Peter Brandt Reveals Shocking Bitcoin Price Target, Ripple CTO Doubles Down on XRP Ledger, Shiba Inu Faces Extreme On-Chain Anomaly – Crypto News Digest

U.Today

Peter Brandt flags two major BTC downside targets

Bitcoin just picked up a warning from trading legend Peter Brandt, whose latest chart calls for a drop to $81,852 or even $59,403 per BTC.

BTC to $59,000. Peter Brandt’s newest Bitcoin chart outlines a weekly five-leg climb followed by a curve break.

Peter Brandt's new Bitcoin chart gives a straight message that bulls will not like. His weekly setup shows a clear five-leg climb, a broken curve and two landing zones that are far below today's price. The first one sits near $81,852, and the deeper one is around $59,403 per BTC.

The trader with 50-year experience in markets does not see them as panic markers, but as the natural clean-up after a run that stretched too far while traders priced in an endless policy pivot.

Bigger picture. Brandt compares late 2025 to late 2021 in reverse: prices falling while traditional indexes like the S&P 500 remain stable.

The bigger picture helps explain why Brandt's targets do not look extreme. It is like late 2025 is the same as late 2021, just the opposite. Prices are dropping, but the major indexes like S&P 500 are still doing okay. Four years ago, the market was getting ready for quantitative tightening, now it is the easing narrative.

The main issue is that a lot of assets already trade as if rates are going to drop quickly. Crypto followed the same logic, ignoring that future cuts may already be in the chart.

Ripple CTO explains purpose of new XRPL hub

David Schwartz explains his XRP Ledger push.

XRPL matters. When asked what the hub is for, Schwartz outlined three reasons for running it.

In a recent tweet, Ripple CTO David Schwartz indicated that his hub had been running on rippled v2.6.2 with no issues reported. This information from the Ripple CTO prompted a question from an X user who asked what the hub was for.

Responding to this question, Schwartz outlined three reasons why he chose to run a hub on XRP Ledger. First, he hadn't been running any XRPL infrastructure for a few years and thought it would be cool to start again.

Second, there had been some instances of increased latency between some validators, and he believes that one good megahub could meaningfully reduce network latency and network diameter and increase reliability.

Third, there were some localized issues with XRPL not performing as well as expected in some cases, and he needed a hub to test his theories for what might be causing these issues.

No disruptive tests. The hub is designed as a single high-reliability server aimed at maximum uptime.

In August, Ripple CTO David Schwartz unveiled plans for a hub dedicated to UNL validators, other hubs and servers running XRPL applications. This, as a single server, would operate as a production service aiming for maximum uptime and reliability, relying on a single hub.

Data gathered from it to understand network behavior and performance, and no disruptive testing would be done unless there were very unusual circumstances justifying it.

23.5 trillion SHIB outflow raises eyebrows

Shiba Inu is seeing an enormous exchange outflow that can change things around drastically.

Suspicious activity. Over 23.56 trillion SHIB moved in a single day.

More than 23.56 trillion SHIB reportedly moved in a single day, according to Shiba Inu’s on-chain data from CryptoQuant at the time of writing, which is so out of the ordinary that it practically begs for suspicion.

If true, this would suggest significant internal reorganization by big holders or unheard-of selling pressure. However, the more logical explanation, a tracking error or data anomaly, is much simpler given the behavior of the chart and the rest of the market.

Nothing happened. Normally, if trillions of tokens hit exchanges, the market would show widened spreads, high-volume flushes or visible price dislocation.

With no indications of unusual volatility or liquidity shocks, SHIB’s price action appears routine. It is still trapped below all major moving averages.

Expanded spreads, violent candles or, at the very least, a discernible liquidity reaction occur when trillions of tokens actually hit exchanges. That does not appear. Volume continues to be unremarkable. Price does not even react. Clearly, trillions of new sell-side supply are not being priced in by the market.

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

You understand and acknowledge that there is a high degree of risk involved in trading. Following any strategies or investment methods may lead to potential losses. The content on the site is provided by our contributors and analysts for information purposes only. You are solely responsible for determining whether any trading assets, securities, strategy, or any other product is suitable for investing based on your own investment objectives and financial situation.

Add to Favorites

BlackRock Seeks SEC Nod To Launch Staked Ethereum ETF

ZyCrypto

BlackRock has officially applied to list and trade shares of an investment vehicle tied to a staked Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

Coinbase Returns To India After 2-Year Hiatus, Targets Cash-to-Crypto Purchases In 2026

ZyCrypto

Coinbase has resumed user registrations in India after a freeze of over two years, marking its first step back into a market the U.S. exchange abruptly exited in 2023 due to regulatory pressure over payment rails. Coinbase’s Cautious India Comeback Coinbase is now allowing Indian customers to sign up and execute crypto-to-crypto trades, according to […]

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

US judge asks for clarification on Do Kwon’s foreign charges

Cointelegraph

With Do Kwon scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to two felony counts, a US federal judge is asking prosecutors and defense attorneys about the Terraform Labs co-founder’s legal troubles in his native country, South Korea, and Montenegro.

In a Monday filing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Paul Engelmayer asked Kwon’s lawyers and attorneys representing the US government about the charges and “maximum and minimum sentences” the Terraform co-founder could face in South Korea, where he is expected to be extradited after potentially serving prison time in the United States.

Kwon pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud in August and is scheduled to be sentenced by Engelmayer on Thursday.

Law, South Korea, Court, Crimes, Terra, Do Kwon

In addition to the judge’s questions on Kwon potentially serving time in South Korea, he asked whether there was agreement that “none of Mr. Kwon’s time in custody in Montenegro” — where he served a four-month sentence for using falsified travel documents and fought extradition to the US for more than a year — would be credited to any potential US sentence.

Judge Engelmayer’s questions signaled concerns that, should the US grant extradition to South Korea to serve “the back half of his sentence,” the country’s authorities could release him early.

Kwon was one of the most prominent figures in the crypto and blockchain industry in 2022 before the collapse of the Terra ecosystem, which many experts agree contributed to a market crash that resulted in several companies declaring bankruptcy and significant losses to investors.

Defense attorneys requested that Kwon serve no more than five years in the US, while prosecutors are pushing for at least 12 years.

The sentencing recommendation from the US government said that Kwon had “caused losses that eclipsed those caused” by former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky and OneCoin’s Karl Sebastian Greenwood combined. All three men are serving multi-year sentences in federal prison.

Will Do Kwon serve time in South Korea?

The Terraform co-founder’s lawyers said that even if Engelmayer were to sentence Kwon to time served, he would “immediately reenter pretrial detention pending his criminal charges in South Korea,” and potentially face up to 40 years in the country, where he holds citizenship.

Thursday’s sentencing hearing could mark the beginning of the end of Kwon’s chapter in the 2022 collapse of Terraform. His whereabouts amid the crypto market downturn were not publicly known until he was arrested in Montenegro and held in custody to await extradition to the US, where he was indicted in March 2023 for his role at Terraform.

South Korean authorities issued an arrest warrant for Kwon in 2022, but have not had him in custody since the collapse of the Terra ecosystem. The country’s prosecutors applied to extradite Kwon from Montenegro simultaneously with the US, while they were pursuing similar cases against individuals tied to Terraform.

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

Analysts Split on XRP Future Outlook as Centralization Debate Intensifies

NewsBTC

The outlook for XRP is becoming increasingly polarized as traders, analysts, and industry critics weigh in on its price trajectory, governance model, and growing institutional interest.

Recent market activity reflects a complex environment where both technical signals and structural concerns are shaping sentiment. As whale sell-offs, ETF inflows, and a revived decentralization debate collide, XRP finds itself at a critical moment that is testing assumptions about its long-term viability.

Ripple XRP XRPUSD XRPUSD_2025-12-08_13-21-40

New Participation Models and Market Volatility

A wave of alternative yield platforms, including BlackchainMining, has entered the market offering “XRP mining” rewards, despite XRP not being a mineable asset. These models rely on token lock-ups rather than computational work, with platforms distributing returns from liquidity operations or other investment strategies.

While they appeal to holders seeking passive income, they introduce counterparty and operational risks, especially given their reliance on centralized management rather than transparent network mechanics.

At the same time, XRP’s spot price continues to react to whale activity. Recent sell-offs pushed the token toward the $2 level before stabilizing, reflecting short-term volatility driven by large holders. In contrast, long-term investors appear unfazed, maintaining positions that help steady the circulating supply.

Institutional demand through XRP ETFs adds yet another dimension. U.S.-listed funds have seen nearly $900 million in inflows, indicating that larger players are continuing to build exposure despite market turbulence.Technical Setups and Derivatives Data Show Mixed Sentiment

Analysts tracking XRP’s long-term chart structure note parallels with the 2017 bull cycle. A multi-year symmetrical triangle forming between 2018 and 2025 has created expectations of a breakout, with some projecting potential upside should historical patterns repeat.

The current price action around $2.05 reflects a tightening consolidation, and a 16% move in either direction is considered possible after the pattern resolves.

However, derivatives markets present a contrasting picture. Coinglass data shows that XRP is the most aggressively shorted major asset, with roughly 96% of open interest positioned against it.

Despite this, XRP has held modest gains, supported by sustained ETF inflows. Analysts warn that such extreme positioning increases the likelihood of a short squeeze if even minor catalysts shift sentiment.Centralization Concerns Resurface

Beyond price action, structural criticism has resurfaced following sharp commentary from analyst Justin Bons, who argues that XRP is “centralized in every way,” citing validator distribution and governance limitations.

Supporters counter that XRP’s model is designed for institutional settlement rather than maximal decentralization, but the debate highlights a longstanding divide between crypto-native expectations and enterprise-focused blockchain design.

Whether XRP evolves through technical breakouts, institutional adoption, or renewed scrutiny over its governance will determine how the asset is perceived moving forward. Currently, the market remains divided, with both opportunity and uncertainty moulding the path ahead.

Cover image from ChatGPT, XRPUSD chart from Tradingview

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

StableChain launches mainnet with USDT gas fees, dedicated governance token

Cointelegraph

Tether-backed Stable protocol has launched its USDT-powered blockchain, StableChain, alongside a new governance foundation and a native token.

According to the protocol, the new layer-1 network is designed for stablecoin transactions and relies on Tether’s (USDT) for gas fees payments, removing the need for volatile assets to process payments.

Alongside the mainnet debut, Stable introduced the Stable Foundation and the STABLE governance token on Monday, separating network security from payment flows settled in USDT.

The rollout follows a pre-deposit campaign that drew more than $2 billion from over 24,000 wallets. It also comes on the heels of a $28 million seed round backed by crypto exchange Bitfinex, Hack VC and other investors, including Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, who is also listed as an adviser to the project.

The launch expands the stablecoin infrastructure footprint of Bitfinex and Tether, which share the iFinex parent company, and extends USDT’s utility as a core element of the network’s design.

Brian Mehler, CEO of Stable, told Cointelegraph that the company has “maintained frequent contact with governing bodies overseeing the implementation of stablecoin and payments guardrails worldwide.”

Related: Circle and Bybit deepen USDC partnership as stablecoin nears $80B

Stablecoins’ role in digital payments continues to expand

The rise of stablecoins — digital tokens designed to maintain a steady value, often pegged to the US dollar — has pushed banks, payment companies and remittance providers such as Western Union to explore new strategies.

However, most stablecoins still run on blockchains that were not built for fast, low-cost payments. For example, Ethereum, home of the majority of the stablecoin supply, can take around three minutes to finalize transactions.

These constraints have helped drive interest in blockchains engineered specifically for stablecoin settlement.

In February, stablecoin startup Plasma raised $24 million to build a new blockchain for USDT in a funding round led by Framework Ventures and backed by Bitfinex, Peter Thiel and Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino. Plasma’s mainnet beta went live on Sept. 25, launching alongside its native XPL token

In August, Circle announced plans to launch Arc, an EVM-compatible layer-1 blockchain designed for enterprise-grade stablecoin payments, FX and capital markets, later this year.

The following month, payment giant Stripe disclosed plans to launch a new layer-1 network called Tempo, after CEO Patrick Collison said that existing blockchains are “not optimized” to handle the growing stablecoin and crypto activity moving through Stripe’s platform.

According to DefiLlama data, the stablecoin market capitalization has grown to about $308.45 billion from $198.76 billion a year ago, a roughly 55% increase over the period.

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

Bybit Institutional Sets the Stage for 2026 at High-Profile Abu Dhabi Gala

Chainwire

DUBAI, UAE, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, hosted its BIG Series – Bybit Institutional Gala in Abu Dhabi, bringing together key Bybit executives, global regulators, banking partners, liquidity providers, and institutional clients for a forward-looking dialogue on the evolution of digital markets. The evening set the stage for Bybit's strengthened global strategy following its newly secured full Virtual Asset Platform Operator (VAPO) license from the UAE's Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and its MiCAR license across the entire European Economic Area (EEA), — a milestone that positions the company at the center of regulated digital finance.

"With our regulatory foundation in the UAE and EEA, plus a unified liquidity engine built around transparency and resilience, Bybit is committed to powering the next phase of institutional digital finance," said Ben Zhou, Co-founder and CEO of Bybit.

Institutional Confidence Powered by Retail Strength and Scalable Infrastructure

Opening the gala, Ben emphasized the industry's shift toward an integrated and institution-ready market structure. He reiterated a core advantage of Bybit was its uniquely powerful retail ecosystem.

In just its first year, the Bybit Card surpassed 1.8 million cards issued across 13 regions, complemented by expanding Pay and bank-integrated fiat rails. This retail scale increasingly fuels superior pricing and execution for institutional clients.

Ben also highlighted the acceleration of its wealth and asset management business, where AUM grew from USD 40 million in Q2 to USD 200 million in Q4, underscoring widening institutional engagement and strong demand for qualified asset management services.

"Institutions are choosing Bybit because they want certainty — certainty of liquidity, certainty of compliance, and certainty of performance. With asset inflows rising from USD 1.3 billion in Q3 to USD 2.88 billion in Q4, our role has never been clearer: we are building the most trusted infrastructure for the next era of institutional digital finance," added Ben.

Compliance as the New Institutional Trust Product

In a keynote session from Robert MacDonald, Chief Legal & Compliance Officer of Bybit, reinforced the growing importance of compliance as a decisive factor in institutional adoption.

He highlighted how predictable onboarding, product-embedded compliance, and proactive regulatory engagement now function as a competitive advantage — strengthening Bybit's banking relationships and reducing operational friction for professional investors.

Bybit's Expanding Institutional Ecosystem

In her keynote, Yoyee Wang, Head of Business to Business at Bybit, introduced the next wave of institutional offerings coming in 2026, aimed at strengthening market connectivity and operational efficiency for institutional clients. These include two major advancements:

Bybit's upgraded INS Credit Suite now integrates Bybit Custody with RWA yield products, enabling institutions to keep assets in custody, earn returns through tokenized money market funds, and simultaneously access institutional credit. This unified structure enhances capital efficiency without compromising control. The suite continues to offer market-leading 5× leverage and support for up to 1,000 sub-accounts.
The recent launch of Bybit's Market Maker Gateway (MMGW), a dedicated high-performance access point that gives institutional clients faster and more stable connectivity to Bybit's trading environment, reducing round-trip latency from 30ms to 2.5ms for high-frequency and quant clients.

Bybit also revealed that INS loan notional grew by 26% quarter-over-quarter, driven by strong adoption from multi-strategy and High-Frequency Trading (HFT) firms.

Yoyee highlighted the importance of collaboration in shaping the next phase of institutional adoption:

"The momentum we're seeing from institutions is driven by real utility—capital efficiency, liquidity depth, and operational reliability. Our role is to simplify access while working hand in hand with partners, banks, and regulators to build a more connected and scalable global market structure," stated Yoyee.

A Global Dialogue on the Future of Capital Markets

As part of the evening program, the gala convened a cross-regional dialogue moderated by Dimitrios Psarrakis, Head of Global Affairs at Bybit, and featuring European regulator, Jean-Marc Laventure, Head of Financial & Securities Services Sales, Investors, Middle East, Standard Chartered Bank and other honorable guests.

The conversation highlighted a clear industry shift: traditional finance and digital assets are no longer parallel tracks but converging systems built on shared principles of transparency, efficiency, and institutional-grade governance.

Celebrating Industry Achievement

This convergence provided a fitting transition to the evening's closing ceremony, where Bybit recognized leading institutions and ecosystem contributors for their excellence, performance, and impact across global digital markets.

The awards presented included:

Premier Corporate Trading Terminal Award

Vantage
Jarvis Lab

Broker Market Leadership Award

Insilico Terminal
Coinroutes
Finestel

Outstanding Institutional Contribution Award

Wintermute
Amber Group
Da Vinci
GSR
Cumberland

Liquidity Leadership Award

Pulsar
Atomic
Gravity
Hashwave

Institutional Trading Excellence Award

CyantArb
AlberBlanc
Presto
Rosario

"It is a privilege to receive this recognition from Bybit at such a pivotal moment for mainstream adoption of digital finance. The Gala reinforced the importance of trust, infrastructure, and long-term partnership. GSR looks forward to continuing our collaboration with Bybit as we build institutional-grade products and services for the crypto market together", said Xin Song, CEO of GSR.

#Bybit / #CryptoArk

About Bybit

Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 70 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites