American Bitcoin Makes Big Buy, Adds 416 BTC To Its Stack

Blockchain data is casting doubt on the “for the people” launch narrative of memecoin Pepe, with new analysis suggesting that nearly a third of the initial supply was held by a single entity and contributed to heavy early selling pressure.

About 30% of the Pepe (PEPE) token supply was bundled at launch in April 2023, blockchain data visualization platform Bubblemaps claimed Wednesday in a post on X, adding that investors were “lied to.”

The same wallet cluster sold $2 million worth of PEPE tokens the day after launch, adding significant sell pressure that stopped the token from surpassing the $12 billion milestone, according to Bubblemaps.

That concentration of the genesis supply contrasts with Pepe’s original branding as a “coin for the people.” The project’s website says the token launched “in stealth” with no presale allocations.

U.S. lawmakers have urged the SEC’s Paul Atkins to implement a new executive order that could let Americans invest in Bitcoin and other digital assets inside 401(k) retirement plans. 

If approved, this move may unlock trillions in long-term retirement capital for the crypto market, which could push the bitcoin price toward $250K.

Lawmakers Ask SEC to Open the $12.5 Trillion 401(k) Market to Crypto

On December 11, U.S. lawmakers sent a formal letter to the SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, showing support for President Trump’s executive order that aims to allow alternative assets like Bitcoin in retirement plans.

The order, signed in August 2025, directs the Department of Labor and the SEC to update rules that currently limit what 401(k) plans can offer.

The goal of this letter is to give everyday workers the same investment choices that large pension funds enjoy. U.S. 401(k) plans hold around $12.5 trillion, and even a small opening for Bitcoin or other crypto assets could bring billions of dollars into the market.

Bitcoin retreated to around $90,000 on Thursday after the Federal Reserve delivered a widely expected 25 basis-point rate cut, but paired it with guidance that analysts interpreted as cautious — sending risk assets lower despite a brief pre-meeting rally.

BTC had climbed as high as $94,500 ahead of the announcement, then reversed sharply, extending a yearlong pattern in which seven of the past eight FOMC meetings have been followed by bitcoin declines.

The latest move leaves bitcoin down from recent attempts to reclaim the mid-$90,000s, while ether traded under $3,200 and the broader crypto market dipped as altcoins shed value, according to The Block’s price page. It also means BTC and ETH have posted negative performance over the last 12 months and year-to-date.

Powell’s tone: dovish surface, hawkish undertones

The Fed’s rate cut came alongside messaging that was, at times, dovish, but reinforced a cautious policy stance.

A statement from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged that labor-market cooling justified the bank’s funding decision and described the policy rate as sitting "in neutral territory." However, he emphasized that future decisions depend heavily on incoming data and noted that risks remain tilted to the upside for both unemployment and inflation.

The committee’s projections showed only one additional cut penciled in for 2026, unchanged from September. Also, the 9–3 vote represented the largest number of dissents since 2018, highlighting a divided committee as it navigates what Powell called a "very challenging" environment.

Multiple analyst insights reviewed by The Block described the overall result as a calibrated signal rather than a pivot and argued that the Fed’s shift resembled the careful posture shown after its last cutting cycle. They also noted that the Fed raised its growth outlook and lowered its inflation expectations, but also included language suggesting a higher bar for additional easing.

Nic Puckrin, co-founder of Coin Bureau, said the cut "wasn’t as hawkish as some expected," but the number of dissents and the Fed’s decision to anticipate only one rate cut next year "injects a fresh dose of uncertainty" into risk assets. "This isn’t enough to spark a Santa rally for bitcoin," he said.

'Not enough for new all-time highs this side of Easter'

Alongside the cut, the Fed announced it will purchase $40 billion in Treasury bills over the next 30 days, beginning Dec. 12, to maintain ample reserves in the financial system. Officials stressed the move is not quantitative easing, but analysts said it nonetheless adds a liquidity tailwind.

Matt Howells-Barby, Kraken’s head of growth, stated the combination of a neutral-leaning rate stance and reserve-management purchases could support crypto markets into early 2026. Yet, he also warned that the upcoming voter rotation at the Fed could shift the balance more hawkish, which may limit the odds of aggressive easing early next year.

Paul Howard of Wincent added that the Fed’s "wait-and-see" posture kept crypto largely anchored. "Any monetary policy loosening is welcome," he said, but the scale of the cut and the committee’s mixed messaging "is not enough for new all-time highs this side of Easter."

Thin conviction despite ETF inflow support

Amid the policy outcome, ETF flows continued to paint a constructive underlying picture.

U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs added $224 million in net inflows on Tuesday, including $193 million into BlackRock’s IBIT. In comparison, Ethereum products drew $57.6 million, and Solana and XRP funds saw a combined $15 million in inflows, per The Block’s data. Despite steady demand, price action was muted.

BRN Head of Research Timothy Misir opined that the post-cut fade reflected a market that "welcomed the cut but not the guidance," characterizing the day’s move as another version of the "hawkish cut" that traders expected heading into the event. He added that institutional appetite remains solid, noting that smart-money wallets holding between 10 and 10,000 BTC have accumulated roughly 42,565 BTC since Dec. 1. However, retail trimming continues to cap momentum.

Exchange balances continue to decline, reinforcing structural scarcity. Still, short-term holders are reducing exposure, creating a tug-of-war that has kept BTC inside a tightening range, BRN’s analyst argued.

"The cut is supportive, but conditional," Misir said. “Institutions are buying dips while retail sells into stress. The question is whether ETF demand can keep absorbing supply until macro clears.”

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© 2025 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

With 20 days to the end of 2025, the Shiba Inu community has received a safety alert as scammers up their game in order to trick unsuspecting users into parting with their assets.

The warning was issued by Susbarium Shibarium trust watch, an X account dedicated to uncovering scams and protecting the Shiba Inu community.

Susbarium warns that scammers are impersonating Tech Leads, Mods and Admins in Shiba Inu Discord and Telegram channels while sending fake "wallet bug" warnings to trick users into connecting to malicious sites.

Susbarium shared a screenshot of a scam "wallet bug" message in its tweet, as the Shiba Inu community is urged to pay close attention as the year ends.

The end goal of this is to drain funds from connecting wallets, making them lose their assets as well as pass misinformation.

Three-point warning issued

Recently, Susbarium called the attention of the Shiba Inu community to Fake Admin and Mod Accounts on X. Susbarium said it had observed a rise in impersonator accounts claiming to be SHIB admins or mods. These scammers often use official-looking bios, profile pics and even tag real SHIB projects to appear legitimate.

In this light, Susbarium issues a three-point warning to the SHIB community, warning them never to engage, click or connect.

The do-not-engage warning has to do with disregarding or ignoring fake information from scammers, only relying on official sources. Shiba Inu holders are warned to ignore unsolicited DMs, offering help with anything to do with their wallets.

The do-not-click warning cautions Shiba Inu holders never to click on suspicious links, while the do-no-connect warning urges them never to connect their wallets to unknown sites.

Susbarium shares the links to the official Shibarium Tech server and direct helpdesk, as well as contacting the official Shiba Inu team and warns that any other links claiming to be support are scams. In addition, any link that directs anywhere else is a scam.

As Shiba Inu holders engage with official Shiba Inu channels, they should check their profiles carefully while exercising patience.

Bitcoin price has extended its correction after the FOMC rate cut. The coin is down about 13% over the past 30 days and almost 4% in the past week. The move still fits inside a slow, grinding corrective phase since the October peak.

But two on-chain shifts now show something that did not appear at any point earlier in this downturn. These signals suggest the correction could be close to a turn — if Bitcoin delivers the push it needs.

Two Metrics Now Point Toward a Possible Turn

Short-term capitulation is showing up clearly now. CryptoQuant’s realized profit-and-loss data shows short-term Bitcoin holders are still deep in losses. This usually happens near the end of a correction, not the middle, because panicked selling at a loss often marks late-stage exhaustion.

This fits with what shows up on HODL Waves.

HODL Waves measure how much Bitcoin each “age band” holds — from very new coins to very old ones. It shows which groups are accumulating or selling. The one-day to one-week cohort held 6.2% of the supply in late November. By December 10, they held only 2%.

That is a massive 68% drop and signals heavy short-term selling, the kind that often completes a correction rather than starts a new one. Plus, this cohort dumping also pushes speculative money out of the asset.

Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

The next signal comes from Exchange Net Position Change, which tracks how many coins move into or out of exchanges each day.

On November 27, net flows were +5,103 BTC (coins moving in).

By December 10, the flows flipped to –43,292 BTC, a flip of more than 8.4x from inflows to outflows.

A similar shift happened between September 17 and September 25. After that flip, Bitcoin rallied toward its all-time high above $126,000, per CoinGecko.

Now the same combination — short-term capitulation plus strong outflows — is forming again. Together, they create the cleanest trend-shift setup of this entire correction.

Bitcoin Price Needs a 4% Push to Break Out?

If these signals are pointing to a turn, the Bitcoin price chart needs to confirm it. The Bitcoin price has been moving inside a symmetrical triangle on the daily chart. A symmetrical triangle forms when buyers and sellers slow at the same pace. Each side has only two touch points, which makes both trend lines weak. A small push can break the entire setup on either side.

That push is clear: Bitcoin needs a daily close above $94,140, which is only about a 4% move from current levels. This level overlaps with both the horizontal resistance and the upper edge of the triangle. A clean breakout opens the path toward $97,320 and then $101,850.

On the downside, the nearest risk level is $90,180. A daily close under it weakens the bullish case. If that breaks, $87,010 is the next major support. Losing that exposes $80,640, where the broader bullish idea breaks.

Right now, the setup is neutral but improving. Short-term capitulation and heavy outflows give the Bitcoin price a chance to end its correction — but only if it delivers that 4% breakout.

“The Big Short” legend Michael Burry has issued a dire warning as the U.S. Federal Reserve prepares to buy $40 billion in Treasury bills within 30 days. While the Fed insists this isn’t quantitative easing (QE), Burry argues the move signals a deep liquidity strain in the banking system, one that could spill over into the broader economy and the crypto markets.

A Fragile Banking System Behind the Fed’s $40B T-Bill Push

Fed Chair Jerome Powell disclosed that these purchases are part of “Reserve Management,” but Burry isn’t convinced. He calls it a masked rescue mission for a banking sector still rattled by the 2023 mini-banking crisis. Burry highlights that bank reserves, once at $2.2 trillion pre-crisis, now hover above $3 trillion, yet banks are still showing cracks.

Liquidity Is Quietly Returning

Crypto analyst Lark Davis echoed concerns but focused on what it means for the crypto market. He says the Fed’s T-bill purchases inject liquidity directly into the system: “The money printer is warming up.” He calls this the start of a “stealth QE”, hinting that markets could soon feel the boost.

Meanwhile, Ash Crypto pointed out a major disconnect:

He highlighted a sharp contrast between traditional markets and Bitcoin. Despite the FOMC announcing three rate cuts for 2025, gold and silver hitting new all-time highs, a $40B Treasury-bill buying spree, gradual QE, and U.S. stocks sitting less than 1% below their ATH, Bitcoin remains 28% below its all-time high. With everything else rallying, he questions whether this gap hints at market manipulation.

Bitcoin Drops Below $90K as Miners Sell

Bitcoin slid over 2%, dropping to $90,252 ahead of options expiry. Analysts like Ted Pillows warn BTC could revisit $85,000, noting its failure to reclaim the $93K–$94K resistance. Support sits in the $88K–$89K zone. Adding pressure, miners are offloading holdings, Marathon Digital dumped 275 BTC worth $25.3 million, according to Lookonchain.

The selling comes as repo market volatility rises, with expectations that the Fed may need even more aggressive liquidity measures to prevent a year-end funding crunch, a scenario Burry sees as further proof of systemic weakness.

FAQs

Bitcoin remains 28% below its peak due to miner selling, weak liquidity, and fear in the market despite strong macro signals.

Rising repo stress suggests liquidity issues. If it worsens, risk assets like Bitcoin may face more downside before recovering.

Yes. Heavy miner selling adds supply pressure. If demand stays weak, Bitcoin may retest support near the $85K–$88K range.