<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <rss version="2.0"> <channel> <title>Bitcoin Today - Bitcoin News Curated and Powered by AI</title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app</link> <description>Get daily updates on Bitcoin's price, market trends, analysis, and breaking news curated and powered by AI - all digestible in minutes. Make BitcoinToday.app your one-stop shop for staying informed in the fast-paced world of Bitcoin.</description> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 24 Dec 2025 07:33:58 GMT</lastBuildDate> <docs>https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html</docs> <generator>https://github.com/jpmonette/feed</generator> <language>en</language> <image> <title>Bitcoin Today - Bitcoin News Curated and Powered by AI</title> <url>https://www.bitcointoday.app/images/logo-512.png</url> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app</link> </image> <copyright>All rights reserved 2024, BitcoinToday.app</copyright> <category>Bitcoin News</category> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin's $28B Options Expiry: The Hidden Catalyst Behind Market Volatility]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoins-28b-options-expiry-the-hidden-catalyst-behind-market-volatility</link> <guid>bitcoins-28b-options-expiry-the-hidden-catalyst-behind-market-volatility</guid> <pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:01:08 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[Bitcoin traded below $90,000 on Tuesday as holiday-thinned liquidity, surging precious metals, and a looming record options expiry shaped price action across crypto markets. After briefly touching $90,000 intraday on Monday, BTC faded to around $87,400 the following day — continuing a multi-week pattern of upside pushes that meet immediate overhead resistance. According to The Block’s price page, ether also fell to roughly $2,960, BNB to $850, and Solana to $125, pulling total crypto market capitalization back to $3 trillion. "The tone remains defensive," said Timothy Misir, head of research at BRN. "Rallies lack follow-through, while sell-offs are shallow but persistent." Wall Street capital flows reflected this unease. U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs posted $142 million in outflows on Dec. 22, The Block’s data shows. ETH products saw $84.6 million in inflows, while Solana and XRP ETFs attracted $7.47 million and $43.89 million, respectively. ## Record Options Expiry Becomes the Primary Driver Analysts across firms agree that Friday’s Boxing Day expiry is now the dominant catalyst. Roughly 300,000 BTC option contracts — around $23.7 billion in notional value — are set to expire, representing more than half of Deribit’s total bitcoin open interest. Deribit Chief Commercial Officer Jean-David Pequignot said the expiration is "record-shattering," with $28.5 billion in combined BTC and ETH options set to roll off — double last year’s figure. Despite the scale, he said the market remains "orderly," with bitcoin’s DVOL index hovering near 45. Positioning clusters around the 85,000 and 100,000 strikes. Pequignot described the structure as "residual optimism for a Santa rally, even if conviction appears limited." Average funding rates have also climbed from 0.04% to 0.09%, signaling a renewed build-up in leveraged longs despite thinning depth. QCP Capital added that traders are closing out risk rather than rotating it, noting that BTC perpetual open interest fell by approximately $3 billion overnight, while ETH lost around $2 billion. "Liquidity is thinning meaningfully," the firm said, warning that contraction in depth means squeeze risk is elevated in both directions. Misir and QCP both noted that Christmas-week moves tend to mean-revert in January once market participation returns, making current swings more mechanical than fundamental. While crypto struggles to find direction, gold surged to a new record near $4,450. Misir said the divergence highlights macro hedging demand returning into year-end as investors navigate political uncertainty. President Trump confirmed he will announce his pick for the next Federal Reserve chair by early January. It’s not an immediate catalyst, Misir said, but rather a factor that reinforces defensive positioning until clarity emerges. As of Dec. 23, BTC was on track for its worst fourth quarter returns in eight years. Bitcoin shed 6% year-to-date and lost nearly 20% in the last six months, according to The Block's data.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>options</category> <category>volatility</category> <category>marketanalysis</category> <category>crypto</category> <enclosure url="https://www.tbstat.com/wp/uploads/2024/01/20240111_Bitcoin_News_3-1200x675.jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin vs. Gold in 2025: Why Investors Are Ditching Digital for Real Assets]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoin-vs-gold-in-2025-why-investors-are-ditching-digital-for-real-assets</link> <guid>bitcoin-vs-gold-in-2025-why-investors-are-ditching-digital-for-real-assets</guid> <pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:01:09 GMT</pubDate> <description>< As the chart shows, the paths of gold and bitcoin only properly diverged in October during a rapid sell-off in the latter. Precisely what happened on 10 October is still debated, but large selling by leveraged holders of bitcoin into a thin market, in reaction to a Trump tariff threat towards China, is part of the story. The point, though, is that bitcoin didn’t bounce back afterwards, as stocks and precious metals did. The crypto market as a whole shed **more than $1tn of value in six weeks**. From a high of $126,000 in early October, bitcoin now stands at roughly $87,000. In a research note a month ago, Deutsche Bank analysts offered five factors as an explanation of the fall: a broader **“risk-off” sentiment** in markets in October, hawkish signals on interest rates from the Federal Reserve, less regulatory momentum than expected, thin liquidity and outflows from institutions, and profit-taking by long-term holders. Its conclusion: “Whether bitcoin stabilises after this correction remains uncertain. Unlike prior crashes, driven primarily by retail speculation, this year’s downturn has occurred amid substantial institutional participation, policy developments and global macro trends.” For true bitcoin believers every setback is a buying opportunity. Their faith tends to be unshakable and, given how the cryptocurrency has recovered from falls in previous years, one can’t say they are definitely wrong. Yet it does also feel as if something cracked this year. When demand was high for a proper defensive hedge, investors preferred gold (and silver, which performed even better) over computer code that has failed to take off as a medium of exchange. And the year ends with questions being asked about the real depth of the market for bitcoin and its imitators. The speculative buzz ain’t what it used to be.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>gold</category> <category>market</category> <category>investing</category> <category>crypto</category> <enclosure url="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/388a1a195d6f4c97107356e42092f3b1de6cb685/389_0_2915_2333/master/2915.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&precrop=40:21,offset-x50,offset-y0&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctb3BpbmlvbnMucG5n&enable=upscale&s=22fd1696368a4e2258ef8c97272028dc" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin Holds Steady at $89K as Gold Soars to Record Highs: What's Driving the Crypto Market?]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoin-holds-steady-at-89k-as-gold-soars-to-record-highs-whats-driving-the-crypto-market</link> <guid>bitcoin-holds-steady-at-89k-as-gold-soars-to-record-highs-whats-driving-the-crypto-market</guid> <pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:01:07 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[**Bitcoin traded near $88,800 on Monday** as global markets leaned back into risk following record highs in gold and gains across Asian equities. Ether climbed back above **$3,000**, while XRP, Solana and Dogecoin also edged higher after a volatile stretch that saw crypto prices swing sharply independent of stocks and commodities. The steadier tone came as **gold pushed to an all-time high above $4,380 an ounce**, driven by growing bets that the Federal Reserve will deliver additional rate cuts in 2026. The metal is on track for its strongest annual performance since 1979, supported by **central-bank buying** and persistent inflows into gold-backed exchange-traded funds. Asian stocks advanced alongside the move in precious metals. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose more than 1%, led by technology shares, after a rebound in U.S. equities late last week helped calm global markets. U.S. equity futures were also higher. Japan remained in focus after the Bank of Japan’s recent rate hike pushed government bond yields to multi-year highs. The yen strengthened after officials warned against excessive currency moves, while higher yields reinforced the shift away from years of ultra-loose policy. Crypto followed the broader risk tone but remained fragile. Traders pointed to **thin year-end liquidity** and lingering leverage as factors keeping rallies in check. Data from K33 Research shows **long-term bitcoin holders are nearing the end of an extended selling phase**, while institutional buyers have begun absorbing bitcoin faster than miners can produce it. Corporate treasuries and ETFs have increased purchases even after prices fell more than 30% from October highs. Crypto continues to take cues from the macro backdrop — helped by **rate-cut expectations** and haven demand in gold, but restrained by the aftereffects of a deep fourth-quarter drawdown.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>gold</category> <category>market</category> <category>crypto</category> <category>analysis</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/207016d25495e2ad2344c3f7d0774c3ac7e1d171-1920x1080.jpg?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Trump Media's Billion-Dollar Bitcoin Bet: 451 BTC Purchase Pushes Holdings Past $1B]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/trump-medias-billion-dollar-bitcoin-bet-451-btc-purchase-pushes-holdings-past-1b</link> <guid>trump-medias-billion-dollar-bitcoin-bet-451-btc-purchase-pushes-holdings-past-1b</guid> <pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:01:07 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[**Trump Media & Technology Group** has significantly expanded its **Bitcoin portfolio**, acquiring an additional **451 Bitcoin** valued at approximately **$40.3 million**. This strategic move brings the company's total Bitcoin holdings to **11,542 coins**, now worth over **$1 billion**, according to analytics firm Arkham. ### Continuing the Crypto Treasury Strategy The latest purchase is part of Trump Media's **broader crypto treasury strategy**. Earlier in 2025, the company reported around **$2 billion in Bitcoin and related digital assets**, positioning itself increasingly as a **crypto-focused investment entity**. ### ETF Plans and Regulatory Framework In July, Trump Media announced plans to launch the **Truth Social Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF**, with **Crypto.com** serving as the exclusive custodian, prime execution agent, staking, and liquidity provider. **Yorkville America Digital, LLC** was named as the fund's sponsor. The ETF's launch was contingent on **SEC approval** of a Form 19b-4 filing and the effectiveness of its registration statement. The fund was structured as a **Nevada business trust**, issuing and redeeming shares in blocks of 10,000 through authorized participants, using cash for creation and redemption. While in-kind transactions were not initially offered, they could be implemented later pending regulatory approval. Trump Media stated that the shares could not be sold or purchased until the **SEC registration statement became effective**. ### Stock Performance and Merger Impact At the time of writing, shares of Trump Media & Technology Group ($DJT) are down nearly **10% on the day**. However, the stock saw a dramatic surge last week following an unexpected **all-stock merger announcement with TAE Technologies**, valuing the combined entity at over **$6 billion**. Shares jumped roughly **42% on Thursday**, adding more than half a billion dollars to the Trump family's holdings, climbed another **8.3% on Friday**, and rose **3.6% in Monday premarket trading**. The merger pivoted TMTG from a social media play into a **fusion energy venture**, with plans to build nuclear fusion plants to power artificial intelligence operations. ### Company Background and Operations Trump Media went public in **2024 via a SPAC merger** and is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, with **Devin Nunes as CEO**. TMTG focuses on social networking, streaming through **Truth+**, and financial services with a FinTech brand **Truth.Fi**. It's majority-owned by the **Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust**. ### Bitcoin Market Snapshot Bitcoin is currently priced at **$89,358**, with a 24-hour trading volume of **$38 billion**. Its price has risen **2% in the past 24 hours**, sitting slightly below its 7-day high of **$90,353** and above its 7-day low of **$87,948**. The circulating supply is **19,965,603 BTC** out of a maximum **21,000,000 BTC**, giving Bitcoin a market cap of about **$1.78 trillion**, which reflects a **2% change over the past day**.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>trumpmedia</category> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>etf</category> <category>crypto</category> <category>investment</category> <enclosure url="https://bitcoinmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Trump-Media-Adds-451-Bitcoin-Total-BTC-Holdings-Surpass-1-Billion.jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Tom Lee Clarifies Fundstrat's Bitcoin Forecasts: Are Analysts Contradicting Each Other?]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/tom-lee-clarifies-fundstrats-bitcoin-forecasts-are-analysts-contradicting-each-other</link> <guid>tom-lee-clarifies-fundstrats-bitcoin-forecasts-are-analysts-contradicting-each-other</guid> <pubDate>Sun, 21 Dec 2025 08:01:07 GMT</pubDate> <description>< he was a Fundstrat client and argued the debate was misleading. Cassian wrote that the firm’s senior figures operate with **different mandates rather than a single unified forecast**, distinguishing between long-term macro views, portfolio-level risk management and technical analysis. According to the post, Farrell’s comments reflect a **defensive positioning framework focused on drawdown risk, flows and cost bases**, rather than a long-term bearish thesis on bitcoin. Cassian said Farrell had reduced crypto exposure within Fundstrat’s model portfolio as a risk-management decision, while remaining constructive on longer-term adoption trends beyond early 2026. Lee’s role, by contrast, was described as more focused on **macro liquidity cycles and structural shifts in markets**, including the idea that institutional adoption and exchange-traded products are changing bitcoin’s historical four-year cycle dynamics. Technical analyst Mark Newton was also cited as operating independently, with views based strictly on chart structure rather than macro narratives. Lee, who is also the chief investment officer at asset management firm Fundstrat Capital and the executive chairman of BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), appeared to acknowledge that explanation by [responding](https://x.com/fundstrat/status/2002466430890225737?s=20), “Well stated,” to Cassian’s post on X, a move likely to be widely interpreted by market participants as a **tacit agreement with the characterization**. While neither Lee nor Farrell has issued a formal public statement addressing the screenshots directly, Lee’s response suggested that the **differing outlooks are not mutually exclusive**. At the time of writing, bitcoin was trading around **$88,283**, up about 0.5% over the past 24 hours, while the broader crypto market was up by the same amount.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>fundstrat</category> <category>tomlee</category> <category>marketforecast</category> <category>cryptoanalysis</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/e72c4754372ff7db0c915512c9f6956c432a6212-4389x3026.jpg?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin vs. XRP: Which Crypto Is the Smarter Investment in Today's Market?]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoin-vs-xrp-which-crypto-is-the-smarter-investment-in-todays-market</link> <guid>bitcoin-vs-xrp-which-crypto-is-the-smarter-investment-in-todays-market</guid> <pubDate>Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:01:24 GMT</pubDate> <description>< Image source: Getty Images. ## Bitcoin: The Digital Debasement Trade Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency created by the unidentified programmer Satoshi Nakamoto, has long led the sector and often served as a bellwether for the industry. Bitcoin continues to operate on the proof-of-work consensus mechanism, which many major networks have moved away from due to the significant amount of energy consumed and the inefficiency of the system in processing transactions. However, this hasn't stopped Bitcoin from leading the pack, largely due to a growing thesis that Bitcoin and its 21 million finite coin supply can serve as a form of **digital gold** and therefore as a hedge against **inflation**. Bitcoin is also benefiting from what's known as the **debasement trade**. Many investors are increasingly concerned that the U.S. government's growing pile of debt, the **fiscal deficit**, and the Federal Reserve's constant printing of money will essentially make the dollar worth significantly less over time, which is why assets like gold have done so well. Now, many still question this thesis because Bitcoin often trades like a tech stock and has struggled since October, while also starting to deviate from gold. The token has fallen by more than 30% from its record high in October. However, Bitcoin has survived so many declines like this in its short life that many investors still have high confidence. Additionally, the **regulatory environment** for crypto has improved markedly under Trump, whether you consider the creation of a U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, the implementation of Bitcoin-friendly regulators and advisors, and Congressional legislation intended to clear up regulatory gray areas. ## XRP: A Potential Player in International Payments XRP, now the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by **market cap**, has benefited immensely from the new administration. Trump installed new regulatory leaders, particularly at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which led the agency to drop a major lawsuit against Ripple, the company behind XRP, as well as its co-founders. XRP operates on a robust technical network capable of processing 1,500 transactions per second (TPS), making it a potential player in the global payments market. Ripple has also built an interesting ecosystem that attempts to bridge the gap between traditional banks, investors, and the crypto world. The company's solutions span instant payments, custody of digital assets, stablecoins, and a multi-asset prime brokerage. The advantage for institutions in the payment sector is that they can send instant payments abroad, leveraging XRP, the network, and Ripple's stablecoin, **RLUSD**, with tremendous flexibility. This allows for conversions between various fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies at low cost. XRP also enables **on-demand liquidity**, which means banks don't need to pre-fund foreign accounts, providing financial institutions with better flexibility in terms of their own capital and liquidity. Ripple already has several traditional bank customers. The bigger question is, can it truly capture a meaningful share of international payments amid the competition from other cryptocurrencies and traditional solutions? ## Which Is the Better Buy? Both Bitcoin and XRP have immense potential, in my opinion, so I think a smaller, more speculative position in both coins is at least warranted. However, I ultimately prefer Bitcoin to XRP. Although the digital gold narrative cannot be fully confirmed at this time, I believe Bitcoin can offer a unique form of diversification that few assets can provide. Furthermore, Bitcoin's total market cap is still only a fraction of gold's, so it's not being given the full weight of the digital gold argument. Bitcoin's resilience after extreme sell-offs also gives me added confidence in the token's long-term staying power.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>xrp</category> <category>investment</category> <category>regulation</category> <category>payments</category> <enclosure url="https://www.nasdaq.com/sites/acquia.prod/files/2019-05/0902-Q19%20Total%20Markets%20photos%20and%20gif_CC8.jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Indiana Lawmaker's Crypto Bill: Why Bitcoin Shouldn't Be the Only Winner in Legislation]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/indiana-lawmakers-crypto-bill-why-bitcoin-shouldnt-be-the-only-winner-in-legislation</link> <guid>indiana-lawmakers-crypto-bill-why-bitcoin-shouldnt-be-the-only-winner-in-legislation</guid> <pubDate>Sun, 21 Dec 2025 21:01:08 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[## Indiana Lawmaker Advocates for Inclusive Crypto Legislation Indiana State Representative Kyle Pierce is pushing for cryptocurrency legislation that doesn't play favorites. In a recent interview, the Republican lawmaker emphasized that his proposed bill is intentionally broad to avoid "choosing winners and losers" in the digital asset space. ### Broad Approach to Crypto Regulation Pierce's legislation, introduced earlier this month, focuses on Indiana's treatment of cryptocurrency with a principle of inclusivity. **"My goal is to promote the cryptocurrency market, not Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, or whatever it may be,"** Pierce told Decrypt. Unlike some state-level crypto bills that include market-cap thresholds (like New Hampshire's $500 billion requirement that only Bitcoin currently meets), Pierce's bill doesn't set such limitations. While he acknowledged that not all cryptocurrencies might be suitable for retirement investments, he believes legislation should support the broader ecosystem. ### Key Provisions of the Bill The proposed legislation includes several important components: - **Allowing public retirement and savings programs to invest in cryptocurrency ETFs** - **Establishing protections for crypto users and firms** - **Preventing Indiana from targeting cryptocurrency miners** with negative government actions ### Protecting Crypto Miners Pierce's bill specifically addresses cryptocurrency mining operations, which consume significant energy to secure networks like Bitcoin. **"They will not get special treatment, but we're also making sure you won't be able to pinpoint them and try to focus negative government actions against them,"** he explained. This protection extends to all miners, despite the energy consumption differences between proof-of-work networks like Bitcoin and more energy-efficient proof-of-stake networks like Ethereum. ### Changing Political Landscape The lawmaker noted that the political environment for crypto legislation has improved significantly since President Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law in July. **"I think that there's a lot more trust,"** Pierce said, adding that while he doesn't want to assume his bill will pass, there hasn't been major opposition yet. Pierce has consulted with various industry groups during the bill's development, including the Satoshi Action Fund, which accepts Bitcoin donations and claims to have helped pass crypto policy in eight states. <iframe src="https://decrypt.co/videos/interviews/gdJ2yV4f/the-us-lawmaker-trying-make-crypto-mainstream-in-the-usa" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> ### Looking Forward As conversations about cryptocurrency continue with constituents, including a miner located just 10 minutes from his district's borders, Pierce remains optimistic about creating legislation that supports the entire digital asset ecosystem rather than favoring specific cryptocurrencies.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>legislation</category> <category>regulation</category> <category>mining</category> <category>etfs</category> <category>policy</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.decrypt.co/resize/1024/height/512/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/bitcoin-america-decrypt-style-02-gID_7.png" length="0" type="image/png"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Got $500? These 3 Cryptocurrencies Could Make You Rich by 2050]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/got-500-these-3-cryptocurrencies-could-make-you-rich-by-2050</link> <guid>got-500-these-3-cryptocurrencies-could-make-you-rich-by-2050</guid> <pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 15:01:08 GMT</pubDate> <description>< Image source: Getty Images. And Bitcoin has done so with style. In fact, its weakest bull market year was 2015, when it only returned 36% to investors. In other years, it has skyrocketed as much as 5,428%. Until this year — which, admittedly, has been a real stinker — the digital token had delivered two straight years of triple-digit percentage returns. Some institutional investors now refer to it as **digital gold** due to its ability to retain its value over a long period of time. Some hedge fund investors also use it as a hedge against macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical risk, the same way they use gold. So I feel confident holding on to Bitcoin for decades. It is the rare asset that has maximum upside potential, as well as some potential downside protection. ## Ethereum **Ethereum** ranks second among cryptocurrencies only to Bitcoin in terms of market cap and has a proven track record of success dating from 2015. What makes Ethereum interesting is that it is a cornerstone for everything that happens within the blockchain and crypto world. In addition to being a digital currency, it is also a **blockchain ecosystem**. As such, it gives investors unprecedented upside potential. By investing in it, you're gaining exposure to all the other sectors and niches of the blockchain world, especially **decentralized finance (DeFi)**. And this is what makes Ethereum so exciting. It is now the preferred blockchain of Wall Street. As such, it is at the forefront of several major innovations within the financial sector, including **real-world asset (RWA) tokenization**, transforming ownership of stock, bonds, and other assets into tradeable crypto tokens. An investment in the crypto is really a long-term bet on the future of blockchain technology. Over time, larger swathes of the financial sector will likely run on blockchain technology. By holding on to Ethereum for decades, you will be able to participate in this upside potential. ## USDC Lastly, there's **USDC**, a **stablecoin** that is pegged 1-to-1 to the value of the U.S. dollar. As long as the U.S. remains one of the top economies in the world, there will be a role to play for USDC. Decades from now, it should still be in existence. The same cannot be said for other cryptocurrencies, many of which could nose-dive all the way to zero. By contrast, the value of USDC will always be $1, even decades from now. On the surface, that might sound like a lousy investment. Why buy a digital asset that will always trade for $1? The answer is simple: You can deploy USDC across different blockchains in order to earn a **yield**. Just as you can earn a yield on dollars sitting in your bank account, you can do so on digital dollars sitting on the blockchain. Right now, this may not be enticing to the average investor. On the **Coinbase Global** cryptocurrency platform, for example, USDC earns a yield of just 3.5%. But I expect these opportunities to grow over time, thanks to advances in DeFi. Just a few years ago, for example, nobody knew what **yield farming** in crypto was. Now, it's relatively mainstream. ## How to deploy $500 in crypto? Depending on your risk-reward tolerance, you can construct a portfolio blend that reflects your outlook on blockchain and crypto. Given that Bitcoin currently accounts for 60% of the market cap of the crypto market, a good starting point would be a 60-40 blend of Bitcoin and Ethereum, with any excess funds moved into USDC. For just $500, it's possible to do exactly that. You could pick up six shares of the **iShares Bitcoin Trust** for about $300, and nine shares of the **iShares Ethereum Trust** for $200. Any remaining funds could then be moved into USDC. There's no guarantee that Bitcoin and Ethereum will deliver encore performances during the next few decades, just as there's no guarantee that the U.S. economy will remain a global juggernaut. But if I'm buying and holding for decades, I'm moving my money into Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDC.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>ethereum</category> <category>usdc</category> <category>longterminvestment</category> <category>cryptoportfolio</category> <enclosure url="https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F847654%2Finvestor-on-top-of-pile-of-money.jpg&w=1200&op=resize" length="0" type="image//image/"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin's Four-Year Cycle: Is 2026 the Year Off? Fidelity Expert Weighs In]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoins-four-year-cycle-is-2026-the-year-off-fidelity-expert-weighs-in</link> <guid>bitcoins-four-year-cycle-is-2026-the-year-off-fidelity-expert-weighs-in</guid> <pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 21:01:08 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[It's become fashionable of late to dismiss **Bitcoin's four-year cycle** — and the inevitable boom and bust it brings — as an anachronism. Just in the past week, **Bitwise's Matt Hougan** and **ARK Invest's Cathie Wood** have thrown their considerable weight behind the idea of dismissing the four-year cycle. Each noted the **ETFs** along with regulatory and institutional acceptance that have blended bitcoin into the traditional financial system. Bitcoin is no longer a fringe asset and there's no reason for it to follow the same pattern today as it did years ago. ### Defining the Cycle The four-year cycle is a price pattern linked to **Bitcoin's halving events**, which occur roughly every four years. These halvings reduce by 50% the amount of bitcoin rewarded for mining one block. The 50% cut is thought to lead to a **supply shock** and forcing a major run higher in price. Following the big bull move comes a crash in the 80% area and then a steady grind higher into the next halving event. Chart squigglers like to point to the bull runs (and subsequent crashes) that occurred following the 2012, 2016, 2020 halvings, and say things are playing out the same for the 2024 event: the sharp run higher which eventually topped out in October 2025 above **$125,000**, and then the bear market — which is where the market finds itself now. ### Fidelity's Timmer Weighs In An early believer in bitcoin among the traditional finance crowd, **Jurrien Timmer**, asset management giant Fidelity's director of global macro, isn't seeing anything in his charts that says the four-year cycle is dead. "If we visually line up all the bull markets, we can see that the October high of $125,000 after 145 [weeks] of rallying fits pretty well with what one might expect," [Timmer said earlier this week](https://x.com/TimmerFidelity/status/2001706526256566473). As for what's next, that would be winter. Timmer noted that the subsequent bear markets tend to last about one year. "My sense is that 2026 could be a 'year off' (or 'off year') for bitcoin." Support, he concluded, is in the **$65,000-$75,000** range.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>halving</category> <category>cycle</category> <category>fidelity</category> <category>analysis</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/846dd1f2be3ffaa72231968e174103c5c127d90b-4256x2832.jpg?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Why Bitcoin's Crash Could Be the Best Economic News for Everyday People]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/why-bitcoins-crash-could-be-the-best-economic-news-for-everyday-people</link> <guid>why-bitcoins-crash-could-be-the-best-economic-news-for-everyday-people</guid> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 21:01:08 GMT</pubDate> <description>< *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images* ## Economist Dean Baker's Counterintuitive Analysis Co-director of the **Center for Economic and Policy Research** Dean Baker argued in his blog *Beat The Press* this week that as major cryptocurrencies fall, **purchasing power for the rest of us goes up**. In his analysis, he compares crypto to **counterfeit currency** — fake money that allows certain groups to buy up all kinds of scarce goods, like houses and sports tickets. When they buy up those goods with what Baker calls "funny money," they help drive **prices up**, making them less affordable for those who don't participate in the crypto market. ## The Counterfeit Money Analogy "If some supersleuth detective figured out a way to recognize the counterfeit bills, they could then remove **trillions of dollars of fake money** from circulation," Baker explains. "This would benefit the general public by **reducing demand** in the economy and reversing the run-up in the price of housing and Superbowl tickets. It is the same story with **plunging crypto prices**." From this perspective, cryptocurrency — which Baker notes has **no real value** — allows people to absorb "large chunks" of the economy with a currency that's built on **thin air**. When their share of this perceived fake money shrinks, it **eases pressure** on everyone else. "To put it simply: there's more for everyone else," Baker explains. ## The Staggering Scale of the Shift We're not talking about small, intangible changes either. By Baker's count, major cryptocurrencies like **Bitcoin and Ethereum** have shed over **$1.2 trillion in market capitalization**, or "enough to send every household in the United States a check for **$10,000**." In his view, everybody who doesn't own cryptocurrency should be **cheering for crypto's ongoing downfall** to continue. ## The Minimal Real-World Impact "The only possible impact of lower crypto prices on production is that we will make less crypto," says Baker. "The horror! The horror!" This perspective challenges conventional thinking about market declines, suggesting that what appears to be bad news for some might actually represent **economic redistribution** that benefits the broader population.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>economy</category> <category>inflation</category> <category>marketanalysis</category> <category>cryptocurrency</category> <enclosure url="https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/bitcoin-crash-economist.jpg?w=1200" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Fidelity's Top Strategist Warns: Bitcoin's Bull Run Is Over, Brace for a Year-Long Crypto Winter]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/fidelitys-top-strategist-warns-bitcoins-bull-run-is-over-brace-for-a-year-long-crypto-winter</link> <guid>fidelitys-top-strategist-warns-bitcoins-bull-run-is-over-brace-for-a-year-long-crypto-winter</guid> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:01:29 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[## Fidelity's Global Macro Director Turns Bearish on Bitcoin Jurien Timmer, Director of Global Macro at Fidelity and a long-time **bitcoin bull**, has shifted his stance, becoming one of the latest financial strategists to turn more **bearish on bitcoin**. He cites the asset's **four-year cycle** as a key reason for his caution. ### Bitcoin's Historical Pattern Points to a "Year Off" Bitcoin has historically followed a repeatable pattern, and from both an analog and time-based perspective, the current cycle appears to be aligning closely with prior ones, Timmer argues. The **October all-time high near $125,000**, reached after roughly 145 months of cumulative rallying, fits well within this framework. Timmer notes that **bitcoin bear markets**, often referred to as winters, typically last about a year. As a result, he sees **2026 as a potential "year off" for bitcoin** following the conclusion of the latest halving-driven cycle. "While I remain a secular bull on bitcoin, my concern is that bitcoin may well have ended another four-year cycle halving phase, both in price and time," Timmer wrote on X. "If we visually line up all the bull markets, we can see that the October high of $125k after 145 months of rallying fits pretty well with what one might expect. Bitcoin winters have lasted about a year, so my sense is that 2026 could be a year off for bitcoin. **Support is at $65,000 to $75,000.**" ### Gold's Strong Performance Contrasts with Bitcoin's Weakness Timmer also highlights **gold's strong performance in 2025**, contrasting it with bitcoin's negative year, and does not expect a near-term mean reversion between the two assets. Gold is firmly in a **bull market, up roughly 65% year to date**, outperforming global money supply growth, Timmer noted. He adds that during the recent correction, gold has held onto most of its gains, which he views as characteristic behavior of a bull market. This analysis from a prominent figure at Fidelity suggests that investors should prepare for a **prolonged period of consolidation or decline in bitcoin**, while gold continues to shine. The warning of a **year-long crypto winter** could have significant implications for market sentiment and investment strategies in the coming months.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>fidelity</category> <category>marketsentiment</category> <category>gold</category> <category>cryptowinter</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/3b4a6b68b75e167a646efe9433c42e124f71b61c-1920x1080.jpg?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> </channel> </rss>