Roughly $500 billion has been wiped from the cryptocurrency market over the past week as a Bitcoin-led sell-off accelerated. Total digital asset capitalisation fell by about $467.6 billion since 29 January, reflecting broad risk-off sentiment across global markets.
Bitcoin briefly dropped to a 15-month low of $72,877 before rebounding 1.31% to $76,681.72. The asset remains down 13% year-to-date and nearly 39% below its October peak above $126,000, underscoring sustained selling pressure.
Macro forces are driving the downturn. Escalating US-Iran tensions pushed capital toward traditional safe havens, while currency shifts, interest rate differentials, and tightening liquidity conditions weighed on leverage and stablecoin flows.
Analysts say the decline reflects positioning resets and broader market nervousness rather than a single catalyst.
Near-term outlook remains cautious. Liquidation pressure persists, though key structural supports continue to hold. Technical analysts identify $73,000 as critical downside support, while reclaiming the $77,500–78,000 range would be needed to restore bullish momentum.
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Search behaviour around XRP increasingly reflects the psychological side of the crypto market. Negative narratives spread quickly online, shaping sentiment and fuelling volatility. Data shows that ‘XRP scam’ search spikes often appear during strong price rallies.
Crypto analyst Leonidas compared Google Trends data for ‘Ripple scam’ and ‘XRP scam’ with XRP’s price chart. Results show that damaging search surges typically align with bullish moves and sometimes precede pullbacks, suggesting that perception pressure builds during peak momentum.
Rapid price growth tends to trigger retail curiosity and concern, primarily when sensational claims circulate widely. Search spikes often coincide with heightened mainstream and social media exposure, indicating sentiment reacts to price action rather than fundamentals.
Despite recurring allegations and past regulatory scrutiny, institutional partnerships and XRP Ledger adoption remain intact. Analysts stress that sentiment spikes rarely signal structural weakness, urging investors to prioritise utility and adoption metrics.
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A cautious mood spread across global markets as US stocks declined and Bitcoin slid to its lowest level since late 2024. Technology and software shares led losses, pushing major indices to their weakest performance in two weeks.
Bitcoin fell sharply before stabilising, remaining well below its October peak despite continued pro-crypto messaging from Washington. Gold and silver moved higher during the session, reinforcing their appeal as defensive assets amid rising uncertainty.
Investor sentiment weakened after Anthropic unveiled new legal-focused features for its Claude chatbot, reviving fears of disruption across software and data-driven business models. Analysts at Morgan Stanley pointed to rotation within the technology sector, with investors reducing exposure to software stocks.
Geopolitical tensions intensified after reports of US military action involving Iran, pushing oil prices higher and increasing market volatility. Combined AI uncertainty, geopolitical risk, and shifting safe-haven flows continue to weigh on equities and digital assets alike.
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Bitcoin traded sideways on Tuesday after a short-lived rebound from a 10-month low, as caution continued to dominate derivatives markets. Early Asian trading saw limited movement, with prices hovering below $78,500 following a sharp sell-off the previous day.
Options positioning suggests nerves have yet to ease fully. Data from Deribit showed heavy put option concentrations around $75,000, marking a key support level, while the next downside area is seen closer to $70,000.
Although downside protection demand has softened, positioning indicates traders remain defensive.
Signals from perpetual futures markets reinforced the cautious tone. According to CryptoQuant, funding rates turned negative, their weakest since mid-2024, pointing to a market dominated by short sellers.
Implied volatility stayed elevated near 48.8, based on data from TradingView.
Some traders highlighted early signs of stabilisation after aggressive selling. Analysts at FalconX and STS Digital noted that a weekly close below $75,000 could reignite downside pressure, while holding above that level may support a near-term recovery.
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Bison Bank plans to integrate Bison Digital Assets into its core operations, moving closer to becoming Portugal’s first cryptobank. The investment bank plans to support client-led asset tokenisation projects, signalling a wider move into regulated digital finance.
The strategy is backed by the EU’s MiCA framework, which provides legal clarity and regulatory certainty for cryptoasset firms. Regulatory approval under MiCA allows the bank to operate in Portugal while dealing in and investing in cryptoassets on behalf of clients.
Alongside the structural integration, the bank outlined three initiatives: issuing the first stablecoin by a Portuguese bank, advancing tokenised asset offerings, and completing its transition into a cryptobank.
Tokenisation is designed to enable fractional ownership, continuous trading, improved liquidity, and transparent settlement for assets ranging from real estate to bonds.
Although no official launch date has been confirmed, chief executive António Henriques indicated that the new services are expected to become available in the first half of the year, subject to final regulatory and operational steps.
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CryptoQuant data shows Bitcoin mining profitability has fallen to its weakest level in 14 months, as declining prices and rising operational pressure weigh on the sector. The miner profit and loss sustainability index dropped to 21, its lowest reading since November 2024.
Lower Bitcoin prices and elevated mining difficulty have left operators ‘extremely underpaid’, according to the report. Network hash rate has also declined across five consecutive epochs, reaching its lowest level since September 2025 and signalling reduced computing power securing the network.
Severe winter weather across parts of the eastern United States added further strain, disrupting mining activity and pushing daily revenues down to around $28 million, a yearly low. Weaker risk appetite across equities and digital assets has compounded the impact.
Shares in listed miners such as MARA Holdings, CleanSpark, and Riot Holdings have fallen by double-digit percentages over the past week. Data from the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index shows mining BTC now costs more than buying it on the open market, increasing pressure on weaker operators.
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Financial Conduct Authority research shows UK crypto ownership has declined even as Bitcoin prices surged. Adult participation fell from 12% in 2024 to 8% in the latest survey, equal to about 4.6 million people, although levels remain double those recorded in 2021.
A closer look suggests consolidation rather than collapse. Investors who stayed in the market are committing more capital, with higher-value portfolios becoming more common as retail activity gives way to institutional demand and Bitcoin ETF inflows.
Participants’ knowledge levels are improving. The regulator notes that active investors are more risk-aware and better informed, with ownership skewed towards men aged 18–34 from higher-income demographics and ethnic minority backgrounds.
Bitcoin retains the strongest recognition at 79%, while 57% of current investors hold BTC, a gradual year-on-year increase. Ether ownership stands at 43%, Dogecoin appears in 20% of portfolios, and awareness of newer altcoins remains limited, according to CoinMarketCap.
Stablecoin recognition has risen to 53%, reflecting broader discussion around payments and regulation.
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The legislation would grant the Commodity Futures Trading Commission new regulatory authority over digital commodities and establish consumer protections, including safeguards against conflicts of interest.
Chairman John Boozman proceeded with the bill after losing bipartisan support when Senator Cory Booker withdrew backing for the version presented. The Senate Banking Committee must approve the measure before the two versions can be combined and advanced to the Senate floor.
Democrats raised concerns about the legislation, particularly regarding President Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency ventures. Senator Booker stated the bill departed from bipartisan principles established in November, noting Republicans ‘walked away’ from previous agreements.
Democrats offered amendments to ban public officials from engaging in the crypto industry and to address foreign-adversary involvement in digital commodities. Still, all were rejected as outside the committee’s jurisdiction.
Senator Gillibrand expressed optimism about the bill’s advancement, whilst Boozman called the vote ‘a critical step towards creating clear rules’. The Senate Banking Committee’s consideration was postponed following opposition from the crypto industry, with no new hearing date set.
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Worldcoin jumped 40% after reports that OpenAI is developing a biometric social platform to verify users and eliminate bots. The proposed network would reportedly integrate AI tools while relying on biometric identification to ensure proof of personhood.
Sources cited by Forbes claim the project aims to create a humans-only platform, differentiating itself from existing social networks, including X. Development is said to be led by a small internal team, with work reportedly underway since early 2025.
Biometric verification could involve Apple’s Face ID or the World Orb scanner, a device linked to the World project co-founded by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman.
The report sparked a sharp rally in Worldcoin, though part of the gains later reversed amid wider market weakness. Despite the brief surge, Worldcoin has remained sharply lower over the past year amid weak market sentiment and ongoing privacy concerns.
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Cryptocurrency payments are entering mainstream US commerce as rising customer demand drives more merchants to accept digital assets at checkout.
New research from the National Cryptocurrency Association and PayPal shows that 39% of merchants already accept crypto, while 84% expect it to become a standard payment method within five years.
Customer demand is driving adoption, with 88% of merchants receiving crypto payment enquiries and 69% reporting monthly interest from customers.
Many businesses view crypto as a tool for expansion, with 79% believing it can help attract new customers, while those already accepting crypto report rising transaction volumes and stronger engagement.
Large enterprises lead adoption, with half of firms earning over $500 million accepting crypto, compared with about one-third of smaller businesses. Among adopters, crypto accounts for 26% of sales, while 72% report annual growth, underscoring its shift toward a practical payment method.
Younger consumers are driving much of the momentum, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, while sectors such as hospitality, travel, digital goods, gaming, and e-commerce are seeing the fastest uptake.
Despite strong interest, simplicity remains a key barrier, as 90% of merchants say they would adopt crypto if setup and usage matched the ease of traditional card payments.
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