By Shikha Singh
Bitcoin Miners Dump $13 bn BTC in December.
Bitcoin miners have increased selling since Bitcoin crossed the $100K mark, offloading 140,000 BTC worth $13.72 billion in December. This has reduced miner balances from over 2 million to 1.95 million BTC. Despite the sell-off, Bitcoin has remained steady above $100K.
While miner outflows peaked on November 12 with 25,000 BTC sold in a day, they have since declined. A significant portion of the selling may have occurred in OTC markets.
The December sell-off outpaced demand, as BTC ETFs saw $4.9 billion in inflows, and MicroStrategy purchased $3.6 billion worth of BTC, totaling $8.3 billion in demand—less than the $13.72 billion supply from miners.
Ethereum Liquid Restaking TVL Surges From $284 mn to $17 bn in 2024.
Ethereum’s liquid restaking protocols saw explosive growth in 2024, with TVL rising nearly 6,000%, from $284M on January 1 to $17.26B by December 15, per DefiLlama. This surge stems from the increased utility of liquid restaking tokens (LRTs), which enhance capital efficiency and simplify staking processes in DeFi.
Ether.fi leads the market with over 50% of LRT TVL, holding $9.17B. Its success is attributed to a simplified, user-friendly model for restaking operations.
Vanguard Triples Down on Its Anti-Bitcoin Stance.
Vanguard, the world’s second-largest ETF provider, reiterated its skepticism toward Bitcoin, stating it has “no role in long-term investment portfolios” due to its risk and lack of intrinsic value. Duncan Burns, Vanguard’s Asia-Pacific CIO, argued that Bitcoin’s market performance is speculative, disconnected from economic fundamentals, and poses significant loss risks for investors.
Vanguard’s stance aligns with its long-standing refusal to offer crypto ETFs, contrasting with BlackRock, which has embraced crypto and manages the largest Bitcoin ETF, IBIT, holding over $50 billion in BTC, which is 2% of Bitcoin’s supply.
Charles Hoskinson Reveals Cardano’s Roadmap for 2025 and Beyond.
Charles Hoskinson outlined Cardano’s 2025 goals, focusing on decentralization, governance, and global collaboration. He emphasized the importance of the newly drafted constitution, created by participants from over 50 countries, as the foundation for Cardano’s governance. Key plans include ratifying the constitution on-chain, introducing annual budgeting, and electing a permanent constitutional committee to ensure community-driven decision-making.
Hoskinson also highlighted the need for global engagement, proposing workshops in 100 countries to strengthen Cardano’s ecosystem and maintain its relevance in the crypto industry.
48% Drop in Cardano (ADA) Holding Time Sparks 11% Price Decline.
Cardano (ADA) experienced an 11% price drop this week, now trading at $1.04. The decline is largely due to reduced confidence among investors, as the average holding time of ADA tokens dropped by 48%. Shorter token holding periods before sale indicate increased selling pressure.
Additionally, large investors, or whales, have significantly decreased their ADA holdings, reducing demand and adding to the bearish market sentiment. Analysts warn that if the trend continues, ADA’s price could fall below $1. However, renewed interest and buying momentum could stabilize the price and push it above $1.07.
Venture Funding Surges in Crypto Sector With Over $1 bn Raised After Trump’s Election.
The crypto industry has seen a surge in investments, with startups raising $1.3 billion since Donald Trump’s election win. November and December funding totaled $796 million and $511 million, respectively, with the Avalanche Foundation securing $250 million for its upcoming Avalanche9000 upgrade.
Venture capitalists focused heavily on infrastructure projects, directing over $500 million to developers like Zero Gravity Labs ($40M) and Canaan Creative ($30M). The DeFi sector also attracted $150 million, with key investments in USDX Money ($45M) and World Liberty Financial ($30M).
The funding boom reflects optimism about Trump’s pro-crypto stance, regulatory clarity, and key crypto-friendly appointments.
OpenSea Cayman Islands Registration Fuels Token Airdrop Rumors.
OpenSea’s registration in the Cayman Islands has fueled speculation about a potential token launch and user airdrop. On Dec. 14, researcher Waleswoosh shared the news, prompting the NFT community to expect rewards for early users, despite the absence of an official announcement.
OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer previously hinted at a platform relaunch in December, sparking hopes of an airdrop. Some users believe this could follow strategies used by competitors Blur and Magic Eden, which issued tokens to reward users. OpenSea has tried to regain market share, including implementing zero fees in February, but Blur remains the leader in NFT trading volumes.
Tether (USDT) Transfer Volume On Tron Hits ATH.
Tether’s USDT transfers on the TRON blockchain reached an all-time high of $587.2 billion in November 2024, solidifying TRON’s dominance in the stablecoin market. TRON accounted for 78% of all USDT transactions this year, surpassing competitors like Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain due to its low fees, fast speeds, and reliable infrastructure. The surge in USDT activity reflects rising stablecoin adoption amid global fiat instability.
TRON’s ecosystem is diversifying, with partnerships like Mobilum for crypto payments and the rise of memecoins. TRX’s price has seen substantial growth, and analysts remain optimistic about its long-term prospects despite short-term fluctuations.
VanEck Predicts Potential Growth in BTC & ETH with Increased Adoption of Stablecoins & DeFi in 2025.
VanEck projects strong growth in the crypto market through 2025, with Bitcoin reaching $180,000 and Ethereum surpassing $6,000. Other cryptocurrencies, like Solana, could peak at $500.
After a potential correction in Q1, a rebound is expected, with major tokens reaching new all-time highs by Q4.
The U.S. is likely to embrace Bitcoin further, with states like Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida establishing Bitcoin reserves.
Additionally, projections indicate a 43% growth in Bitcoin holdings among public and private entities, and an increase in the global market share of Bitcoin mining in the U.S.
Tech and financial giants expect stablecoins to see a 400% increase in daily settlement volumes. T
The DeFi sector is poised for a record $4 trillion in trading volumes, while the NFT market could surge to $30 billion, with Ethereum solidifying its dominance in the space.
Solana-Based Decentralized Real Estate Trading Platform Rallies.
Following its addition to Coinbase’s listing roadmap, Parcl (PARCL), a decentralized real estate trading platform based on Solana, has experienced a nearly 50% surge. Parcl allows users to trade synthetic assets representing real estate without owning physical property. It offers global city indexes, enabling users to acquire tokens representing specific cities’ real estate value. These indexes track median prices per square foot or meter, offering diversified exposure to the entire real estate market of cities like New York, Miami, San Francisco, and Dubai. Coinbase’s inclusion of Parcl signals its potential future listing on the exchange.
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