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Major cryptocurrency prices are trading sideways this Wednesday as investors exercise caution. This market stagnation is driven by light holiday trading volumes, anticipation of upcoming U.S. economic reports, and a record options expiry this week. Summary Crypto prices are experiencing slight declines on Wednesday, amidst thin holiday liquidity. Traders are awaiting the release of a key U.S. economic data set for later today. A major options expiry event due Friday is adding to the caution. According to data from CoinGecko, the total crypto market cap fell slightly, by 0.7% to $3.02 trillion last check on Wednesday, Dec. 24, Asian time. Bitcoin (BTC), the world’s largest crypto asset by market cap, seesawed between $86,800 and $88,100 before stabilizing near $87,000 when writing, down by 0.5% in the past 24 hours. Ethereum (ETH) slid 0.8% to $2,940 while other large-cap cryptocurrencies such as BNB (BNB), XRP (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Tron (TRX) recorded losses between 1-2%. Some of the smaller-cap crypto assets, such as Midnight (NIGHT), Pump.fun (PUMP) and Uniswap (UNI) stood as the top laggards, posting losses of 14%, 8%, and 7%, respectively. Investors are maintaining a cautious stance and reducing exposure to risky assets ahead of the Christmas holiday period, which is typically characterized by lower trading volumes as traders realize profits. Data compiled by CoinGlass shows that the futures open interest of the total crypto market has declined by 1.3% over the past 24 hours to $128.1 billion. The volume in the spot market also dropped 10% to $101 billion. At the same time, investor appetite remains in check due to a confluence of macro headwinds and upcoming market events. When writing, the Crypto Fear Greed Index was at 24, indicating persistent “Extreme Fear.” Traders remain cautious ahead of US Jobless data Crypto prices have remained suppressed as traders have taken aback today as they wait for the release of U.S. jobless data later today. The data is expected to come slightly hotter at around 223,000–225,000 new claims. As such, hotter-than-expected data could tend to put more pressure on the Fed to cut rates. However, comments from several Fed officials and the Fed chair himself have lately set a more hawkish tone for rate cuts, at least for early 2026. Cryptocurrencies tend to rally on expectations of rate cuts and pull back when they are delayed or deemed less likely to occur in the near future. The market had turned bearish just days before after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates to 0.75%, the highest in the past 30 years, a divergence from the Fed, which cut rates in December to a range of 3.50%-3.75%. Cryptocurrencies have historically been volatile when the BoJ ramped up interest rates, as it can strengthen the yen and potentially unwind “carry trades” that involve borrowing in Japan to invest in higher-yielding, riskier assets elsewhere. Record options expiry spooks investors Adding another layer of bearish pressure, traders are also preparing for nearly $27 billion to $28.5 billion of options expiry from Bitcoin and Ethereum contracts on Deribit that will take place on Friday, Dec. 26. If this record expiry comes to take place, it would mark the largest expiry in the exchange’s history. As such, the hedging from market makers around the “max pain” price (currently around $96,000 for BTC) could keep prices fixated until the options expire. However, it should be noted that once the record expiry takes place on Friday, it could trigger a post-expiry relief rally or increased volatility as mechanical hedging pressure dissipates and the market resets for 2026. Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

As the crypto market heads into 2026, the shift toward institutional adoption and Layer-2 scalability is creating a "quality-first" bull market. On Bitget Insights, where precision and analysis matter most, here is a look at the top 8 altcoins positioned for potentially massive gains in 2026. 🚀 Top 8 Altcoins to Watch for 2026 * Ethereum (ETH) 💎 With the "Fusaka" upgrade and the maturity of "Blob Space," ETH is evolving from just an asset into the world’s primary settlement layer. Predictions place it between $8,000 – $15,000 by 2026. * Solana (SOL) 🔥 The "Retail King." With Firedancer increasing throughput and massive DePIN growth, SOL remains the top competitor to Ethereum's dominance. * XRP (XRP) 🏦 Regulatory clarity in the US and integration into global payment corridors make XRP a strong contender for institutional utility. * Binance Coin (BNB) 🛡️ As the backbone of the BNB Chain and the primary utility for the world’s largest exchange ecosystem, its deflationary burn mechanism remains a long-term price driver. * Chainlink (LINK) 🔗 The bridge between TradFi and DeFi. As Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization explodes in 2026, LINK’s CCIP protocol will be the industry standard. * Avalanche (AVAX) ❄️ Its "Subnet" architecture is winning over institutional partners who want customizable, private-yet-connected blockchains. * Artificial Superintelligence (FET) 🤖 AI is the narrative of 2026. As the merger of Fetch.ai, Ocean, and SingularityNET matures, FET is the primary bet on decentralized AI. * Arbitrum (ARB) 🏗️ Currently the leader in Ethereum L2 TVL. As Ethereum scales, the ecosystem that provides the best developer experience—Arbitrum—will likely see the highest value capture. 📈 Market Sentiment Analysts expect 2026 to be the "Dawn of the Institutional Era," where Bitcoin potentially hits $150k+, paving the way for altcoins to reach new All-Time Highs (ATHs). 📑 Disclaimer This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile. Always conduct your own research (DYOR) before investing. #Bitget #Altcoins2026 #CryptoPredictions #CryptoGains #Ethereum Would you like me to analyze the specific price targets for any of these coins in more detail?$ETH $LINK $XRP

COINOTAG News reports that China Evergrande Group (736 HK) has advanced an asset allocation plan. The board intends to deploy the company’s own funds to acquire and hold BNB and other eligible digital assets on the open market as part of its strategic reserve assets, subject to regulatory compliance and robust risk controls. Under this framework, the move seeks balance-sheet diversification while preserving governance discipline and liquidity management. The initiative signals a measured approach to treasury management and crypto asset risk with emphasis on compliance, due diligence, and ongoing monitoring of market developments to support credibility and sustainability.

BlockBeats News, December 24th, China Evergrande Group (736 HK) announced that the Board of Directors has decided to advance an asset allocation plan: Subject to compliance with relevant laws and regulations and risk control, it is planned to use its own funds to purchase and hold BNB and other suitable digital assets on the open market as part of the company's strategic reserve assets.

COINOTAG News reports that, per an official announcement issued December 24, Binance will implement a delisting of the following trading pairs: BIO/FDUSD, ENS/FDUSD, INJ/ETH, TREE/BNB, and VTHO/TRY. The move is scheduled for December 26 at 03:00 UTC. Market participants should review open positions and adjust risk exposure ahead of the 03:00 UTC cutoff. With liquidity on some pairs likely to thin, traders may see wider spreads and potential execution risk. Users holding balances linked to BIO/FDUSD, ENS/FDUSD, INJ/ETH, TREE/BNB, or VTHO/TRY should verify wallet balances and follow Binance delisting notices for withdrawal deadlines and post-event handling to minimize disruption.