Crypto World
XRP price prediction as Goldman Sachs invests $153M in XRP ETFs
Goldman Sachs has renewed institutional focus on XRP after disclosing a $153 million investment in XRP ETFs, alongside major allocations to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.
Summary
- Goldman Sachs disclosed a $153 million investment in XRP ETFs, placing the token alongside its major holdings in Bitcoin and Ethereum and reinforcing XRP’s institutional relevance.
- XRP is trading near $1.37, with technical indicators showing fragile momentum as price remains capped below key moving averages and broader market sentiment stays cautious.
- Bitcoin’s ongoing consolidation is limiting altcoin upside, making BTC’s next directional move a critical factor for XRP’s near-term breakout or breakdown.
Goldman Sachs’ XRP exposure draws attention
The disclosure, highlighted by journalist Eleanor Terrett, places the Ripple token (XRP) among a select group of digital assets held at scale by one of Wall Street’s most influential banks.
The timing of the revelation is notable. Goldman has representation at a White House meeting centered on stablecoin yield policy, underscoring its role in shaping regulatory discussions.
CEO David Solomon is also scheduled to speak at the World Liberty Financial forum next week, reinforcing the firm’s growing public engagement with digital asset markets.
While ETF exposure does not directly translate into spot demand, the move adds credibility to XRP’s institutional narrative at a time when regulatory clarity remains a key market catalyst.
XRP price analysis and near-term outlook
XRP is currently trading near $1.37, reflecting continued consolidation after a sharp sell-off earlier this month.
TradingView data shows the token struggling to reclaim key short-term moving averages, indicating that bullish momentum remains fragile. The Relative Strength Index is still positioned below the neutral 50 level, signaling muted buying pressure and cautious trader sentiment.
Price action suggests that the $1.30–$1.32 region is acting as a critical support zone. A breakdown below this area could open the door to a deeper retracement toward $1.20, where buyers may attempt to re-enter.
On the upside, XRP would need a sustained move above $1.45–$1.50 to confirm a shift in market structure and pave the way for a recovery toward the $1.60–$1.65 range.
Until a clear breakout or breakdown occurs, XRP is likely to remain range-bound, with volatility driven by external catalysts.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) seems to be consolidating following a volatile start to the year. The lack of a decisive move in Bitcoin has capped upside momentum across altcoins, keeping XRP’s recovery attempts limited.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has returned to social media, alleging that U.S. prosecutors improperly pressured witnesses during his criminal trial and arguing that his conviction should be overturned.
Summary
- Sam Bankman-Fried has resurfaced on X, alleging U.S. prosecutors improperly pressured witnesses during his FTX criminal trial and claiming the conviction should be overturned.
- He also called for U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan to recuse himself, accusing the judge of bias and prejudging defendants in his case.
- Reaction on X has been sharply negative, with users dismissing his claims and reiterating that misuse of customer funds constitutes fraud regardless of solvency.
Sam Bankman-Fried demands judge’s recusal
In a post published on X, Bankman-Fried claimed that “new evidence” shows the Biden administration’s Department of Justice threatened multiple witnesses into silence or encouraged them to change their testimony.
He said this alleged conduct undermines the integrity of the trial and warrants throwing out his conviction.
Bankman-Fried also called for U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan to recuse himself from ruling on the matter. He accused Kaplan of prejudging defendants and stacking proceedings against him, citing what he described as similar treatment toward former FTX executive Ryan Salame and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The comments follow Bankman-Fried’s recent legal filings seeking a new trial, in which his defense argues that jurors were denied access to exculpatory evidence and that the court improperly limited witness testimony.
His legal team has previously contended that key evidence related to FTX’s internal operations and bankruptcy process was excluded, weakening his ability to present a full defense.
At this stage, Bankman-Fried’s allegations remain unproven.
Bankman-Fried was convicted in 2023 on multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy tied to the collapse of FTX and is currently serving a lengthy federal prison sentence. His appeals and post-conviction motions remain ongoing, with courts yet to determine whether any procedural errors rise to the level required for a retrial.
Reaction on X has been swift and overwhelmingly hostile. Many users rejected Bankman-Fried’s claims outright, arguing that misappropriating customer assets constitutes fraud regardless of solvency, with one post likening it to theft even if the property is later returned.
Others responded more viscerally, using profanity and personal attacks to dismiss SBF’s credibility and citing sworn testimony from former associates as evidence against him, while some also questioned why he is still able to post publicly from jail following his unanimous conviction.
Crypto World
Binance and Franklin Templeton Enable Tokenized Money Market Funds as Institutional Trading Collateral
TLDR:
- Eligible clients can use Franklin Templeton’s tokenized money market funds as Binance trading collateral
- Assets remain in third-party Ceffu custody while value is mirrored within Binance’s trading environment
- Program reduces counterparty risk while enabling institutions to earn yield on collateral assets
- Initiative represents first concrete implementation of September 2025 strategic partnership agreement
Binance and Franklin Templeton have launched an institutional collateral program enabling tokenized money market fund shares as trading collateral.
The program allows eligible clients to use assets issued through Franklin Templeton’s Benji Technology Platform as off-exchange collateral on Binance.
This marks the first initiative under their strategic partnership announced in September 2025. The program aims to improve capital efficiency while reducing counterparty risk.
Off-Exchange Collateral Program Reduces Risk for Institutional Traders
The new program addresses a major challenge facing institutional market participants. Traders can now use tokenized money market fund shares as collateral without parking assets on an exchange.
The collateral value is mirrored within Binance’s trading environment through Ceffu’s custody infrastructure. Meanwhile, the actual tokenized assets remain securely held off-exchange in third-party custody.
This structure reduces counterparty risk for institutional clients. Traders earn yield on their money market fund holdings while supporting trading activity.
The arrangement eliminates choosing between custody security and trading flexibility. Institutions maintain regulatory protections on their assets throughout the process.
Ceffu, Binance’s institutional crypto-native custody partner, provides the underlying infrastructure. The custody layer enables assets to stay off-exchange while their value supports trading positions.
“Institutions increasingly require trading models that prioritize risk management without sacrificing capital efficiency,” said Ian Loh, CEO of Ceffu.
Binance announced the program launch on social media. The exchange highlighted that this initiative represents the first step under their collaboration with Franklin Templeton. The partnership focuses on bridging traditional finance with digital asset markets.
Traditional Finance and Digital Assets Converge Through Tokenization
Roger Bayston, Head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton, emphasized the partnership’s institutional focus. “Since partnering in 2025, our work with Binance has focused on making digital finance actually work for institutions,” Bayston said.
He added that the off-exchange collateral program lets clients put their assets to work in third-party custody while safely earning yield. That’s the future Benji was designed for, he noted.
Catherine Chen, Head of VIP & Institutional at Binance, described the collaboration as a natural progression. “Partnering with Franklin Templeton to offer tokenized real-world assets as off-exchange collateral is a natural next step in our mission,” Chen stated.
She explained that innovating ways to use traditional financial instruments on-chain opens new opportunities for investors. The approach shows how blockchain technology can make markets more efficient, according to Chen.
The program responds to institutional demand for specific collateral characteristics. Institutions seek stable, yield-bearing assets supporting continuous settlement cycles. Tokenized money market funds meet these requirements while fitting existing governance frameworks.
Market infrastructure must align with institutional standards to support broader adoption. Binance positions the program as meeting demand for stable collateral on regulated platforms.
Enhanced capital efficiency benefits traders managing positions across both traditional and digital markets.
Extreme FUD lingers after Bitcoin’s $60,000 rebound, with bearish social sentiment outweighing bullish posts.
Bitcoin (BTC) slipped back below $67,000 on Wednesday, February 11, extending a volatile stretch that began with last week’s drop to $60,000.
Despite that rebound from the lows, social data shows fear remains elevated, with traders split over whether the worst of the sell-off is over.
Social Sentiment Stays Bearish as Volatility Spikes
Data shared by on-chain analytics firm Santiment shows a high ratio of bearish to bullish posts even after Bitcoin recovered from its $60,000 dip. According to the firm, retail traders seem hesitant to buy at current levels, while larger holders are facing less resistance in accumulating during periods of fear.
Santiment added that, historically, rebounds have often followed spikes in fear, though it did not claim this guarantees a bottom.
Meanwhile, short-term price action is still fragile, with market watcher Ash Crypto reporting that Bitcoin’s fall below $67,000 had liquidated roughly $127 million in long positions within four hours.
At the time of writing, market data from CoinGecko showed BTC trading around the $66,700 region, down about 3% in the last 24 hours and nearly 13% on the week. Over the past 30 days, the flagship cryptocurrency has fallen more than 27%, and it remains 47% below its October 2025 all-time high.
The 24-hour range between $66,600 and $69,900 is a reflection of ongoing intraday swings, while weekly price action has spanned from about $62,800 to $76,500, showing just how unstable conditions are.
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Volatility metrics support that view, with Binance data cited by Arab Chain analysts showing that Bitcoin’s seven-day annualized volatility has climbed to around 1.51, its highest reading since 2022. However, 30-day and 90-day measures remain lower at 0.81 and 0.56, suggesting recent turbulence has not yet evolved into a sustained high-volatility regime. According to the analysts, the average true range as a percentage sits near 0.075, which historically has been a compressed level that often comes right before a larger directional move.
Bear Market Comparisons Resurface
An earlier report this week noted that Bitcoin has closed three consecutive weeks below its 100-week moving average, a pattern seen in previous bear markets. CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju wrote on February 9 that “Bitcoin is not pumpable right now,” arguing that selling pressure is limiting upside follow-through.
Other commentators, including Doctor Profit, have described the current structure as a wide consolidation range between $57,000 and $87,000, warning that sideways trading could precede another leg lower.
Furthermore, macro data is adding to the cautious tone, with XWIN Research Japan writing that weaker U.S. retail sales and easing wage growth mean that consumption is slowing, which may weigh on risk assets in the short term. The firm also noted a persistently negative Coinbase Premium Gap since late 2025, suggesting there’s weak U.S. spot demand compared to derivatives-driven activity.
Yet not all industry voices are focused solely on price cycles, with WeFi’s Maksym Sakharov saying he believes Bitcoin sentiment will eventually strengthen despite falling prices, but for different reasons than in past rallies.
“I believe Bitcoin sentiment will turn even stronger despite the falling prices, but this time it won’t be only about price or speculation, but also about real adoption,” Sakharov said.
In the meantime, BTC is sitting in a narrow zone between fear-driven pessimism and technical support near $60,000, with traders watching whether high volatility resolves higher or breaks lower in the weeks ahead.
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Global investment manager Franklin Templeton announced the launch of an institutional off‑exchange collateral program with Binance that lets clients use tokenized money market fund (MMF) shares to back trading activity while the underlying assets remain in regulated custody.
According to a Wednesday news release shared with Cointelegraph, the framework is intended to reduce counterparty risk by reflecting collateral balances inside Binance’s trading environment, rather than moving client assets onto the exchange.
Eligible institutions can pledge tokenized MMF shares issued via Franklin Templeton’s Benji Technology Platform as collateral for trading on Binance.
The tokenized fund shares are held off‑exchange by Ceffu Custody, a digital asset custodian licensed and supervised in Dubai, while their collateral value is mirrored on Binance to support trading positions.
Franklin Templeton said the model was designed to let institutions earn yield on regulated money market fund holdings while using the same assets to support digital asset trading, without giving up existing custody or regulatory protections.
Related: Franklin Templeton expands Benji tokenization platform to Canton Network
“Our off‑exchange collateral program is just that: letting clients easily put their assets to work in regulated custody while safely earning yield in new ways,” said Roger Bayston, head of digital assets at Franklin Templeton, in the release.
The initiative builds on a strategic collaboration between Binance and Franklin Templeton announced in 2025 to develop tokenization products that combine regulated fund structures with global trading infrastructure.
Off‑exchange collateral to cut counterparty risk
The design mirrors other tokenized real‑world asset collateral models in crypto markets. BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenized US Treasury fund, issued by Securitize, for example, is also accepted as trading collateral on Binance, as well as other platforms, including Crypto.com and Deribit.
That model allows institutional clients to post a low-volatility, yield‑bearing instrument instead of idle stablecoins or more volatile tokens.
Other issuers and venues, including WisdomTree’s WTGXX and Ondo’s OUSG, are exploring similar models, with tokenized bond and short‑term credit funds increasingly positioned as onchain collateral in both centralized and decentralized markets.
Related: WisdomTree’s USDW stablecoin to pay dividends on tokenized assets
Regulators flag cross‑border tokenization risks
Despite the trend of using tokenized MMFs as collateral, global regulators have warned that cross‑border tokenization structures can introduce new risks.
The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) has cautioned that tokenized instruments used across multiple jurisdictions may exploit differences between national regimes and enable regulatory arbitrage if oversight and supervisory cooperation do not keep pace.
Cointelegraph asked Franklin Templeton how the tokenized MMF shares are regulated and protected and how the model was stress‑tested for extreme scenarios, but had not received a reply by publication.
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TLDR
- Bank Negara Malaysia is testing ringgit stablecoins and tokenized deposits in 2026.
- Standard Chartered and Capital A lead the ringgit stablecoin project.
- The projects focus on improving wholesale payment systems.
- Maybank and CIMB are developing tokenized deposits for payments.
- BNM aims to assess financial stability and set policy by end of 2026
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has revealed three new initiatives for 2026, focusing on digital assets such as ringgit stablecoins and tokenized deposits. The central bank’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH) will evaluate these projects, focusing on their use in wholesale payment systems. BNM intends to assess the impact of these innovations on financial stability and will provide clarity by the end of 2026.
Malaysia Ringgit Stablecoin Settlement Project
One of the initiatives involves a ringgit stablecoin settlement system, developed by Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia in collaboration with Capital A. The project aims to streamline business-to-business transactions within Malaysia using a digital currency backed by the local currency.
The stablecoin system will be tested in a controlled environment, with both local and international corporate clients involved. The project will enable BNM to assess the effects of stablecoin use on monetary policy and financial stability.
It will also explore the potential for cross-border payments and integrate with the central bank’s other digital asset-related work. The project could pave the way for the adoption of stablecoins in Malaysia’s financial sector.
Tokenized Deposits for Payments
Another initiative focuses on tokenized deposits for payment systems, driven by two major banks: Maybank and CIMB. Both institutions will work on creating tokenized digital representations of deposits that can be used for payments.
These projects aim to modernize payment systems and provide efficient alternatives to traditional bank deposits. Testing will be conducted in partnership with financial institutions and other regulators to ensure that the systems meet regulatory standards.
BNM will evaluate how tokenized deposits impact payment flows and their integration with the broader financial ecosystem. The central bank expects the findings from these projects to inform future policy decisions by the end of 2026.
The European Parliament threw its weight behind the European Central Bank’s (ECB) digital euro project in a vote that framed money and payments as a strategic asset in an era of rising geopolitical tensions.
Lawmakers adopted the annual ECB report by 443 votes in favor, 71 against and 117 abstentions, backing amendments that describe the digital euro as “essential” to strengthening European Union monetary sovereignty, reducing fragmentation in retail payments and bolstering the integrity of the single market.
The text places growing emphasis on how public money in digital form can curb Europe’s reliance on non‑EU payment providers and private instruments.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) also underlined that the ECB must remain independent and free from political pressure, arguing that safeguarding central bank autonomy was key to maintaining price stability and market confidence.
During the plenary debate, Johan Van Overtveldt, MEP and former Belgian finance minister, flagged that “the independence of the ECB is not a technical detail.”
He warned that history showed political interference with central banks “invariably leads to inflation, financial instability and even nasty political turmoil.”
Related: EU council endorses offline and online versions of digital euro
He argued that reaffirming independence is “even more important in the current global context,” likening monetary and financial stability to utilities such as water and electricity whose importance is only truly noticed when they fail.
Digital euro as public good and geopolitical hedge
The adopted resolution states that, even as the ECB develops a digital euro, cash should retain an important role in the euro area economy, and both physical and digital euros will be legal tender.
The parliamentary backing comes amid a broader push by central bankers and economists to frame the digital euro as a public good and a geopolitical hedge.
Last month, ECB executive board member Piero Cipollone called the project “public money in digital form” and tied it directly to concerns about the “weaponisation of every conceivable tool.”
He argued that Europe needed a retail payment system “fully under our control” and built on European infrastructure rather than foreign schemes.
Earlier in January, 70 economists and policy experts urged MEPs to “let the public interest prevail” on the digital euro, warning that without a strong public option, private stablecoins and foreign payment giants could gain even greater influence over Europe’s digital payments, deepening dependencies in times of stress.
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Key Insights
- Ripple and Zand link RLUSD and AEDZ to support regulated stablecoin payments and custody in the UAE.
- The partnership focuses on XRPL-based issuance, liquidity, and compliance-led banking integration.
- The move supports the UAE digital economy strategy and institutional blockchain adoption.
Ripple and Zand Bank Strengthen Blockchain Banking Ties
Ripple has also increased its collaboration with Zand Bank in the UAE to enable a regulated infrastructure of stablecoins. According to reports shared on X, the collaboration connects Ripple’s US dollar stablecoin, RLUSD, with Zand’s dirham-backed AEDZ token. Both assets will operate within a compliant banking framework.
🚨BREAKING: RIPPLE EXPANDS ENTERPRISE BLOCKCHAIN PUSH WITH ZAND DEAL@Ripple and @Official_Zand have announced a partnership focused on advancing the digital economy.
The collaboration will use Zand’s AEDZ stablecoin and Ripple’s $RLUSD stablecoin.
The goal is to bring… pic.twitter.com/9Ygz7tnMvW
— BSCN (@BSCNews) February 10, 2026
The partnership builds on a payment agreement signed in 2024 as it now shifts focus to custody, issuance, and liquidity. Ripple and Zand aim to bring blockchain-based settlement into institutional finance rather than trading activity.
How Will Stablecoins Integrate Into Regulated Banking
The companies plan to integrate RLUSD into Zand Bank’s regulated digital asset custody platform. This measure will enable institutions to hold and operate the stablecoins within the jurisdiction of the UAE. The partners will also evaluate the direct liquidity channels between RLUSD and AEDZ.
Zand Bank has confirmed plans to issue AEDZ on the XRP Ledger. XRPL offers fast settlement, low fees, and a consensus-based design. These features support payment efficiency while meeting regulatory expectations. Zand states that AEDZ remains fully backed by dirham reserves with regular attestations.
Why Does the XRP Ledger Matter for This Initiative
The project relies on the Ripple blockchain as its technical basis. XRPL allows settling in almost no time and issuing tokens without incurring excessive costs of operations. These facilities are applicable to bank level payment and depository services.
Ripple continues to position XRPL as a settlement layer for institutions and Zand partnership aligns with this strategy. It supports real-world use cases such as:
- Cross-border payments
- Treasury management
- Asset tokenization within a controlled environment
What Does This Mean for the UAE Digital Economy
Zand Bank is one of the UAE’s first fully digitized licensed banks. Ripple opened more branches in the region by forming custody and security dealings. Collectively, they endeavor to offer infrastructure that can help enable banks and corporations to adopt a compliant blockchain.
This growth marks the shift where regulated institutions are now leveraging stablecoins as financial instruments and not speculative assets. It is also an indication of even greater adoption of blockchain systems in conventional banking systems.
Update (Feb. 11, 10:00 am UTC): This article has been updated to correct the reported number of shares.
US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) extended their inflow streak to three sessions, with this week’s gains nearly offsetting last week’s outflows.
Spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs recorded $166.6 million in inflows on Tuesday, bringing total inflows this week to $311.6 million, according to data from SoSoValue.
Last week, the funds saw net outflows of $318 million, marking three consecutive weeks of losses totaling more than $3 billion.
Bitcoin ETF momentum has picked up in recent sessions, despite BTC price declining 13% over the past seven days and briefly slipping below $68,000 on Tuesday, according to CoinGecko.
Earlier this week, analysts observed signs of a potential trend shift across crypto exchange-traded products, noting a slowdown in the pace of selling.
Goldman trims Bitcoin ETF exposure, adds XRP and Solana ETFs
US investment bank Goldman Sachs reported yesterday that it trimmed its Bitcoin ETF exposure in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The bank specifically reduced holdings in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), cutting shares outstanding by 39%, from around 34 million in Q3 to 20.7 million in Q4, worth around $1 billion.
It also decreased stakes in other Bitcoin funds and companies, including Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin (FBTC) and Bitcoin Depot, and reduced its Ether (ETH) ETF positions.
At the same time, Goldman Sachs disclosed its first-ever positions in XRP (XRP) and Solana (SOL) ETFs, acquiring 6.95 million shares of XRP ETFs, worth $152 million, and 8.24 million shares of Solana ETFs, valued at $104 million.
Related: Bernstein calls Bitcoin sell-off ‘weakest bear case’ on record, keeps $150K 2026 target
According to SoSoValue data, spot altcoin ETFs saw modest inflows Tuesday, with Ether funds adding around $14 million, while XRP and Solana ETFs gained $3.3 million and $8.4 million, respectively.
On Thursday, Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg, noted that the majority of Bitcoin ETF investors had held their positions despite the recent downturn, estimating that only about 6% of total assets exited the funds even as Bitcoin prices fell sharply.
He added that, although BlackRock’s IBIT saw its assets drop to $60 billion from a peak of $100 billion, the fund could remain at this level for years while still holding the record as the “all-time-fastest ETF to reach $60 billion.”
Magazine: Bitcoin difficulty plunges, Buterin sells off Ethereum: Hodler’s Digest, Feb. 1 – 7
Ethereum accumulation addresses have witnessed a surge in daily inflows since Friday, suggesting growing confidence in Ether’s (ETH) long-term price trajectory despite its latest drop below $2,000.
Key takeaways:
-
Ether’s drop below $2,000 has left 58% of addresses with unrealized losses.
-
Accumulation addresses have absorbed about $2.6 billion in ETH over five days.
-
Key Ether levels to watch below $2,000 include $1,800, $1,500, $1,200, and potentially $750–$1,000 in extreme scenarios.
58% of Ether addresses are now in the red
Ether’s 38% drop over the last month has seen it fall below key support levels, including the average entry price of accumulation addresses, the cost basis of spot Ethereum ETF investors, and the psychological level at $2,000.
The ETH/USD pair now trades 60.5% below its all-time high of $4,950, leaving a significant portion of holders underwater. This includes BitMine, the world’s largest Ethereum treasury linked to investor Tom Lee, which saw its paper losses swell to over $8 billion.
Related: Large demand zone below $2K ETH price gives signal on where Ether may go
With ETH trading at $1,954 on Wednesday, only 41.5% Ethereum addresses are in profit, while over 58% are in the red.
Ether’s current market price is also below the average cost basis of accumulation addresses currently at $2,580, suggesting that long-term holders are increasingly under strain.
ETF investors are also feeling the pressure. James Seyffart, senior ETF Analyst at Bloomberg, highlighted that Ethereum ETF holders are currently in a worse position than their Bitcoin counterparts.
With ETH hovering below $2,000, the altcoin trades well below the estimated average ETF cost basis of about $3,500.
Ether accumulation absorbs 1.3 million ETH in five days
Despite the sharp downturn, investor confidence has not fully eroded. Data from CryptoQuant showed Ethereum accumulation addresses have received 1.3 million Ether worth approximately $2.6 billion at current rates.
The “full-scale accumulation” of ETH began in June 2025, and is “proceeding even more aggressively,” CryptoQuant analyst CW8900 said in Wednesday’s Quicktake analysis, adding:
“The current price will likely appear attractive to $ETH whales.”
As a result, the total ETH held by these long-term holders reached a record 27 million. That marks a 20.36% gain so far in 2026 despite the ETH price declining 34.5% over the same period.
Accumulation addresses are wallets that continuously receive ETH without making any outgoing transactions. They may belong to long-term holders, institutional investors, or entities strategically accumulating Ether rather than actively trading.
Large spikes in inflows to these addresses often signal strong confidence in Ether’s long-term potential, with past trends showing that such surges frequently precede price rallies.
For example, on June 22, 2025, Ethereum accumulation addresses recorded a then-all-time high daily inflow of over 380 million ETH. Nearly 30 days later, ETH’s price rose by almost 85%. A 25% price rally followed November 2025’s inflow spike into the accumulation addresses.
Key ETH price levels to watch below $2,000
The ETH/USD pair extended its losses below $2,000, a key support level, which the bulls must reclaim to prevent further downside.
“$ETH failed to hold above the $2,000 level and is now going down,” crypto analyst Ted Pillows said in an X post on Wednesday, adding:
“The next key level is around the $1,800-$1,850 level if Ethereum doesn’t reclaim the $2,000 level soon.”
Fellow analyst Crypto Thanos shares similar views, telling followers to “get ready” for a $1,500 ETH price if $2,000 is not reclaimed by the end of the week.
Zooming out, LadyTraderRa said Ether is “definitely going” to retest the $750-$1,000 zone, based on past price action on the monthly candle chart.
Glassnode’s UTXO realized price distribution (URPD), which shows the average prices at which ETH holders bought their coins, reveals that below $2,000, key support levels for ETH sit at $1,880, $1,580, and $1,230.
As Cointelegraph reported, the ETH/USD pair could drop to $1,750 and then $1,530, after failing to hold above $2,100.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Clearer rules and improved technology are accelerating the convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized markets, driving established institutions into areas such as crypto derivatives, according to panelists at Consensus Hong Kong.
“Regulation is really important. It gives you the rails that you need to operate in,” said Jason Urban, global co-head of digital assets at Galaxy Digital (GLXY), who took part in the “Ultimate Deriving Machine” panel.
Other speakers, including executives from exchange operator ICE Futures U.S., crypto prime brokerage FalconX and investment company ARK Invest highlighted how developments in the U.S., such as the 2024 approval of spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and harmonization between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have flipped crypto from a speculative sideline to a portfolio staple.
The key takeaway is that derivatives are set to grease the path for trillions of dollars in institutional inflows to the market. The momentum goes well beyond bitcoin , the largest cryptocurrency by market value.
ICE Futures U.S. President Jennifer Ilkiw highlighted forthcoming overnight rate futures tied to Circle Internet’s (CRCL) USDC stablecoin, launching in April, and multitoken indexes as evidence of institutions looking beyond bitcoin for exposure to a range of tokens.
“It makes it very easy. It’s like, if you’re taking our MSCI Emerging Markets, there’s hundreds of equities in there. You don’t need to know every single one,” she said, citing demand from former crypto skeptics.
Josh Lim, the global co-head of markets at FalconX, stressed bridging traditional financial exchanges like the CME with liquidity pools in decentralized finance (DeFi) using prime brokerages for hedge-fund arbitrage and leverage.
“Hyperliquid, obviously has been a big theme for this year, and last year, we’ve enabled a lot of our hedge fund clients to access that marketplace through our prime brokerage offering,” Lim said, referring to the largest decentralized exchange (DEX) for derivatives.
“It’s actually essential for firms like us … to bridge this liquidity gap between TradFi and DeFi … That’s a big edge,” Lim said. Crypto innovations like 24/7 trading and perpetuals are influencing Wall Street.
ARK Invest President Tom Staudt called the debut of spot bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. a milestone that slotted crypto into mainstream wealth managers’ portfolios and systems.
But he urged adoption of a true industry-wide beta benchmark — a broader market standard for measuring an asset’s risk and performance relative to the overall crypto market. There’s a need for a diversified index, rather than relying solely on a single reference point like bitcoin, he said.
“Bitcoin is a specific asset, but it’s not an asset class … You can’t have alpha without beta,” he said, pointing to futures as the gateway for structured products and active strategies.
inaction now is akin to “career suicide,” as real-world assets come onchain and demand participation, Urban said.
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