Bitcoin Futures CME (BTC)

Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) Common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (ARCA: BTC)

에 대한 최신 뉴스 Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) Common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (ARCA:BTC)

Community Bankers Trust Corporation.

AMEX

Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) is solely and passively invested in Bitcoin. Its investment objective is to reflect the value of Bitcoin held by the Trust, less expenses and other liabilities.

Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust

Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) Common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest

Bitcoin - United States dollar

Bitcoin 2

BACTOLAC PHARM INC by Bactolac Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Bitcoin BEP2

BTCDOWN - United States Dollar

NEOS ETF Trust NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF

T-Rex 2X Long Bitcoin Daily Target ETF

BIT Mining Ltd

Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

Bitcoin Private

BTCpy - United States dollar

BTCS Inc

Bitcoin Standard Hashrate Token

BTC Digital Ltd

Bitcoin - TrueUSD

BTCUP - United States Dollar

WisdomTree Bitcoin Fund Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

Bluesky Digital Assets Corp

BLUESKY DIGITAL ASSET CRP by Bluesky Digital Assets Corp.

Biotricity Inc

BitcoinZ

U.S. stock futures were trading higher on Monday in premarket hours after the tech-heavy <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42495649/microstrategy-palantir-axon-added-to-nasdaq-100-super-micro-computer-moderna-illumina-exit-the-index">Nasdaq 100 index</a> extended its relentless climb last week, setting new record highs and nearing the 22,000-point milestone. The futures of all four major indices were trading higher.
The 10-year and two-year Treasury notes yielded 4.38% and 4.23%, respectively. The Federal Reserve&#8217;s upcoming meeting this week is highly anticipated by market observers.
The Federal Open Market Committee is widely expected to announce another interest rate reduction at the conclusion of their meeting on Wednesday. The probability of a further 25 basis point rate cut in December rose to 97.1% versus 61.9% a month ago, according to <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">CME Group&#8217;s FedWatch tool</a>.
If the Fed cuts rates, it would be the third consecutive cut, bringing the federal funds rate down from its current level of 4.50% to 4.75%. Following the meeting, Chairman Jerome Powell&#8216;s remarks will be closely scrutinized by market participants.
Investors will receive another critical economic data point on Friday with the release of the November personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation index. This release follows other inflation indicators that suggest price increases accelerated in November.
Prior to that, GDP revisions on Thursday will reveal whether the economy maintained the previously estimated 2.8% growth rate for the third quarter.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Change (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>0.31%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>0.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>0.27%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
In premarket trading on Monday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was up 0.20% to $605.44 and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.32% to $532.25, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Cues From The Last Session
The Nasdaq 100 rally was driven by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42492966/ai-driven-rally-pushes-tech-stocks-to-records-broadcom-enters-trillion-dollar-club-inflation-data-flashes-warning-signal-this-week-in-the-markets">tech giants and AI optimism</a>. It&#8217;s set to double since the start of 2023, with five of the &#8220;Magnificent Seven&#8221; stocks hitting record highs. Broadcom Inc. joined the $1 trillion market cap club after strong earnings.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, on the other hand, fell for the seventh consecutive day on Friday and S&amp;P 500 index closed marginally lower.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Dow down 7 days in a row, but only 2.6% off the all-time highs (third least ever). I see 78 7-day losing streaks since 1900 and an avg of 24.7% off ATHs.
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1868406754448691224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Inflation data released during the week raised some red flags. Consumer inflation rose 2.7% year-over-year in November, in line with expectations, but producer inflation jumped to 3% year-over-year, exceeding estimates of 2.6%. This marked the sharpest increase since February 2023, raising concerns about potential cost pass-throughs to consumers.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>0.12%</td>
<td>19,926.72</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>-0.002%</td>
<td>6,051.09</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>-0.20%</td>
<td>43,828.06</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>-0.60%</td>
<td>2,34.90</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42492966/ai-driven-rally-pushes-tech-stocks-to-records-broadcom-enters-trillion-dollar-club-inflation-data-flashes-warning-signal-this-week-in-the-markets">AI-Driven Rally Pushes Tech Stocks To Records, Broadcom Enters Trillion-Dollar Club, Inflation Data Flashes Warning Signal: This Week In The Markets</a>
Insights From Analysts
Talking about the possibility of a &#8220;Santa Rally,&#8221; by the end of December the chief market strategist at Carson Group, Ryan Detrick shared a chart titled &#8216;Santa Comes Later In December&#8217; showing how the market has picked up after Dec. 16, on an average from 1950 to 2023.
He said, &#8220;Weak breadth, inflation heating up, bears saying they are sorry, etc, have all been listed as reasons for the recent weakness. Or maybe it is perfectly normal for stocks not to do much the first half of December, before an end-of-year rally?&#8221;
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<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Weak breadth, inflation heating up, bears saying they are sorry, etc, have all been listed as reasons for the recent weakness. Or maybe it is perfectly normal for stocks not to do much the first half of December, before an end of year rally? Let&#39;s not give up on Santa yet. <a href="https://t.co/xo6mxsq8Yg">pic.twitter.com/xo6mxsq8Yg</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1868396543985762667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
He further made a case for a year-end rally in another X post. He shared a chart that compared high-yield bonds with U.S. Treasury bonds and high-beta stocks with low volatility stocks. &#8220;High yield and high beta are outperforming bonds and low volatility,&#8221; he said.
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<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Nice chart from <a href="https://twitter.com/HumbleStudent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HumbleStudent</a> on why a year-end rally is still possible. High yield and high beta are outperforming bonds and low volatility. Risk on signals are still in play (weak breadth and all). <a href="https://t.co/VTVXgmve85">pic.twitter.com/VTVXgmve85</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1868405432550555851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Tom Lee, the managing partner and head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, hosted a webinar outlining his 2025 outlook. According to him, the S&amp;P 500 will have a better first half of the year getting up to 7,000, followed by a weaker second half of the year with us ultimately ending at 6,600
&#8220;To us, the downside risks are: DOGE too effective and GDP falls on spending cuts, (if) tariffs are actually implemented and GDP impacted,&#8221; Lee said.
Upcoming Economic Data:
Important data is slated to be released this week that will help investors determine the future course of action.
<ul>
<li>On Monday, the Empire State manufacturing survey data for December will be released at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>The S&amp;P flash U.S. services and manufacturing PMI data for December will be released at 9:45 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>On Tuesday, U.S. retail sales data for November will be announced at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>The industrial production and capacity utilization data for November will be announced at 9:15 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>The home builder confidence index data will be released for December at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>And, lastly, the Federal Open Market Committee meeting will begin on Tuesday.</li>
<li>On Wednesday, housing starts, and building permit data for November will be announced at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>The FOMC&#8217;s interest rate decision will be announced at 2:00 p.m., ET, and the Fed Chair Jerome Powell&#8217;s press conference will begin at 2:30 p.m., ET.</li>
<li>Micron Technology, Lennar, General Mills, and Toro will report earnings.</li>
<li>On Thursday, the data for initial jobless claims till Dec. 14, GDP&#8217;s second revision for the third quarter and Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey data for December will be released at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>Existing home sales data and U.S. leading economic indicators for November will be announced at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>Accenture, Nike, Cintas, FedEx, and Paychex will report earnings.</li>
<li>On Friday, personal income and spending data along with core and headline PCE index data for November will be released at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>Consumer sentiment data for December will be released at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
<li>Carnival Corporation and Winnebago Industries will report earnings.</li>
</ul>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li>MicroStrategy Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) advanced 5.26%, Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) was up 0.78%, and Axon Enterprise Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXON#NASDAQ">AXON</a>) rose by 3.12% in premarket trade as Nasdaq announced on Friday that these stocks will join the Nasdaq 100 index.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRNA#NASDAQ">MRNA</a>) declined by 0.5%, Super Micro Computer Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) fell by 11.71% and Illumina Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ILMN#NASDAQ">ILMN</a>) dropped by 0.99% in premarket after Nasdaq&#8217;s Friday announcement, booting these stocks off Nasdaq 100 index.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) was up 1.57%, continuing Friday&#8217;s upmove fueled by strong quarterly earnings and upbeat AI-driven guidance for the coming year. Friday&#8217;s rally propelled the chipmaker into the exclusive $1 trillion market-cap club, making it the eighth-largest publicly traded company.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) was 1.07% up after Wedbush&#8217;s Dan Ives hiked its price target citing AI and autonomous opportunity worth $1 trillion.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Amplitech Group Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMPG#NASDAQ">AMPG</a>) advanced 4.76% in premarket after it announced the sale of 1,352,500 shares of its common stock at $1.60 per share, totaling to price of $2.2 million.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Checkpoint Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CKPT#NASDAQ">CKPT</a>) was up 11.44% after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved UnloxcyT for the treatment of adults with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Bonds And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures were declining in the early New York session by 1.43% to hover around $70.27 per barrel.
The gold spot index rose by 0.08% to $2,677.91 per ounce. The Dollar Index was down 0.09% to 106.912 level.
Asian markets declined on Monday including Australia&#8217;s ASX 200, Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng, China&#8217;s CSI 300, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225, India&#8217;s S&amp;P BSE Sensex, and South Korea&#8217;s Kospi Index. Most European markets also fell except Spain&#8217;s IBEX 35.
<ul>
<li>Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42503379/balaji-srinivasan-contrasts-ais-reputation-as-making-it-easy-to-fake-things-with-cryptos-tamper-proof-technology">Former Coinbase Tech Chief Contrasts AI&#8217;s Reputation As Making It Easy To Fake Things With Crypto&#8217;s Tamper-Proof Technology</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock

Equities

Macro Economic Events

Market Summary

News

Economics

Federal Reserve

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

General

AMPG

AVGO

AXON

CKPT

ILMN

MRNA

MSTR

PLTR

SMCI

TSLA

US Stocks To Open Higher Ahead Of Fed's Decision This Week: Analyst Says 'Santa Comes Later In December'

Silicon Valley investor Balaji Srinivasan predicted a convergence in prestige between artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies on Monday, arguing that while one&#8217;s reputation has suffered, that of the other has increased.
What Happened: In an X post, Srinivasan expressed his views on the contrasting origins of AI and cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>).
&#8220;AI came out of academic&nbsp;research and big tech, so&nbsp;it started with high prestige.&nbsp;Crypto came from anonymous message&nbsp;boards and internet degens, so&nbsp;it started with low prestige,&#8221; the former technology head of Coinbase said.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">AI came out of academic research and big tech, so it started with high prestige. Crypto came from anonymous message boards and internet degens, so it started with low prestige. But AI makes everything easy to fake and crypto makes it hard again. So prestige may converge.
&mdash; Balaji (@balajis) <a href="https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1868566661936361896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42501037/famed-investor-dennis-gartman-chooses-gold-over-bitcoin-i-prefer-centuries-bet-over-monthly-bet">Wall Street Veteran Dennis Gartman Chooses Gold Over Bitcoin Despite BTC&#8217;s Record-Breaking Bull Run: &#8216;I Prefer Centuries Bet Over Monthly Bet&#8217;</a>
He added that while AI has the potential to create falsities, cryptocurrency brings authenticity back into the picture. &#8220;AI makes everything easy to fake, and crypto makes it&nbsp;hard again,&#8221; Srinivasan argued.
He drew attention to the perceptual difference between the two technologies, with AI seen as something of &#8220;civilizational importance&#8221; whereas cryptocurrencies remain underrated.
Why It Matters: Srinivasan&#8217;s views come amid increasing sophistication in AI technology, which was indeed making it harder for users to identify real content.
A study by&nbsp;Google DeepMind&nbsp;revealed that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39471997/google-deepmind-study-reveals-that-deepfakes-of-politicians-and-celebrities-more-common-than-ai-assi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deepfakes of public figures</a>&nbsp;are more common than AI-assisted cyber attacks, indicating a significant misuse.&nbsp;
Adam Mosseri, the Meta Platforms-owned Instagram, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42501178/meta-warns-ai-generated-content-can-be-a-threat-as-instagram-boss-suggests-always-considering-who-it-is-that-is-speaking">underscored the importance</a> of social media platforms providing additional context to help users determine the legitimacy of online material.
On the other hand, blockchain technology is used widely to establish the authenticity of physical items. Under this, a unique NFT is created to represent the entity&#8217;s ownership and validity, and facts about the item are recorded in the NFT&#8217;s metadata.
Items of varying cultural, religious, and historical significance, like a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/06/39199771/bitcoin-bull-mike-novogratzs-galaxy-digital-tokenizes-9m-antique-stradivarius-violin-into-">300-year-old vintage violin</a> and manuscripts from the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/06/39406269/vatican-turns-to-nfts-to-preserve-cultural-heritage-set-to-reward-supporting-users-with-so">iconic Vatican Library</a>, have been tokenized and stored on blockchain.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42502213/new-crypto-accounting-standards-from-todaywill-it-boost-bitcoins-corporate-adoption">New Crypto Accounting Standards Go Into Effect Today: Will They Boost Bitcoin&#8217;s Corporate Adoption?</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image Via Shutterstock<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

$DOGE

$ETH

Former Coinbase Tech Chief Contrasts AI's Reputation As Making It Easy To Fake Things With Crypto's Tamper-Proof Technology

Bitcoin&#8217;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) record-breaking run to $106,000 has been considerably boosted by a spurt in whale investor holdings, on-chain data revealed Sunday, although retail continued to control the majority supply.
What Happened:&nbsp;Since the bull rally commenced&nbsp;on Oct. 10, there has&nbsp;been a net increase of&nbsp;1,582 more wallets holding at least 100 BTC, blockchain analysis firm Santiment reported on X. 
The jump, from 16,072 to 17,644, over nine weeks, reflected a gain of nearly 10%. In the same period, Bitcoin rallied by 77%.
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<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&#x1f973; Bitcoin has climbed to $106.5K for the first time in its 16+ year history. Since the bull rally began back on October 10th, there has been a net increase of 1,582 more wallets that hold at least 100 BTC, a jump of +9.9% more wallets in the relatively short period of time! <a href="https://t.co/261LfRd776">pic.twitter.com/261LfRd776</a>
&mdash; Santiment (@santimentfeed) <a href="https://twitter.com/santimentfeed/status/1868482896886964638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Additional data from IntoTheBlock <a href="https://app.intotheblock.com/coin/BTC">indicated </a>that large holders owned about 12% of Bitcoin&#8217;s supply. The term &#8220;large holders&#8221; refers to those addresses that hold more than 1% of the supply, also called whales, and those who hold between 0.1% and 1% of the supply.
On the whole, all the whales together accounted for just 1.25% of the total supply. Retail investors, on the other hand, owned 88%.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cohort</td>
<td>Holding Threshold Per Investor</td>
<td>Share Of Total Bitcoin Supply</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Whales</td>
<td>Over 1% BTC</td>
<td>1.25%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Investors</td>
<td>Between 0.1%-1% BTC</td>
<td>10.42%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Retail </td>
<td>Less than 0.1% BTC</td>
<td>88.33%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
In contrast, Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) had far bigger whale share, 43.50%, and 41.74%, respectively.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42501037/famed-investor-dennis-gartman-chooses-gold-over-bitcoin-i-prefer-centuries-bet-over-monthly-bet">Wall Street Veteran Dennis Gartman Chooses Gold Over Bitcoin Despite BTC&#8217;s Record-Breaking Bull Run: &#8216;I Prefer Centuries Bet Over Monthly Bet&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters:&nbsp;Typically, high supply concentration points to low decentralization, as few wealthy investors cornering a disproportionate share of supply could result in market manipulation.
If these players hold a large enough portion, they could act maliciously to the expense of retail, potentially selling and crashing an asset&#8217;s price.
However, with Bitcoin&#8217;s whale dominance still at very low levels, such a possibility looked highly unlikely.
The leading digital asset has been on a record-breaking spree over the past month, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42500721/bitcoin-breaks-106k-ethereum-dogecoin-rally-ahead-of-key-fed-meet-but-top-analyst-triggers-anxiety-with-this-observation">pushing well beyond $100,000</a> to reach unprecedented levels. 
Price Action:&nbsp; At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $104,990.72, up 2.70% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42500884/trump-backed-world-liberty-financials-purchases-trigger-strong-rally-in-these-defi-tokens">Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial&#8217;s Purchases Trigger Strong Rally In These DeFi Tokens</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Bitcoin's Bull Run Gets A Boost From Whale Accumulators, But Retail Still The King In Ownership

Leading cryptocurrencies surged Sunday evening as investors raised risk appetites on strong expectations of another interest rate cut.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>+5.04%</td>
<td>$106,370.44</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+3.51%</td>
<td>$3,992.72</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+2.21%</td>
<td>$0.4033</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: Bitcoin tapped a new all-time high of $106,000, having earlier broken through the $102,000 resistance
Following in its footsteps, Ethereum rose above $4,000 before pulling back slightly.
Total cryptocurrency liquidations topped $309 million over the last 24 hours, out of which $204 million belonged to leveraged shorts.
The market started to get overleveraged, and any dip below $100,000 would liquidate over $1 billion in long positions.
Bitcoin's Open Interest soared by 7.48% in the last 24 hours. A rise in OI, coinciding with a price rally, indicated an influx of fresh money into the derivatives market.
Market sentiment remained in the "Extreme Greed" zone, as per the Cryptocurrency Fear &amp; Greed Index,
Top Gainers (24-Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fantom (FTM)</td>
<td>+20.94%</td>
<td>$1.47</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stacks (ETX)</td>
<td>+17.47%</td>
<td>$2.59</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ondo (ONDO)</td>
<td>+16.05%</td>
<td>$2.14</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.74 trillion, following an increase of 1.92% over the last 24 hours.
Stock futures traded near flatline Sunday evening. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures rose 46 points, or 0.10%, as of 8:40 p.m. EDT.&nbsp; Futures tied to the S&amp;P 500 rose 0.07%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures added only 0.04%.
This week, investors will focus on the year's last Federal Open Market Committee meeting, during which the central bank officials will decide on the benchmark interest rates.
Participants have priced in a 93.7% chance of a 0.25% cut to a 4.25%-4.50% range, <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">as per</a> the CME Fedwatch tool.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>
Analyst Notes: Amid Bitcoin's strong rally, influential cryptocurrency analyst Ali Martinez sparked concerns about a potential market top.
"Long-term Bitcoin holders often sell near market tops. Interestingly, in 2017 and 2021, their biggest sell-offs occurred right before the final leg-up," Martinez said, drawing parallels with ongoing patterns.
"Could we be on the verge of a similar pattern? Is this the start of a market top?"
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Long-term <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> holders often sell near market tops. Interestingly, in 2017 and 2021, their biggest sell-offs occurred right before the final leg up. Could we be on the verge of a similar pattern? Is this the start of a market top? <a href="https://t.co/3L0cFoNebs">pic.twitter.com/3L0cFoNebs</a>
&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1868455501140521439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Another widely followed market observer, Michaël van de Poppe, predicted the "next wave" for altcoins.
"Yes, it&#8217;s time for a new move and, as the markets tend to move like this, but this move is going to be significantly bigger than the previous one," the analyst remarked.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Altcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Altcoin</a> markets are ready for their next wave. Yes, it&#39;s time for a new move and, as the markets tend to move like this, but this move is going to be significantly bigger than the previous one. Here&#39;s an ideal recipe on how to handle those moves, maximizing returns. The… <a href="https://t.co/bjhuhdJ5Kz">pic.twitter.com/bjhuhdJ5Kz</a>
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1868360673098625106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
In the last 24 hours, Bitcoin dominance dropped by 4% to 55.9%, while the market share of altcoins rose 3.48% to 31.2%.
Read Next:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42470335/if-you-invested-1000-in-xrp-token-when-ashton-kutcher-surprised-ellen-degeneres-with-4m-charity-donation-heres-how-much-youd-have-today">If You Invested $1,000 In XRP Token When Ashton Kutcher Surprised Ellen DeGeneres With $4 Million Charity Donation, Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Today</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Movers

Trading Ideas

Bitcoin Breaks $106K, Ethereum, Dogecoin Rally Ahead Of Key Fed Meet But Top Analyst Triggers Anxiety With This Observation

The week was a rollercoaster ride in the cryptocurrency world. From Peter Schiff&#8217;s advice to President Biden to sell all U.S.-owned Bitcoin, to a bearish turn in the Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) markets, and a potential surge in Dogecoin&#8217;s value, there was no shortage of action. Here&#8217;s a closer look at these stories.
Peter Schiff&#8217;s Advice to Biden
Renowned economist Peter Schiff has urged President Joe Biden to sell all Bitcoin owned by the U.S. before his term ends. Schiff believes this move could help reduce the country&#8217;s growing budget deficit. He shared his advice via a post, calling it the &#8220;one good thing&#8221; Biden could do before making way for a potential Donald Trump presidency.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42404610/peter-schiff-advises-biden-to-do-one-good-thing-before-his-term-ends-sell-all-the-bitcoin-held-by-the-us">Read the full article here.</a>
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Turn Bearish
Despite U.S. Bitcoin ETF inflows nearing $10 billion, cryptocurrency markets were trading lower on Monday. This includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin, all of which turned red.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42399235/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-turn-red-timeline-got-bearish-trader-notes">Read the full article here.</a>
Dogecoin&#8217;s Potential Surge
Popular crypto trader and analyst Ali Martinez has expressed optimism about Dogecoin&#8217;s future. Following a dip in Dogecoin&#8217;s value, Martinez plans to buy more of the meme coin, stating that it&#8217;s still early in the DOGE bull cycle. He predicts that Dogecoin could potentially reach $18 if things &#8220;go wild&#8221;.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42405504/dogecoin-can-touch-18-if-things-go-wild-says-influential-crypto-trader-thankful-for-the-dip-and-will-buy-more">Read the full article here.</a>
Microsoft&#8217;s Bitcoin Proposal
Ripple&#8217;s Stablecoin Approval Ripple Labs secured NYDFS approval for its RLUSD stablecoin, marking a significant milestone in its market expansion. The new stablecoin, pegged to the US dollar, is part of Ripple&#8217;s strategy to capitalize on the growing demand for stablecoins.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42423570/ripple-secures-nydfs-approval-for-rlusd-stablecoin-xrp-price-up-9">Read the full article here.</a>
Bitcoin&#8217;s Next Move
After soaring in 2024 due to several catalysts, including Bitcoin ETFs and more companies acquiring the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin has dipped. As speculation grows about its next move, over 60% of Benzinga readers predict that new all-time highs will be hit next, while others anticipate a further dip to $85,000.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42440369/bitcoins-next-move-105000-or-85000-poll-finds-over-60-say">Read the full article here.</a>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42482064/shiba-inu-burns-13-million-coins-in-24-hours-shib-chart-looks-primed-for-launch-very-soon-says-trader?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shiba Inu Burns 13 Million Coins In 24 Hours: &#8216;SHIB Chart Looks Primed For Launch Very Soon,&#8217; Says Trader</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
 This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/anan-ashraf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anan Ashraf.</a>

MSFT

Schiff's Advice To Biden, Dogecoin's Potential Surge, Microsoft's Bitcoin Proposal, And More: This Week In Crypto

Asset manager VanEck&nbsp;has projected a significant upswing in the cryptocurrency market, anticipating record&nbsp;highs by the end of&nbsp;2025. This prediction outlines expectations for&nbsp;Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)&nbsp;to reach approximately $180,000 and&nbsp;Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)&nbsp;to exceed $6,000.
What Happened: According to&nbsp;Matthew Sigel,&nbsp;head of digital asset research&nbsp;at VanEck, the firm <a href="https://www.vaneck.com/us/en/blogs/digital-assets/matthew-sigel-vanecks-10-crypto-predictions-for-2025/">foresees</a> a 30% retracement in Bitcoin prices before these highs, with altcoins potentially experiencing&nbsp;sharper declines of up to&nbsp;60% during market consolidation in the summer.
VanEck also predicts the U.S.&nbsp;will adopt a Bitcoin strategic&nbsp;reserve in 2025, with regulators approving&nbsp;more crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs),&nbsp;boosting institutional adoption.
This includes new SEC leadership approving multiple spot crypto ETPs, with Ethereum ETPs featuring staking and&nbsp;both Ethereum and Bitcoin ETPs&nbsp;allowing in-kind transactions and redemptions.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42440369/bitcoins-next-move-105000-or-85000-poll-finds-over-60-say?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin&#8217;s Next Move: $105,000 Or $85,000? Poll Finds Over 60% Say…</a>
Why It Matters: The cryptocurrency market has been a focal point for analysts and investors alike, with predictions of significant growth by 2025. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42495703/bitcoins-2025-price-target-set-at-175k-minimum-analyst-predicts">recent analysis</a>&nbsp;highlighted Bitcoin&#8217;s potential to reach a minimum of $175,000, despite market fluctuations. This aligns with&nbsp;VanEck&#8217;s&nbsp;optimistic outlook.
However, the path to these highs may not be smooth. Analyst&nbsp;Michaël van de Poppe&nbsp;warned of potential&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/42127938/bitcoin-analyst-warns-of-4-6-flash-crashes-before-year-end-as-it-inches-closer-to-100k-thats-the-moment-altcoins-shoot-off">flash crashes</a>, suggesting strategic entry points for investors during these dips. This sentiment was echoed in another report indicating that Bitcoin and Ethereum are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42022585/michael-van-de-poppe-says-bitcoin-ethereum-and-altcoins-close-to-the-point-where-investors-can-buy-the-dip">nearing critical buying levels</a>.
Additionally, Bitcoin&#8217;s role in global economic strategies is evolving. At a recent conference, Anthony Pompliano emphasized Bitcoin&#8217;s potential as a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/events/24/12/42484380/bitcoin-isnt-just-a-financial-tool-pompliano-calls-it-a-sovereignty-strategy">sovereignty strategy</a>, highlighting its use as a hedge against sanctions and its growing influence on national financial resilience.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42495680/crypto-analyst-foresees-altcoin-rally-and-sets-crucial-bitcoin-support-level">Crypto Analyst Foresees Altcoin Rally And Sets Crucial Bitcoin Support Level</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Crypto Market Predicted To Surge To All-Time Highs By Late 2025, But A 30% Drop In Bitcoin Prices Could Come First

Bitcoin&#8217;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) price trajectory continues to capture attention as analysts forecast significant gains by 2025. Despite recent market fluctuations, experts maintain a bullish outlook, projecting substantial growth in the coming years.
What Happened: Bitcoin has consistently closed above $95,000 since Nov. 27, indicating robust investor interest. Despite market volatility, an&nbsp;Ernst and Young&nbsp;consultant remains optimistic about Bitcoin&#8217;s 2025 price potential.
Danny Marques, a researcher in the Bitcoin mining sector, shared insights from a study examining Bitcoin&#8217;s past bull cycles. The study analyzed Bitcoin&#8217;s post-halving performance and projected targets using Fibonacci extensions.
Marques noted that Bitcoin historically peaks around certain Fibonacci levels, with the minimum target for each cycle being the 1.618 level.
"During the last 3 cycles, Bitcoin has hit the 1.618 fib EVERY single time, just a fact. So with that in mind, we can deduce that the 1.618 fib for this cycle is a base case target at $173k. This represents a +78% move from current price," he said.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42495680/crypto-analyst-foresees-altcoin-rally-and-sets-crucial-bitcoin-support-level">Crypto Analyst Foresees Altcoin Rally And Sets Crucial Bitcoin Support Level</a>
Assuming stable macroeconomic conditions, Marques anticipates Bitcoin&#8217;s price could range between $173,646 and $461,135 in 2025. This prediction is based on previous cycle patterns and Fibonacci analysis.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Many are curious at what price will <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> top this cycle. Let&#39;s evaluate prior cycle tops to assess &#x1f447; I will start out with my <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> target for 2025, at a minimum: $173,646 Using fibonacci levels to &quot;back-test&quot; the last 3 cycles we can deduce that Bitcoin has topped near the… <a href="https://t.co/WYxTN80bPy">pic.twitter.com/WYxTN80bPy</a>
&mdash; Danny Marques &#x7C; Investing Informant &#x1f4ca;&#x1f4c8; (@Invst_Informant) <a href="https://twitter.com/Invst_Informant/status/1867332649070514333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Meanwhile,&nbsp;On-Chain College, an anonymous Bitcoin analyst, observed that Bitcoin miners are holding onto their BTC more than ever.
The analyst highlighted a significant decrease in miners&#8217; net position change, dropping from 41,000 BTC in January 2021&nbsp;to 3,700 BTC in December. This shift indicates a trend of miners retaining their Bitcoin rather than selling for immediate profit.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Bitcoin Miner Net Position Change TL;DR Miners are diamond handing their BTC. During the big bull run in 2021, we saw miners change their net position by as high as 41K BTC over a month change period. Since the BTC price was 3 to 4 times lower in 2021, we could rationally say… <a href="https://t.co/K3amevqHJR">pic.twitter.com/K3amevqHJR</a>
&mdash; On-Chain College (@OnChainCollege) <a href="https://twitter.com/OnChainCollege/status/1867219866635104578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: The bullish predictions come amid a backdrop of recent market corrections.
Leading cryptocurrency analyst&nbsp;Michaël van de Poppe&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/42127938/bitcoin-analyst-warns-of-4-6-flash-crashes-before-year-end-as-it-inches-closer-to-100k-thats-the-moment-altcoins-shoot-off">warned of potential</a> &#8220;4-6 flash crashes&#8221; as Bitcoin approached $100,000. Despite these anticipated drops, van de Poppe suggested these could offer strategic entry points for investors.
Furthermore, Bitcoin&#8217;s role as a financial tool is evolving. At the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/events/24/12/42484380/bitcoin-isnt-just-a-financial-tool-pompliano-calls-it-a-sovereignty-strategy">Benzinga Future of Digital Assets conference</a>,&nbsp;Anthony Pompliano&nbsp;emphasized Bitcoin&#8217;s potential as a sovereignty strategy.
He highlighted its growing influence in global economic strategies and as a hedge against sanctions, particularly in light of geopolitical events like the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Price Action: Bitcoin is currently trading at $101,789, up 1.58% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42477447/dogecoins-fate-tied-to-bitcoin-not-worth-overly-focusing-on-analyst-says-as-apex-memecoin-mirrors-btcs-pullback?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dogecoin&#8217;s Fate Tied To Bitcoin, Says Crypto Analyst: &#8216;Sit Back And Wait&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image generated using Dall-E

Bitcoin's 2025 Price Target Set At $175K Minimum, Analyst Predicts

Well-known crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe has predicted a potential surge in the altcoin market, following a period of stagnation. The analyst has also identified a critical support level for&nbsp;Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)&nbsp;to maintain its upward trajectory.
What Happened: Van de Poppe suggests the altcoin market is poised for an upswing after hitting a low.
The analyst shared with his 751,700 followers on X that the OTHERS chart, which monitors the market cap of all cryptocurrencies except the top 10 coins and stablecoins, is showing&nbsp;a bullish pattern on the&nbsp;weekly timeframe.
"The altcoin market capitalization (OTHERS) has bottomed out. There is a bullish divergence and a strong move upwards, which suggests that we're likely just making a higher low here. Onwards and upwards," he said.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Altcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Altcoin</a> market capitalization (OTHERS) has bottomed out. There is a bullish divergence and a strong move upwards, which suggests that we&#39;re likely just making a higher low here. Onwards and upwards. <a href="https://t.co/bxu5Mk4XnY">pic.twitter.com/bxu5Mk4XnY</a>
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1867309197840527860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Van de Poppe also forecasts a significant rise for&nbsp;Aptos (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">APT</a>), predicting it will climb over 41% from its current price. He expects APT to reach targets of $17 and $20, with APT currently trading at $14.18, marking a 3% increase in the past day.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42482064/shiba-inu-burns-13-million-coins-in-24-hours-shib-chart-looks-primed-for-launch-very-soon-says-trader?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shiba Inu Burns 13 Million Coins In 24 Hours: &#8216;SHIB Chart Looks Primed For Launch Very Soon,&#8217; Says Trader</a>
Regarding&nbsp;Bitcoin, the analyst emphasizes the importance of maintaining a support level above $98,000 to sustain its upward momentum. BTC is currently valued at $101,170, rebounding from a brief dip into the $99,000 range.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> looks ready to continue moving upwards. It needs to hold above $98K and then we&#39;re good to go. <a href="https://t.co/UOvCJYMWSJ">pic.twitter.com/UOvCJYMWSJ</a>
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1867487121575227468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: In the weeks leading up to this prediction,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/42127938/bitcoin-analyst-warns-of-4-6-flash-crashes-before-year-end-as-it-inches-closer-to-100k-thats-the-moment-altcoins-shoot-off">van de Poppe</a>&nbsp;had warned of potential <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/42127938/bitcoin-analyst-warns-of-4-6-flash-crashes-before-year-end-as-it-inches-closer-to-100k-thats-the-moment-altcoins-shoot-off">&#8220;4-6 flash crashes&#8221;</a> for Bitcoin as it approached the $100,000 mark.
These corrections were expected to cause Bitcoin to drop by 5-10% in a single day, while altcoins could see even larger declines of 20-30%.
Despite these potential setbacks, van de Poppe suggested that these dips could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42022585/michael-van-de-poppe-says-bitcoin-ethereum-and-altcoins-close-to-the-point-where-investors-can-buy-the-dip">serve as strategic entry points</a> for investors, as Bitcoin&#8217;s consolidation might trigger an altcoin rally.
This aligns with the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42389596/xrp-price-surges-328-in-a-month-outpaces-bitcoin-ethereum-how-high-can-xrp-go">recent surge</a> in XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>), which has outperformed Bitcoin and Ethereum, driven by favorable legal developments.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42446237/xrp-price-explodes-20-to-2-43-after-ripple-receives-rlusd-stablecoin-approval?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">XRP Price Explodes 20% To $2.43 After Ripple Receives RLUSD Stablecoin Approval</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

$APT

$XRP

Crypto Analyst Foresees Altcoin Rally And Sets Crucial Bitcoin Support Level

The much-awaited reconstitution of the Nasdaq 100 index has taken place, resulting in the addition of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) proxy MicroStrategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), and Axon Enterprise Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXON#NASDAQ">AXON</a>).
This change will take effect before the market opens on Dec. 23, 2024.
What Happened:&nbsp;Nasdaq&nbsp;announced on Saturday the results of its&nbsp;annual reconstitution of the Nasdaq-100&nbsp;Index.
The Nasdaq-100 Index, a benchmark for non-financial companies on the Nasdaq, was launched in January 1985. It serves as a basis for financial products like&nbsp;options, futures, and funds.
The&nbsp;annual reconstitution aligns&nbsp;with the quadruple witch expiration&nbsp;Friday of the quarter, a strategic timing for the index.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42477447/dogecoins-fate-tied-to-bitcoin-not-worth-overly-focusing-on-analyst-says-as-apex-memecoin-mirrors-btcs-pullback?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dogecoin&#8217;s Fate Tied To Bitcoin, Says Crypto Analyst: &#8216;Sit Back And Wait&#8217;</a>
As a result of this reconstitution,&nbsp;three companies will be removed&nbsp;from the index:&nbsp;Illumina, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ILMN#NASDAQ">ILMN</a>),&nbsp;Super Micro Computer, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), and&nbsp;Moderna, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRNA#NASDAQ">MRNA</a>).
The Nasdaq-100 Index is integral to the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which seeks to mirror the index&#8217;s performance. Options, futures, and structured products based on the Nasdaq-100 Index and the Invesco QQQ Trust are traded on various exchanges.
Why It Matters: The inclusion of&nbsp;MicroStrategy&nbsp;in the Nasdaq-100 could significantly boost its visibility and attract fresh inflows from major ETFs like QQQ.
Analysts at Bernstein have suggested that this move, combined with MicroStrategy&#8217;s aggressive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42433049/microstrategy-nasdaq-100-inclusion-on-the-horizon-could-spell-59-upside-says-bernstein">Bitcoin acquisition strategy</a>, could lead to a 59% upside for the company, with a target price of $600.
Meanwhile,&nbsp;Palantir&nbsp;is positioned to become &#8220;the next Oracle&#8221; in 2025, according to Wedbush Securities' Dan Ives. The company&#8217;s AI platform is seen as a transformative force in enterprise operations, with significant results already demonstrated through its Warp Speed manufacturing operating system.
This development could further enhance Palantir&#8217;s standing in both government and commercial sectors, as highlighted in Ives&#8217;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42453057/palantir-positioned-to-become-the-next-oracle-in-2025-says-dan-ives-messi-of-ai-set-for-breakout-year">annual sector outlook</a>.
On the other hand,&nbsp;Super Micro Computer&nbsp;finds itself removed from the index, despite benefiting from the surging demand for AI infrastructure. The company faced challenges due to a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42445956/smci-teeters-on-edge-of-nasdaq-100-is-friday-d-day-for-super-micro">recent auditing scandal</a>, which significantly impacted its market capitalization.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42452955/shiba-inu-poised-for-180-upside-says-analyst-hodlers-keep-selling?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shiba Inu Poised For 180% Upside, Says Analyst — HODLers Keep Selling</a></li>
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

MicroStrategy, Palantir, Axon Added To Nasdaq 100: Super Micro Computer, Moderna, Illumina Exit The Index

Legendary Wall Street investor Warren Buffett's anti-cryptocurrency stance doesn't need an introduction, and the "Oracle of Omaha" has consistently professed a complete lack of interest in the asset class.&nbsp;
Even the launch of the hugely popular spot exchange-traded funds linked to Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) couldn't sway Buffett's opinion.
However, you might be surprised to learn that his firm, Berkshire Hathaway, has made significant investments in a lesser-known cryptocurrency-friendly firm.
What happened: Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NU#NYSE">NU</a>), a Brazil-based holding company providing digital banking services, fares on the list of Berkshire Hathaway's acquisitions.
The bank launched its cryptocurrency arm, Nubank Cripto, in 2022, allowing customers to send and receive cryptocurrency assets directly from their wallets.
The platform initially started with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Polygon (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/matic/usd">MATIC</a>), which later expanded to include coins such as Uniswap (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/uni/usd">UNI</a>) and Chainlink (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/link/usd">LINK</a>). Users can also convert their cryptocurrencies to stablecoins like USD Coin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">USDC</a>).
According to the company&#8217;s latest 13F <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067983/000095012324011775/0000950123-24-011775-index.htm">filing</a>, Berkshire Hathaway held 86,438,997 shares of Nu Holdings, translating to a market value of&nbsp; $1.17 billion.
Over the last year, the stock has grown 40.23%, and more than 47% since 2024 began.&nbsp;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42452819/trump-backed-world-liberty-financial-bags-10m-in-ethereum-whats-going-on">Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial Bags $10M In Ethereum: What&#8217;s Going On?</a>
Why It Matters: While one could argue that Buffett invested in a firm whose core business wasn't tied around cryptocurrencies, the choice nonetheless provided an interesting contrast to his typically negative views on the asset.
Well, fair warning. Buffett's views might not be music to your ears if you are a cryptocurrency aficionado.
"In terms of cryptocurrencies generally, I can say almost with certainty that they will come to a bad ending,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42184221/warren-buffett-once-predicted-a-bad-ending-for-crypto-since-then-the-sectors-market-cap-has-quadrupled-riding-on-the-bitcoin-dogecoin-waves">said</a> back in 2018.
During Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting in 2018, Buffett <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/24/03/37513063/warren-buffett-says-he-wouldnt-pay-25-for-all-the-bitcoin-in-the-world-he-considers-crypto-rat-poiso">described </a>Bitcoin as &#8220;probably rat poison squared.&#8221;
Price Action: Nu Holdings stock closed 2.20% lower at $11.99 during Thursday&#8217;s regular session, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

$LINK

$MATIC

$UNI

$USDC

Do You Know Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Has Positions In This Lesser-Known Crypto-Friendly Bank? Here's How The Stock Has Performed This Year

Crusoe, a vertically integrated <a href="Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.">artificial intelligence infrastructure provider</a>, secured $600 million in Series D funding led by Peter Thiel&#8216;s Founders Fund, valuing the company at $2.8 billion. The round included participation from Fidelity, NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), and other investors, the company announced on Thursday.
What Happened: The investment marks Founders Fund&#8217;s latest significant technology bet, following its recent $200 million cryptocurrency investment split between Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39936042/peter-thiel-founders-fund-lead-11m-investment-in-pudgy-penguins-parent-company-excited-to-">earlier this year</a>.
&#8220;The biggest risk with AI is that we don&#8217;t go big enough. Crusoe is here to liberate us from the island of limited ambition,&#8221; Thiel said in a statement.
Crusoe, founded in 2018, differentiates itself by using waste <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/10/41616040/peter-thiels-founders-fund-leads-500m-fundraise-in-waste-gas-powered-ai-cloud-start-up">natural gas from oilfields</a> to power its data centers, addressing both environmental concerns and the growing demand for AI computing resources. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42476184/jeff-van-drew-calls-out-pentagon-for-hiding-information-about-mysterious-new-jersey-drones-national-security-crisis-we-cannot-ignore">Jeff Van Drew Calls Out Pentagon For Hiding Information About Mysterious New Jersey Drones: &#8216;National Security Crisis We Cannot Ignore&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The company recently announced plans for a new data center in Abilene, Texas, projected to add $1 billion to the local economy over 20 years and create more than 800 jobs. The facility will feature over 1.2 gigawatts of capacity, making it one of the world&#8217;s largest high-performance computing clusters.
Crusoe CEO Chase Lochmiller said, &#8220;To reduce complexity, accelerate time-to-value, and support the most demanding AI solutions, customers need a vertically integrated approach.&#8221;
The funding announcement coincides with the general availability launch of Crusoe Cloud, the company&#8217;s high-performance cloud platform designed for AI and machine learning workloads. Customer count grew more than sevenfold in the past year, according to company data.
Founders Fund&#8217;s portfolio includes both past and current investments in notable companies such as SpaceX, Palantir, Stripe, Neuralink, OpenAI, The Boring Company, and Polymarket.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/12/42454797/jeff-bezoss-leadership-style-at-amazon-former-vp-reveals-how-founders-disagree-and-commit-philosophy-drove-24-trillion-valuation">Jeff Bezos Prefers Confrontation Over Quick Compromises, Reveals Former VP, Says &#8216;Disagree And Commit&#8217; Philosophy Led To Amazon&#8217;s Growth</a></li>
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Image via Wikimedia Commons
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Startups

Tech

NVDA

Peter Thiel Says, 'The Biggest Risk With AI Is That We Don't Go Big Enough' As His Founders Fund Leads $600 Million Crusoe Investment

Bitcoin gave up early gains, but Ethereum was on the move on Thursday as fresh inflation data slashed expectations of interest rate cuts.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>-0.59%</td>
<td>$100,315.71</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+1.89%</td>
<td>$3,900.97</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-0.80%</td>
<td>$0.4088</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: Bitcoin soared to $102,250 in early trading after President-elect Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42466189/trump-talks-stocks-bitcoin-ai-economy-with-jim-cramer-youre-going-to-see-some-very-good-days-ahead">shared positive thoughts</a> on the cryptocurrency after ringing the New York Stock Exchange opening bell.&nbsp;
However, profit-takers took control as the digital asset reversed direction, plunging below $99,000 in the next two hours.
Ethereum maintained a healthier trajectory, rising to an intraday high of $3,986 before a pullback to $3,837.
Total cryptocurrency liquidations exceeded $318 million in the last 24 hours, with nearly $200 million in upside bets getting erased.
Bitcoin's Open Interest rose by 1.36% in the last 24 hours. A rise in OI, coinciding with a price drop, indicated an increase in short positions.
The Long/Short Ratio lent credence to this narrative, as downside bets surpassed bullish bets over the last 24 hours.
Market sentiment cooled from 83 to 76, as per the Cryptocurrency Fear &amp; Greed Index, although the "Extreme Greed" mood remained dominant.
Top Gainers (24-Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aave (AAVE)</td>
<td>+21.61%</td>
<td>$367.57</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chainlink (LINK)</td>
<td>+20.96%</td>
<td>$29.13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lido DAO (LDO)</td>
<td>+18.04%</td>
<td>$2.25</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.6 trillion, following a marginal contraction of 0.24% over the last 24 hours.
Stocks tumbled on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 234.44 points, or 0.53%, to close at 43,914.12. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.54%, ending at 6,051.25, while the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite came down 0.66% from its record close Wednesday, closing the session at 19,902.84.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/treasuries/24/12/42460477/producer-inflation-rises-more-than-expected-to-3-in-november-cast-shadow-on-further-disinflation-progress">Hotter-than-expected wholesale inflation data</a> preceded the decline, as the producer price index rose 0.4% in November, higher than the forecasted figure of 0.2%.
This follows the consumer price index data released a day earlier that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42436676/inflation-rises-as-expected-in-november-sustain-hopes-for-next-weeks-fed-interest-rate-cut">matched analyst's expectations</a>
Traders priced in a 96.4% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut in next week's Federal Reserve, down from 97% a day before, per <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">CME FedWatch</a> data.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>
Analyst Notes: Chris Kline, COO &amp; Co-Founder at BitcoinIRA, said in a note to Benzinga, "Price volatility continues to be a significant factor in market discovery, with the Consumer Price Index not decelerating as rapidly as anticipated, which is negatively impacting dollar strength."
"Additionally, Microstrategy&#8217;s strategic move to the Nasdaq 100 is expected to generate substantial investment inflows as well as the Trump Administration's bullish sentiment on crypto and the appointment of pro-crypto cabinet members," Kline added.&nbsp;
Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader Michaël van de Poppe noted that altcoin market capitalization has bottomed out.
"There is a bullish divergence and a strong move upwards, which suggests that we&#8217;re likely just making a higher low here. Onwards and upwards," he projected.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Altcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Altcoin</a> market capitalization (OTHERS) has bottomed out. There is a bullish divergence and a strong move upwards, which suggests that we&#39;re likely just making a higher low here. Onwards and upwards. <a href="https://t.co/bxu5Mk4XnY">pic.twitter.com/bxu5Mk4XnY</a>
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1867309197840527860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Photo by SvetlanaParnikova on Shutterstock
Read Next:    
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42470335/if-you-invested-1000-in-xrp-token-when-ashton-kutcher-surprised-ellen-degeneres-with-4m-charity-donation-heres-how-much-youd-have-today">If You Invested $1,000 In XRP Token When Ashton Kutcher Surprised Ellen DeGeneres With $4 Million Charity Donation, Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Today</a></li>
</ul>

Bitcoin, Dogecoin Slide, Ethereum Gains Amid Hotter-Than-Expected Inflation Data: Top Analyst Says Its 'Onwards And Upwards' For Altcoins

Risk sentiment soured on Thursday following hotter-than-expected producer inflation data, which dampened optimism for aggressive interest rate cuts in 2025. Adding to the uncertainty, an unexpected rise in jobless claims cast doubt on the resilience <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42467265/stocks-fall-as-producer-inflation-spikes-jobless-claims-jump-what-is-happening-here">of the U.S. labor market.</a>
Major U.S. stock indices were in the red during midday trading in New York. The Nasdaq 100 slipped 0.4%, retreating from its record highs reached in the previous session, while small caps underperformed as the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) dropped 1%.
The Producer Price Index surged to 3% year-over-year in November, its highest level since February 2023, outpacing both forecasts and the upwardly revised 2.6% from October. On the labor front, weekly jobless claims rose by 17,000 to 242,000, exceeding consensus estimates of 220,000.
Treasury yields ticked higher, with the 10-year benchmark yield climbing 4 basis points to 4.31%, as investors placed greater emphasis on the robust inflation reading. However, expectations for a 25-basis-point rate cut at the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting remained intact, with Fed futures pricing in a 98% probability.
In currency markets, the U.S. Dollar Index, as measured by the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>), edged up 0.1%, while gold prices slid more than 1%.
Natural gas prices soared nearly 5%, reaching levels not seen since late October 2023, after a steep storage draw fueled buying momentum.
In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) traded modestly higher, up 0.3% to $101,500, while Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) gained 3.1%.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>6,073.41</td>
<td>-0.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>44,020.82</td>
<td>-0.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>21,687.46</td>
<td>-0.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,371.79</td>
<td>-0.9%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 1:15 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent121224&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:
<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) eased 0.1% to $606.65.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;fell 0.2% to $441.69.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) edged 0.2% down to $528.71.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) fell 0.9% to $235.90.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLP#NYSE">XLP</a>) outperformed, up by 0.5%; the&nbsp;Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLV#NYSE">XLV</a>) lagged, down 0.5%.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h2>
<ul>
<li>Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>) tumbled by over 12%, despite beating Street&#8217;s profit and revenue estimates last quarter, as the company lowered guidance for the first quarter of 2025. </li>
<li>Nordson Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NDSN#NASDAQ">NDSN</a>) tumbled 9%, while Ciena Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIEN#NYSE">CIEN</a>) rose 16% in reaction to earnings.</li>
<li>Major companies slated to report earnings after the close include Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) and Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COST#NASDAQ">COST</a>).</li>
</ul>
Read now: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42466189/trump-talks-stocks-bitcoin-ai-economy-with-jim-cramer-youre-going-to-see-some-very-good-days-ahead">Trump Talks Stocks, Bitcoin, AI, Economy With Jim Cramer: &#8216;You&#8217;re Going To See Some Very Good Days Ahead&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Sector ETFs

Bonds

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Commodities

Econ #s

ETFs

ADBE

CIEN

COST

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

NDSN

PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund

Stocks Slip On Hot Inflation Data, Adobe Tumbles, Natural Gas Hits 1-Year High: What's Driving Markets Thursday?

Japan-based cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck started trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange Wednesday following a strategic merger with a special purpose acquisition company.
What happened: Coincheck Group N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNCK#NASDAQ">CNCK</a>), the holding company of the Tokyo-headquartered firm, merged with Thunder Bridge Capital Partners IV, allowing its shares to trade under the ticker &#8220;CNCK,&#8221; according to a press release.
"We are incredibly proud and excited to become a Nasdaq-listed company and for what the future holds for the Coincheck group companies and our shareholders," said Oki Matsumoto, Coincheck's Executive Chairman.
To mark the occasion, Matsumoto rang the opening bell. Shares of Coincheck were up 0.22% in after-hours trading to $13.38.&nbsp;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42382883/ark-invests-cathie-wood-hails-bitcoins-100k-climb-as-a-big-deal-labels-apex-crypto-as-gold-substitute-and-emerging-reserve-currency">Ark Invest&#8217;s Cathie Wood Hails Bitcoin&#8217;s $100K Climb As A &#8216;Big Deal,&#8217; Labels Apex Crypto As Gold Substitute And Emerging Reserve Currency</a>
Why It Matters: Coincheck is one of Japan's biggest cryptocurrency exchanges, recognized as the country's most-downloaded trading app for five consecutive years. It supported trading in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), and Litecoin (CRYPTO: LTE) among others.
With the debut, Coincheck became only the second publicly-listed company on Nasdaq with cryptocurrency trading as its core business, after Coinbase.
Photo Courtesy: Piotr Swat on Shutterstock.com
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42405504/dogecoin-can-touch-18-if-things-go-wild-says-influential-crypto-trader-thankful-for-the-dip-and-will-buy-more">Dogecoin Can Touch $18 If Things &#8216;Go Wild,&#8217; Says Influential Crypto Trader: &#8216;Thankful For The Dip And Will Buy More&#8217;</a></li>
<li></li>
</ul>

CNCK

Japan's Coincheck Crypto Exchange Enters Wall Street With Nasdaq Listing

Leading cryptocurrencies rallied Wednesday after in-line inflation data boosted expectations of monetary easing by the Federal Reserve.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>+5.03%</td>
<td>$100,927.86</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+6.42%</td>
<td>$3,828.77</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+6.38%</td>
<td>$0.4121</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: Following a minor pullback, Bitcoin reclaimed the $100,000 mark, while Ethereum returned to the $3,800 territory.
Bitcoin's upswing catalyzed the rest of the market, as the altcoin dominance increased by 4.41% over the last 24 hours.
Cryptocurrency liquidations surpassed $240 million in the last 24 hours, with $154 million in leveraged shorts getting wiped out.
Over $400 million in shorts risked liquidation on Binance if Bitcoin rises to $104,000.
Bitcoin's Open Interest surged by 4.90% in the last 24 hours. Interestingly, the number of traders shorting the asset rose dramatically in the last 24 hours, implying a greater expectation of another dip.
Market sentiment returned to the "Extreme Greed" zone, as per the Cryptocurrency Fear &amp; Greed Index, lending credence to the pullback narrative.
Top Gainers (24-Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT)</td>
<td>+27.97%</td>
<td>$1.32</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)</td>
<td>+22.87%</td>
<td>$1.92</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sui (SUI)</td>
<td>+21.35%</td>
<td>$4.47</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.61 trillion, surging&nbsp; 5.02% over the last 24 hours.
The stock market rebounded sharply after consecutive days of losses. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.77% to close at a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42452127/nasdaq-breaks-20000-milestone-as-tech-rally-rate-cut-hopes-fuel-market-optimism">record high</a> of 20,034.89. The S&amp;P 500 rallied 0.82%, ending at 6,084.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, closed another day in the red, slipping 0.22% to 44,148.56.
The tech rally was supported by electric vehicle giant Tesla Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) stock hitting all-time highs after a 5.93% spike.
Additionally, November's Consumer Price Index <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42436676/inflation-rises-as-expected-in-november-sustain-hopes-for-next-weeks-fed-interest-rate-cut">matched analyst's expectations</a>, prompting traders to <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">raise </a>the likelihood of a 25 basis point rate cut in next week's Federal Reserve meeting to 98.6% from 88.9% a day before, per CME FedWatch data.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>
Analyst Notes: Popular cryptocurrency analyst and trader Michaël van de Poppe stated that Bitcoin was headed to new all-time highs in the coming days if it managed to stay above the $97,844 resistance level.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Let&#39;s do some TA on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a>. It broke through a crucial area yesterday. If it holds above that resistance level, likely we&#39;ll see a new ATH in the coming days. We&#39;re back in $100k+ territory. <a href="https://t.co/eiK45s5aNi">pic.twitter.com/eiK45s5aNi</a>
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1866915100935770325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Another widely followed analyst, known by their pseudonym venturefounder, predicted Ethereum to hit $4,900 "very soon" as it reclaimed the $3,800 level as support.
The analyst also set price targets of $5,349, $6,457, and $7,238 by the first quarter of 2025.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> weekly candle not done yet, we are back to $3,800 support level. It took <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ethereum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ethereum</a> 2 years to complete this cup and handle, and you think it will be shaken out like this? $4,900 very soon. Then it gets explosive, PT are: $5,349 $6,457 $7,238 All this by Q1 2025 the… <a href="https://t.co/9jdbe95uvU">pic.twitter.com/9jdbe95uvU</a>
&mdash; venturefounder (@venturefounder) <a href="https://twitter.com/venturefounder/status/1866867327192412544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Photo by CMP_NZ on Shutterstock
Read Next:    
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42430918/italy-backpedals-on-controversial-tax-hike-on-crypto-capital-gains-following-industry-opposition-no-more-prejudices">Italy Backpedals On Controversial Tax Hike On Crypto Capital Gains Following Industry Opposition: &#8216;No More Prejudices&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Spike After Inflation Data Matches Expectations: Top Analyst Foresees New BTC ATH If It Stays Above This Level

Amid ongoing banking challenges, the cryptocurrency industry is hopeful that&nbsp;Donald Trump&#8216;s recent election victory could pave the way for improved banking relations. This optimism stems from Trump&#8217;s promises to establish a national Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) reserve and a regulatory council.
What Happened: The crypto sector has faced significant hurdles in securing banking partners since the collapse of&nbsp;FTX&nbsp;and other firms in 2022, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/crypto-banks-relationship-trump-administration-414ff706">reported</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday. Many banks have distanced themselves from crypto companies, exacerbated by regulatory warnings and lawsuits against firms like&nbsp;Coinbase (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>),&nbsp;Kraken, and&nbsp;Binance (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/bnb/usd">BNB</a>). 
Trump&#8217;s recent announcement of venture capitalist&nbsp;David Sacks&nbsp;as the White House crypto czar has sparked hope for policy changes. Sacks has emphasized the need to address banking issues on X, formerly known as Twitter. Despite these developments, banks continue to close accounts of crypto firms, according to industry insiders.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42406893/bill-gates-could-go-bankrupt-if-tesla-stock-surges-200-to-become-the-top-company-says-elon-musk?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bill Gates Could Go Bankrupt If Tesla Stock Surges 200% To Become The Top Company, Says Elon Musk</a>
Nic Carter&nbsp;of Castle Island Ventures described the ongoing challenges in finding banking partners.
"Banking crypto is still a poisoned chalice today," Carter said. "They do not want the Eye of Sauron descending upon them"—referring to the villain in "The Lord of the Rings&#8221; series.
The involvement of Trump allies like&nbsp;Marc Andreessen&nbsp;and&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;has&nbsp;brought renewed attention to these issues, with many crypto founders sharing their banking struggles. Congressional committees are now investigating banking access, with bipartisan support for legal businesses to have financial services. However, banks remain cautious due to crypto&#8217;s volatility and fraud risks, awaiting potential government guidance changes.
Why It Matters: The election of Donald Trump has already had a significant impact on the cryptocurrency market. According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42394913/bitcoin-saw-historic-rally-in-november-thanks-to-trump-win-says-jpmorgan">JPMorgan report</a>, November saw a historic rally in the crypto market, fueled by political developments and increased investor sentiment following Trump&#8217;s win. This rally positively affected tokens, decentralized finance projects, stablecoins, and publicly traded companies tied to cryptocurrencies.
Furthermore, Trump&#8217;s potential return to the White House could usher in a new era of cryptocurrency-friendly policies. Trump has expressed interest in<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42422705/donald-trump-would-welcome-150000-bitcoin-early-in-presidency-its-another-stock-market-for-him"> boosting market metrics</a>, including cryptocurrencies, and has even taken credit for Bitcoin&#8217;s recent price surge. His administration&#8217;s focus on these areas could lead to significant changes in the crypto industry&#8217;s relationship with banks.
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42380768/quantum-computing-stocks-roundup-d-wave-rigetti-ionq-lead-the-charge-with-explosive-growth?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quantum Computing Stocks Roundup: D-Wave, Rigetti, IonQ Lead the Charge With Explosive Growth</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

$BNB

COIN

Trump Would Bridge The Gap Between Cryptocurrency And Banks, VCs Hope: 'Still A Poisoned Chalice Today'

Billionaire entrepreneur and popular television personality Mark Cuban, while known for his investments in top cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), has not shied away from parking his money in lesser-hyped coins.
What happened: During an Ask Me Anything session on X back in January, the popular &#8220;shark&#8221; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/01/36835819/mark-cubans-crypto-ama-dallas-mavericks-say-yes-to-doge-printer-go-brrr-his-crypto-holding">revealed</a> that Polygon (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/matic/usd">MATIC</a>), now rebranded to POL, and Injective (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/inj/usd">INJ</a>) were his favorite cryptocurrency projects outside of Bitcoin and Ethereum.
"I'm an investor in both. DYOR," Cuban said, adding the standard disclaimer.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42382883/ark-invests-cathie-wood-hails-bitcoins-100k-climb-as-a-big-deal-labels-apex-crypto-as-gold-substitute-and-emerging-reserve-currency">Ark Invest&#8217;s Cathie Wood Hails Bitcoin&#8217;s $100K Climb As A &#8216;Big Deal,&#8217; Labels Apex Crypto As Gold Substitute And Emerging Reserve Currency</a>
The POL token serves as the utility token of the Polygon network, a Layer 2 scaling solution that works with the Ethereum blockchain to speed up transactions and reduce costs.
INJ, on the other hand, is the native token of Injective, a blockchain specializing in building decentralized finance applications.
Interestingly, since Cuban's disclosure, POL has plunged 26%, while INJ has fallen 25%.
Cuban appeared to have exited his investments in the two tokens and holds none as of this writing, per on-chain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence, which <a href="https://intel.arkm.com/explorer/entity/mark-cuban">tracks </a>the wallet movements of notable individuals.&nbsp;
That said, Cuban does hold 284.75 Wrapped Matic (WMATIC), a DeFi-compatible version of MATIC.
Why It Matters: Cuban bet big on cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>), integrating it with his businesses.
During his tenure as the principal owner of the professional basketball team Dallas Mavericks, he<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/01/36835819/mark-cubans-crypto-ama-dallas-mavericks-say-yes-to-doge-printer-go-brrr-his-crypto-holding"> started accepting Dogecoin as payment</a> for tickets and merchandise.
The Mavericks saw <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/09/41105426/if-you-invested-1-000-in-dogecoin-when-mark-cuban-and-the-dallas-mavericks-welcomed-the-me">$122,000 recognized in Dogecoin sales</a> over its first month and set several 24-hour records with strong demand for using the meme coin toward merchandise.
Cuban also showered praise on Ethereum, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39835612/if-you-invested-1-000-in-ethereum-when-mark-cuban-called-it-closest-we-have-to-a-true-curr">deeming</a> it the &#8220;closest" to a true currency.
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42405504/dogecoin-can-touch-18-if-things-go-wild-says-influential-crypto-trader-thankful-for-the-dip-and-will-buy-more">Dogecoin Can Touch $18 If Things &#8216;Go Wild,&#8217; Says Influential Crypto Trader: &#8216;Thankful For The Dip And Will Buy More&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

$INJ

Mark Cuban Once Called These Lesser-Known Cryptos His 'Favorite' Outside Of Bitcoin And Ethereum — Here's How They've Fared Since The Shark's Disclosure

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GS#NYSE">GS</a>) CEO David Solomon said on Tuesday that the investment banking giant might explore becoming a spot market maker for leading cryptocurrencies if more regulatory clarity is provided.
What happened: At the Reuters NEXT event, Solomon stated that the firm's ability to participate in spot trading for Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) was "extremely limited" from a regulatory point of view.
"You have to ask regulators because, at the moment, as a regulated banking institution, and I think you know this, we&#8217;re not allowed to own a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin as a principal," the CEO said.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Live: Reuters NEXT day one — Reuters journalists speak to global policymakers, business leaders a…" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VTf5_yiQ39Y?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
</figure>
Solomon acknowledged the broader sentiment that the regulatory framework vis-à-vis digital assets might evolve in the incoming Donald Trump administration but added that it's still "unclear" as to how it'd evolve.
However, he said that if the regulatory framework changes, the firm would "evaluate" making markets in Bitcoin and Ethereum.
&#8220;If, from a regulatory perspective, we were allowed to interact in these assets, we have a pretty big infrastructure."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42382883/ark-invests-cathie-wood-hails-bitcoins-100k-climb-as-a-big-deal-labels-apex-crypto-as-gold-substitute-and-emerging-reserve-currency">Ark Invest&#8217;s Cathie Wood Hails Bitcoin&#8217;s $100K Climb As A &#8216;Big Deal,&#8217; Labels Apex Crypto As Gold Substitute And Emerging Reserve Currency</a>
Why It Matters: Goldman Sachs began <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42029764/global-banks-jp-morgan-goldman-sachs-add-to-bitcoin-ethere-etf-positions-in-q3-morgan-stanley-increases-microstrategy-stake-to-16b">investing in spot exchange-traded funds </a>tied to Bitcoin and Ethereum this year, with the latest 13F filing revealing significant positions.&nbsp;
The bank disclosed $710 million invested across multiple Bitcoin ETFs, with a stake of 12.7 million shares valued at $461 million in iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBIT#NASDAQ">IBIT</a>).&nbsp;
It also holds $25.16 million in Ethereum ETFs, split between Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ETH#NYSE">ETH</a>) and Fidelity Ethereum Fund (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FETH#BATS">FETH</a>).
The firm was also betting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42047066/goldman-sachs-to-spin-out-digital-assets-platform-amid-blockchain-push">big on its blockchain business</a>, planning to spin out its digital assets platform into an independent company within the next 12 to 18 months.
Price Action: Shares of Goldman Sachs were up 0.19% in after-hours trading after closing down 1.53% during Tuesday's regular session, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42405504/dogecoin-can-touch-18-if-things-go-wild-says-influential-crypto-trader-thankful-for-the-dip-and-will-buy-more">Dogecoin Can Touch $18 If Things &#8216;Go Wild,&#8217; Says Influential Crypto Trader: &#8216;Thankful For The Dip And Will Buy More&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

Fidelity Ethereum Fund Fidelity Ethereum Fund

FETH

IBIT

Goldman Sachs CEO Says Bank Can Consider Bitcoin, Ethereum Spot Trading If Regulations Allow

The U.S. stock market lacked direction on Tuesday morning as investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of Wednesday&#8217;s release of November inflation data, a critical report that could influence the Federal Reserve&#8217;s decision on a potential interest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/interest-rates">rate cut next week.</a>
Large-cap indices hovered near unchanged levels, while small caps slightly outperformed, with the Russell 2000 up 0.3%. 
Notable strength was seen in discretionary and communication services, buoyed by impressive gains in Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>).
Tesla shares surged 4.7%, bringing the electric vehicle maker within striking distance of its all-time high set in November 2021. Alphabet Inc. rallied 4.9% after the tech giant announced the launch of its Willow quantum chip, which boasts an impressive 105 qubits. 
While some major tech names rallied, the broader tech sector faced headwinds, particularly semiconductors, which were weighed down by weaker-than-expected earnings, disappointing Chinese trade data and lingering concerns over U.S. trade restrictions and tariffs.
The broader iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NASDAQ">SOXX</a>) fell 2.1%, eyeing its worst day since mid November. 
The cryptocurrency market took a negative turn, with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) falling 2.8% to trade below $95,000. This followed a 3.7% decline on Monday, signaling mounting pressure in the digital asset space. 
Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) plummeted 3.7% after a 7.3% drop on Monday. 
Commodities broadly gained. Gold prices rallied 1.3% as investors sought safe-haven assets, while crude oil gained 0.9%. 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,399.04</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>21,431.79</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>6,049.48</td>
<td>-0.1 %</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>44,366.30</td>
<td>-0.1%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 1:20 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent120224&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:
<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) flattened at $604.29.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;held steady at $444.91.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) inched 0.1% lower to $522.16.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) rose 0.3% to $238.38.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLC#NYSE">XLC</a>) outperformed, rising 1.6%; the&nbsp;Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLRE#NYSE">XLRE</a>) lagged, down 1.3%.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Boeing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) saw its stock rise 5.6% after resuming 737 MAX production with 33,000 workers and plans to build 38 planes monthly to fulfill over 4,200 orders. </li>
<li>Oracle Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) fell nearly 8% after slightly missing Street&#8217;s earnings and revenue estimates last quarter. </li>
<li>Other stocks reacting to earnings reports included MongoDB Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MDB#NASDAQ">MDB</a>), down over 15%, Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TOL#NYSE">TOL</a>), down 6%, AutoZone Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AZO#NYSE">AZO</a>), up 1.9% and Ferguson Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FERG#NYSE">FERG</a>), down 9%. </li>
<li>Gamestop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) was 1.7% lower before its third-quarter earnings report, which is scheduled for after the close.</li>
<li>Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WBA#NASDAQ">WBA</a>) is negotiating a $7.5 billion sale to Sycamore Partners, sending shares up 27% to $11.20.</li>
</ul>
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Wall Street Struggles For Direction, Tesla Flirts With Record Highs, Bitcoin Tumbles Below $95,000: What's Driving Markets Tuesday?

Leading cryptocurrencies slipped in overnight trading on Sunday after Bitcoin recorded its first-ever weekly close above $100,000.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:45 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>-0.49%</td>
<td>$99,600.82</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-1.15%</td>
<td>$3,959.94</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-1.21%</td>
<td>$0.4582</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: The world&#8217;s largest cryptocurrency rallied sharply during the evening, pushing above $101,000 before plunging below $100,000 overnight.&nbsp;
Ethereum also touched $4,000 before making a U-turn toward the $3,900 zone.
Bitcoin and Ethereum recorded declines in their market dominance, with the apex cryptocurrency's share dropping by as much as 4.45% in the last 24 hours. 
Cryptocurrency liquidations exceeded $222 million in the last 24 hours, with $149 million in leveraged long bets getting erased.
Bitcoin's Open Interest (OI) rose marginally by 0.26%. An increase in OI, coming alongside a fall in spot price, could indicate the addition of more short positions, typically seen as a bearish signal.
Indeed, the number of traders betting against Bitcoin surged as the Long/Short Ratio dipped from above 1 to 0.82 in the last 24 hours.
The market sentiment remained in the "Extreme Greed" region, per the Cryptocurrency Fear &amp; Greed Index.
Top Gainers (24-Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:45 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Monero (XMR)</td>
<td>+9.07%</td>
<td>$219.91</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>dYdX (DYDX)</td>
<td>+7.19%</td>
<td>$2.61</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pep (PEPE)</td>
<td>+6.96%</td>
<td>$0.00002618</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.69 trillion, following a marginal increase of 0.88% in the last 24 hours.
Stock futures were flat Sunday overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures was down 2 points at 7:50 a.m.&nbsp; Futures tied to the S&amp;P 500 dipped 25 points, while the Nasdaq 100 Futures slid just 0.03%.
Major averages like the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite recorded winning runs last week, gaining 0.83% and 2.59%, respectively, bolstered by a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42363278/us-economy-adds-227000-jobs-in-november-wage-growth-accelerates">stronger-than-expected rebound in employment data</a> for November.
This week, investors will stay focused on the November consumer price index data, slated for release on Wednesday.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>
Analyst Notes: Well-known cryptocurrency analyst Rekt Capital highlighted a "momentous" occasion for Bitcoin as it recorded its first-ever weekly close above $100,000.
Van de Poppe urged his followers to hold on to their positions and buy dips.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BTC</a> Momentous occasion for Bitcoin as it performs its first Daily Close above $100k ever Technically, the retest of $100k is now underway But this retest is so volatile that it is also a third consecutive retest of the major Daily resistance (red)<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crypto?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crypto</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://t.co/bavh2vbGJT">https://t.co/bavh2vbGJT</a> <a href="https://t.co/dItlJj49En">pic.twitter.com/dItlJj49En</a>
&mdash; Rekt Capital (@rektcapital) <a href="https://twitter.com/rektcapital/status/1865925532589736059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst Mikybull Crypto noted Ethereum's upside breakout from a months-long range, predicting a move to $6,000 before a potential retest.
"The next phase of #ALTSEASON will follow afterward," the analyst remarked.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> has broken out Potential retest and then a $6k target &#x1f3af; The next phase of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALTSEASON?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ALTSEASON</a> will follow afterward <a href="https://t.co/RmpzgDLEzu">https://t.co/RmpzgDLEzu</a> <a href="https://t.co/n8f3VrYLAo">pic.twitter.com/n8f3VrYLAo</a>
&mdash; Mikybull &#x1f402;Crypto (@MikybullCrypto) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikybullCrypto/status/1865922815813124569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Photo by Avi Rozen on Shutterstock
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