected, how much would investors need to hold to attain their retirement goals? In this context, the XRP Rich List provides important information on how much XRP most investors hold.

Requirement to Enter XRP Rich List

Notably, on-chain data confirms that there are about 7.41 million XRP wallets at press time. For context, these wallets numbered 5.82 million at the start of this year. This indicates that the XRP ecosystem has added up to 1.59 million addresses this year, representing one of its best years in a long time.

Of the 7.41 million existing wallets, 741,413 accounts are among the top 10% on the XRP Rich List. These accounts each hold a balance of 2,316 XRP or more. Meanwhile, for the top 5%, this tier hosts 370,707 wallets holding at least 8,010 XRP. Moreover, the 74,141 wallets in the top 1% hold 48,895 XRP or more.

XRP Rich List
XRP Rich List

Naturally, investors within higher tiers on the XRP Rich List are more likely to profit from a future XRP price surge. In addition, the nationality of the investor would also play an important role. For instance, while most workers in the U.S. say they need $1 million to retire, estimates suggest investors could retire with $400,000 in Ghana.

Notably, for countries like the U.S. that demand at least $1 million for retirement, investors in the top 1% of the XRP Rich List, holding at least 2,316 tokens, would only reach their retirement goal if XRP claimed $431 or less per token. 

Meanwhile, those in the top 5%, holding 8,010 XRP or more, would retire with an XRP price of $124.8 per token.

For the investors within the top 1%, XRP would have to rise to just $20 per token for their 48,895 XRP tokens to reach a value of $1 million. 

Could Investors on the XRP Rich List Retire in 10 Years?

Now, the more important question remains: could XRP hit these price targets in the next 10 years? According to AI chatbot Google Gemini, XRP may reach a “max hypothetical” price of $100 over the next 10 years. At this price, investors in the top 1% would hold over $4.8 million, enough to retire comfortably.

XRP Price Prediction Google Gemini
XRP Price Prediction | Google Gemini

However, those in the top 10% would only see their holdings rise to $231,600, which is insufficient even for retirement in some low-cost countries, much less the U.S. For the top 5%, their investments could rise to $800,000, enough to retire in some U.S. states and nearly every low-cost country. Nonetheless, an XRP run to $100 by 2035 remains unguaranteed.

Ethereum Prediction for Dec 17: ETH Must Hold This Support to Reach $3,500 

Ethereum would need to be able to hold key support levels for a potential rebound amid massive long liquidations.

Ethereum has experienced some moderate volatility over the past 24 hours, currently trading at $2,943. The crypto asset has shown a 0.7% increase in price within the last 24 hours, with the daily price range fluctuating between $2,902 and $2,971. Ethereum’s performance has been somewhat muted over the last week, down by 11.4%.

Looking at the past 14 days, Ethereum has experienced a 3.7% drop, reflecting broader market trends and sentiment. The market capitalization stands strong at $355.8 billion, highlighting Ethereum’s prominent position as a market leader. In the next sessions, traders will explore how Ethereum is navigating its long-term price trends and where ETH is headed.

Ethereum Price Prediction

Ethereum’s recent price movement has featured some key technical signals, indicating a period of retreat. Currently, the support level holds strong around $2,800, with the price finding a bounce at this level in recent sessions. This suggests that if Ethereum maintains this support, it could attempt a rebound, potentially testing resistance above $3,300. Breaking this resistance could pave the way for a further rally toward $3,500.

ETHUSD Price Chart
ETHUSD Price Chart

Moreover, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently at 41.20, signaling neutral conditions. This indicates that Ethereum isn’t overbought or oversold but is nearing the lower end of the RSI range, which could suggest a reversal if buying pressure picks up. However, if the RSI continues to move lower, it could indicate that bearish momentum will persist, testing the support level more aggressively.

Further, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is signaling a bearish trend, with the MACD line at -44.47 and below the signal line at -38.24. This bearish crossover indicates that the downward momentum is currently stronger, as reflected by the negative histogram. A potential shift in momentum could occur if the MACD line crosses back above the signal line.

Ethereum Liquidation Data

Meanwhile, the Ethereum market has seen a significant amount of liquidation across different time frames, highlighting the volatility and the pressure on both long and short positions. The 12-hour liquidation figure reached $10 million, with long positions at $6.66 million and shorts at $3.34 million. 

ETH Liquidation
ETH Liquidation

The 24-hour liquidation data is even more striking, showing $58.38 million in total liquidations, with long positions making up a significant portion at $27.17 million, while shorts accounted for $31.21 million. This imbalance suggests heightened market volatility, with long positions suffering the most.

Cardano Founder Says For the First Time Ever on a Blockchain, We Can Trade Securities Natively

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Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson continues to emphasize the importance of the privacy-focused Midnight to the blockchain space.

He shared in his recent podcast that thanks to Midnight, the earlier skepticism in trading securities on-chain has been resolved.

“For the first time ever on a blockchain, we can actually trade securities natively,” he stated, citing Midnight’s creation as an enabler for this.

Privacy Issues and the Role of Cardano Sidechain Midnight

Hoskinson highlighted that to trade securities natively on the blockchain, specific requirements must be met. He mentioned privacy, selective disclosure, and the functionality of handling public and private information in the same stead as key components.

While institutional embrace of blockchain technology has escalated, bringing securities on-chain for native trading has continued to face major roadblocks. One major setback is that public blockchains provide full disclosure, revealing specific details of a transaction, such as sender and receiver addresses.

Notably, this differs from those seen in the traditional market, where exchanges retain specific user data for confidentiality and user protection. 

However, Hoskinson noted that this deficiency in the blockchain space prompted the creation of projects like Midnight. For the uninitiated, the Cardano sidechain employs zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to preserve user privacy.

Midnight allows for selective disclosure for regulatory compliance and rational privacy. According to the Cardano founder, this now encourages investors to trade traditional securities without the need for third parties, provided the jurisdiction embraces algorithmic law.

Remarkably, the Midnight use case extends beyond encouraging on-chain native securities trading. In a recent post, Hoskinson fronted the need for Midnight, as hackers extort adult content site PornHub after stealing the data of its premium members.

Midnight Sustain Market Buzz

Meanwhile, the buzz around the NIGHT token has not subsided, as it continues to outperform major cryptocurrencies. Data from CoinMarketCap shows a 22% increase in the past seven days, the largest in the top 100 crypto market cap ranking.

In addition, its trading volume also continues to impress. It currently ranks as the 10th-largest cryptocurrency by 24-hour trading volume, with $1.56 billion.

NIGHT has also dominated the Cardano ecosystem despite its recent launch. Hoskinson earlier highlighted that the asset’s fully diluted volume (FDV) is larger than that of the other Cardano-native tokens combined.