Author: Arslan Butt

Arslan Butt serves as the Lead Commodities and Indices Analyst, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field. With an MBA in Behavioral Finance and active progress towards a Ph.D., Arslan possesses a deep understanding of market dynamics. His professional journey includes a significant role as a senior analyst at a leading brokerage firm, complementing his extensive experience as a market analyst and day trader. Adept in educating others, Arslan has a commendable track record as an instructor and public speaker. His incisive analyses, particularly within the realms of cryptocurrency and forex markets, are showcased across esteemed financial publications such as ForexCrunch, InsideBitcoins, and EconomyWatch, solidifying his reputation in the financial community.

JSE Top 40 Jumps 1.3% as Gold Hits Records and Rand Eyes 16.70

Posted on by Arslan Butt

South African equities kicked off the week on a firmer footing, with the JSE’s benchmark indices boosted by surging commodity prices & a rand that’s gaining ground. Investor attention has shifted towards exporters and resource-heavy stocks, as precious metals remain the market leaders.

Commodities and Currency Drive the Rally

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange has really benefited from a mighty external wind in its sails. Gold prices have hit fresh record highs, while platinum has reached its highest level in over 17 years, lifting mining shares and companies that rely heavily on exports. These gains have helped the broader FTSE All Share Index push up higher, while the Top 40 Index rose by about 1.3% – this reflects the strong support from heavyweight stocks.

At the same time, the South African rand has continued to outperform, extending its year-to-date gains to over 12%. According to TreasuryONE’s head of market risk, Wichard Cilliers, the combination of strong inflows from exporters & the elevated metal prices means the rand could be on track to test its 16.70 level against the dollar again. A stronger currency has helped take some pressure off imported inflation and improve sentiment towards local assets.

Key market drivers are:

  • The Top 40 Index was up roughly 1.3%
  • Gold has hit record highs
  • Platinum is at a 17-year high
  • The rand is up more than 12% so far this year

Rand Strength Lifts Equity Confidence

The rand’s stability is a major reason the equity market has been so resilient lately. As the rand strengthens, the outlook for exporters improves & foreign investors find local assets much more attractive from a risk perspective. All this has helped drive both liquidity & valuations higher – even though the domestic economy still has plenty of challenges.

Of course, analysts are cautioning that much of the recent gains are due to favorable global conditions rather than any structural shift in the domestic growth story.

Growth Still Lags Structural Needs

South Africa’s economy is still growing at a pace that’s not good enough to make a real dent in unemployment. While the third-quarter GDP showed an improvement, long-term growth is still hampered by infrastructure bottlenecks, energy reliability issues & cautious business investment.

Over the past six years, GDP growth has lagged population growth, which just goes to show that the gap between short-term market gains & long-term economic progress is still significant. Unless the economy starts to grow at a rate closer to 3 or 4%, equity rallies may struggle to spread beyond commodity-linked sectors.

JSE Price Chart - Source: Tradingview
JSE Price Chart – Source: Tradingview

JSE Top 40 Technical Outlook

From a technical point of view, the JSE Top 40 Index is still looking positive, trading near 108,180 within a rising channel on the 2-hour chart. Price is still making higher highs & higher lows, supported by the 50-EMA near 106,736 & the 100-EMA around 105,972. A level that used to be resistance at 107,430 is now acting as support, while upside targets are roughly at 108,735 & the top of the channel around 110,700. The RSI is elevated at 71, a sign of strong momentum, but we also need to see clear reversal signals.

Only as long as the index stays above 107,000 is the technical bias going to stay on the upside.

Hong Kong Opens Crypto Door to 158 Insurers, $82B Premiums on the Line

Posted on by Arslan Butt

Hong Kong is taking a cautious step towards allowing insurance companies to invest some of their money in digital assets. The city’s Insurance Authority has issued rules that would allow insurers to include cryptocurrencies and infrastructure projects on their balance sheets.

According to a Bloomberg report, this is the first real set of rules outlining how insurers can legally use crypto. This proposed rule is just one part of a broader push to update Hong Kong’s rules on how much risk insurance companies must hold while ensuring they don’t take on too much.

The High Price of Getting in on Crypto

The so-called draft framework has some pretty strict rules about how much money the insurance companies need to have in reserve for their crypto investments:

  • If an insurance company invests in crypto, it has to put aside 100% of the value of that investment – that is to say, it has to have enough capital to cover the full value of what it’s invested in.
  • But stablecoins are treated a bit differently, and the amount of risk capital required depends on the underlying currency it’s pegged to, provided that the issuer is actually regulated here in Hong Kong.
  • Meanwhile, if they invest in infrastructure projects near Hong Kong or the mainland, they might get some relief on their capital requirements.

Hong Kong is now inviting the public to give their feedback on this draft plan, which will then go through the legislative process. Some insurers have already said they’re worried there are very few projects that qualify under these rules, which might mean they’ll make some changes before they’re finally approved.

Hong Kong Goes All In On Digital Assets

The new rules fit right in with Hong Kong’s plan to let digital assets really take off. Some key bits of this plan include:

  • A stablecoin licensing regime kicking in in August of 2025, requiring companies to have paid-up capital of at least HK$25 million and fully backed tokens.
  • They’re expecting the first licensees to show up in the early part of 2026.
  • There’s also been recent growth in crypto activity here in Hong Kong, including HashKey’s recent listing on the stock market and ongoing tokenization pilots.

As of last June, Hong Kong had 158 authorized insurance companies, raking in roughly HK$635 billion (about $82 billion USD) in gross premiums. Even if insurance companies allocate only a small portion of this money to crypto or infrastructure projects, it could still have a significant impact on the market. But the high-risk charges show just how cautious the regulators are about moving too fast.

With all this, Hong Kong is taking a deliberate approach to bringing digital assets into the financial system, trying to balance giving companies the freedom to invest with ensuring the market stays stable.

$6.8B Fed Liquidity Boost Sparks Fresh Crypto Market Rally Hopes

Posted on by Arslan Butt

The Federal Reserve is about to inject a massive $6.8 billion into the financial markets on December 22, 2025 – a move that’ll come in the form of repurchase agreements (otherwise known as Repos). This is actually the first time we’ve seen a deal of this scale since 2020 – and it’s very much aimed at easing those pesky year-end liquidity pressures. Over the past ten days, the central bank has been pouring a total of $38 billion into the system – a clear sign that they’re trying to stabilise markets in the face of tightening conditions.

Unlike the old Quantitative Easing (QE), which was a permanent fixture of the market, Repos are a much shorter-term phenomenon. Banks can borrow cash against assets like Treasury securities and then have to pay it back almost straight away. Analysts are stressing that, while this isn’t exactly a policy-easing move, it is a signal that the Fed will keep providing liquidity to the financial system.

  • First major Repos injection we’ve seen since 2020
  • Total $38B injected over the last 10 days
  • Repaid promptly – unlike QE, which was more of a long-term fix

Crypto Market Response

The market’s viewing the Fed’s liquidity move as a pretty big deal for crypto – and a pretty good omen. Historically, Bitcoin and other digital assets do pretty well when the market is feeling more liquid and stress levels are dropping. And analysts think that this latest move is just what crypto needed:

  • Money Ape: “The more cash in the system, the better for crypto – it’s that simple.”
  • Rekt Fencer: “The liquidity is flowing again – and with more cash coming in, it’s the perfect time to start making moves.”

This is all coming at a good time for crypto, too – the market’s just started to recover from a tricky fourth quarter. And investors think that more liquidity and smoother funding conditions are enough to kick off a pretty sustained rally in digital assets.

Macro Context and Rate Cuts

This latest Repo operation follows on from the Fed’s decision to end Quantitative Tightening (QT) on December 1, 2025, and its third rate cut of 25 basis points, which has brought rates down to 3.5-3.75%. It’s a nice touch – temporary cash injection to ease the year-end pressures without actually adding to the Fed’s balance sheet.

Analysts reckon the bigger picture, though, is that the Fed’s actually just being cautious and giving the markets a bit of support – all without having to waver on monetary policy. And when you add in the fact that interest rates are falling, it’s a nice bit of confidence-boosting for the market. Which, all being well, could set the stage for a pretty exciting crypto environment as we head into 2026.

  • QT officially ended on December 1, 2025
  • Third rate cut in 2025 reduces rates to 3.5%-3.75%
  • Timing aligns with year-end liquidity pressures

Silver Price Forecast: $70.70 in Sight After $68.98 Breakout Shakes Bears

Posted on by Arslan Butt

Silver prices are ending the week on firm footing, with XAG/USD trading near $68.98 after decisively breaking above a long-watched resistance band. The move has shifted short-term sentiment and put fresh upside levels back on traders’ radar as momentum builds into the new week.

Silver Breaks Key Resistance Zone

The breakout above the $66.90–$67.00 area marks an important technical development. That zone capped price action multiple times earlier this month, but once cleared, buyers stepped in with conviction. What matters now is that former resistance has turned into support, a classic sign of trend continuation rather than a one-off spike.

Silver remains comfortably inside a rising price channel that’s been intact since early December. Higher highs and higher lows continue to define the structure, keeping the broader bias tilted to the upside.

Candlesticks and EMAs Confirm Momentum

Candlestick behaviour reinforces the bullish case. The initial breakout candle showed a wide bullish body, followed by smaller consolidation candles near the highs. That pattern often reflects absorption of supply rather than aggressive profit-taking.

From a trend-following perspective, silver is holding well above its key moving averages:

  • 50-EMA near $65.87, acting as dynamic support
  • 100-EMA around $64.14, anchoring the broader trend

As long as price remains above these levels, pullbacks are likely to be corrective rather than trend-breaking.

Fibonacci Levels and RSI Outlook

Fibonacci extensions drawn from the latest pullback show that silver has already tagged the $68.15 level. The next technical objectives sit at $69.45, followed by $70.70, which also aligns with a psychological round number.

Momentum indicators remain supportive. The RSI near 71 reflects strong buying pressure, though it also suggests short-term cooling phases are possible. Importantly, there’s no bearish divergence yet, meaning momentum hasn’t rolled over.

Silver Price Chart - Source: Tradingview
Silver Price Chart – Source: Tradingview

What Traders Are Watching Next

Going into the week ahead, silver’s outlook hinges on whether buyers defend the newly formed support zone.

Key levels to watch:

  • Support: $67.00, then $65.80
  • Resistance: $69.45 and $70.70

Trade setup: Buy pullbacks toward $67.00, targeting $69.45–$70.70, with invalidation below $65.80.

With structure intact and momentum still favoring the upside, silver’s latest breakout looks more like a continuation move than a short-lived surge.

Gold Price Hits $4,400: Why Bulls Eye $4,443 as Fed Bets Shift Again

Posted on by Arslan Butt

Gold surged to a fresh record near $4,400 during early European trading on Monday, extending its rally as markets price in a more accommodative US policy outlook and rising geopolitical risk. Softer inflation signals and cooling labour data have strengthened the case that US interest rates may peak sooner than previously expected, keeping real yields contained and gold well supported.

That said, thin holiday liquidity and record-high price levels mean short-term volatility remains possible. While the broader trend stays firmly bullish, some traders may lock in profits near highs, creating brief pullbacks without undermining the underlying structure.

Geopolitics Reinforce Safe-Haven Demand

Beyond monetary policy, geopolitics continue to play a decisive role. Tensions in the Middle East remain elevated after reports that Israel is preparing to brief US President Donald Trump on potential options involving Iran, according to Reuters. The backdrop has kept investors cautious, reinforcing gold’s appeal as a defensive allocation.

Uncertainty has also intensified around Venezuela. US officials told Reuters that Washington is pursuing another oil tanker as the Trump administration escalates pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government. Combined, these developments have sustained demand for gold as a hedge against political and energy-related shocks.

[[XAU/USD-graph]]

Fed Signals and US Data Keep Gold Supported

Federal Reserve messaging has leaned toward patience rather than urgency. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack said rates are in a good position to pause, noting the need to assess the impact of 75 basis points of cuts already delivered earlier this year. Market pricing reflects that caution. The CME FedWatch tool shows just a 21% probability of another rate cut at the January meeting.

Meanwhile, US data has added to growth concerns. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index was revised down to 52.9 for December, missing expectations and reinforcing the narrative of slowing demand. This week, traders will monitor the Chicago Fed National Activity Index and preliminary Q3 GDP, forecast at 3.2% q/q, down from 3.8%, for confirmation.

Gold Price Forecast: Breakout Holds Above $4,373

GOLD Price Chart - Source: Tradingview
GOLD Price Chart – Source: Tradingview

From a technical perspective, gold’s structure remains decisively bullish. XAU/USD is trading near $4,401 after breaking higher from a short consolidation phase. The latest bullish candle closed near its high, confirming follow-through buying rather than a false breakout.

Price is holding comfortably above the 50-EMA at $4,333 and the 100-EMA near $4,304, while former resistance around $4,373 has flipped into support. Gold remains within a rising channel that has guided the uptrend since late November.

Immediate resistance sits near $4,410, followed by $4,443, aligned with a key Fibonacci extension. RSI near 74 signals strong momentum without clear signs of exhaustion.

Trade idea: Buy pullbacks toward $4,375, targeting $4,443, with invalidation below $4,333.

Silver Surges to Historic Peak Above $69 as Precious Metals Rally Continues

Posted on by Arslan Butt

On Monday, silver prices hit an all-time high of $69.23 per ounce, as precious metals continued their incredible surge fuelled by hopes of more U.S. interest rate cuts and rising geopolitical concerns. The white metal rose 2.7% in early Asian trading, doing far better than gold [[XAU/USD]], which also reached a record high of $4,391.92 per ounce.

Silver Surges to Historic Peak Above $69 as Precious Metals Rally Continues
Silver price analysis

Silver’s Stellar Annual Performance: 138% Gains in 2025

Silver’s performance in 2025 has been nothing short of amazing. The metal has gone up 138% so far this year, which is a lot more than gold’s outstanding 67% gain. This substantial spike is due to a number of causes, including as large investment inflows, ongoing supply problems, and high demand for safe havens during times of global uncertainty.

The rise has been fueled by rising international tensions, especially worries over Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile capabilities. Israeli authorities are said to be getting more and more worried about Iran rebuilding nuclear facilities that were damaged in prior military strikes. This is a situation that usually makes people want to buy safe-haven assets.

Federal Reserve Policy Support

Expectations that monetary policy will become less strict have also helped the market. The Federal Reserve has told people to be careful, yet markets are already pricing in two rate cuts for 2026. In times of low interest rates, non-yielding assets like silver and gold tend to do well because they seem better than investments that pay interest.

Recent economic data from the U.S. has made dovish expectations stronger. The Consumer Price Index for November revealed that inflation was slowing down from 3% in October to 2.7% year-on-year, which was lower than the 3.1% expected. Core inflation also fell to 2.6%, which gives those who think the Fed will make further changes more reasons to believe it.

A weaker dollar has helped the metals’ rising trend by making them cheaper for customers from other countries.

XAG/USD Technical Analysis: Overbought but Bullish

From a technical point of view, the XAG/USD pair for silver has tremendous momentum but also indicators that it may be running out of steam. The 20-period Exponential Moving Average is at $61.14, which is substantially below the current price. This shows that the trend is strong. The 14-day Relative Strength Index, on the other hand, has risen to 77.44, which is well above the overbought level. This could mean that the market is about to cool down.

The bullish bias is still supported by a trend line that goes up from $49.96. Analysts say that even if the price is still above the 20-EMA, any dips could find support around the $61.14 level, which could keep the gain going.

Matt Simpson, a senior analyst at StoneX, warned that bulls should be careful as the end of the year gets closer. Simpson said, “Since gold has already gone up 4% this month and the year is almost over, bulls may want to be careful because volumes are going down and the chances of people taking profits are also going up.”

If silver drops below the trend line near $65, it would reduce the bullish bias and possibly allow for a deeper pullback toward the December 3 high near $59.00. The $60 level would be a strong psychological support level.

Broader Precious Metals Rally

The rise in silver prices was part of a larger rise in precious metals. Platinum rose 4.1% to $2,054.25, its greatest level in more than 17 years. Palladium rose 4% to $1,781.32, its highest level in over three years.

As 2025 comes to an end, silver’s long history of performance shows how popular it is when the economy and politics are uncertain. However, there is still a risk of profit-taking in the near term because of the high prices.

BitMine’s Massive 4M Ethereum Treasury Reshape Company Valuation Dynamics

Posted on by Arslan Butt

BitMine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR) is now one of the biggest companies that owns Ethereum [[ETH/USD]]. As of mid-December 2025, the firm said it had around 4 million ETH. The company’s cryptocurrency holdings, together with its cash reserves and other assets, have changed how investors see it.

BitMine's Massive 4M Ethereum Treasury Reshape Company Valuation Dynamics
BitMine’s 4M ETH Treasury: A High-Beta Masterstroke or a Dilution Trap?

BitMine said on December 14 that it has 3,967,210 Ether tokens, which were worth about $3,006 each. The corporation also said it has 193 Bitcoin, an equity investment in Eightco Holdings (Nasdaq: ORBS) worth $38 million, and $1 billion in cash. According to business statements, the “crypto plus total cash plus moonshots” portfolio is worth between $13.2 to $13.3 billion.

BitMine’s large Ethereum stake has changed the way that the market values things. In late December, the company’s market capitalization was around $13 billion, with shares trading in the low to mid $30 area and about 425.8 million shares still outstanding. The equity value is almost the same as the reported value of its crypto and cash assets.

Because of this alignment, the price of BitMine’s shares is now closely linked to the price of Ethereum. This means that BitMine acts more like a publicly listed proxy for ETH exposure than a regular running corporation. Arkham, a company that studies blockchain data, said that on December 17, the company added another $140 million in ETH to its assets, which made this connection more stronger.

[[ETH/USD-graph]]

 

But the treasury-focused valuation methodology makes things more complicated for people who only own cryptocurrencies. Share dilution is the most important of these worries. According to SEC records, BitMine raised money in 2025 through a private investment in public stock deal that gave out 36,309,592 shares at $4.50 per share and pre-funded warrants that could be used to buy up to 11,006,444 more shares.

This dilution is important since investors don’t control the whole crypto treasury; they only possess a part of it. If both the number of ETH you own and the number of shares you own go up at the same time, the value of each share may not change even though the treasury balance is going up. To really appreciate the true per-share value, you need to know the fully diluted share count, which includes all outstanding shares and all exercisable warrants.

People who watch the market have noticed other factors that affect value. The Financial Accounting Standards Board has changed the rules for how to measure various crypto assets. Now, price fluctuations go straight to net income. This makes a company’s earnings very volatile, even if they don’t sell any tokens. This could make asset-value frameworks more useful than typical earnings multiples.

The business has also gotten some attention on Wall Street, but not all of it is good. Jim Cramer of CNBC has told people to be careful and to “stay away” from BMNR, which he says is part of a “year of magical investing” that is coming to an end. Cramer mentioned David Faber’s analysis in a previous comment, which questioned the stock’s underlying value based on its share structure.

Some market pundits were skeptical, but BitMine recently got more attention when it was added to the S&P Global BMI Index, which gives it more exposure to institutions.

For Ethereum investors, BitMine’s price is less of a measure of ETH’s fundamentals and more of a statement of how digital assets are being integrated into traditional stock structures. Corporate factors including financing decisions, obligations, and disclosure policies that don’t involve direct bitcoin ownership can make the stock price go up or down.

As regulators keep a close eye on companies that deal with cryptocurrencies, they are focusing on risks like price swings, custody issues, and concerns about the structure of the market. BitMine’s model is both a chance for institutional investors to get involved with ETH and an example of how corporate balance sheets are changing to hold digital assets on a scale never seen before.

Bitcoin Consolidates Near $89,000, Analysts Project Divergent Paths Between $70,000 Crash and $150,000 Rally

Posted on by Arslan Butt

Bitcoin [[BTC/USD]] is still above $89,000 and has gained 1% in the last 24 hours. Traders are getting ready for a big move that could set the course of the cryptocurrency’s price into early 2026. The world’s biggest digital asset has been stuck in a small $5,000 trading range for eight days in a row, which has put more and more pressure on it to break out. This has split market players into two groups: those who think it will fall and those who think it will surge.

Bitcoin Consolidates Near $89,000, Analysts Project Divergent Paths Between $70,000 Crash and $150,000 Rally
Bitcoin price analysis

Technical Indicators Signal Critical Juncture for BTC Price Action

The technological picture for Bitcoin tells a complicated story. The Relative Strength Index is about 44.71, which means it is in neutral area and doesn’t signal that the market is either overbought or oversold. This middling reading shows that BTC doesn’t have a clear direction, but analysts say that the RSI curve has been going down, which could mean weakness in the future.

Moving average research shows that different timeframes give distinct indications. The 50-day moving average is about $87,277, which is lower than the market price right now. In bullish situations, the spot price usually functions as support. The 200-day moving average, on the other hand, has crossed above current prices at about $88,672, which is a sell signal that worries technical traders. In the past, this crossover has come before big drops.

Ted Pillows, a crypto analyst, has pointed out a very concerning technical change: the possibility that the 100-week exponential moving average (EMA) could drop below its simple moving average (SMA) counterpart. Pillows’ research compares the current situation to the apex of Bitcoin’s bull market in 2021. He says, “The last two times, BTC crashed by 40% to 50% in 4 to 6 weeks.” This bearish divergence, together with the RSI getting weaker on weekly charts, means that bulls who are hoping for a quick recovery should be careful.

Bitcoin Exchange Inflows Trigger Downside Concerns

CryptoQuant, a onchain analytics platform, has shown that large amounts of Bitcoin are flowing into Binance, which is a bad indicator for the market. The platform said that $1.4 billion worth of BTC recently entered Binance, which usually means that holders are getting ready to sell. A contributor to the platform named CryptoOnchain said that Bitcoin is still “fragile” and that downward pressure is building.

“The next big downside target is the high-demand zone between $70,000 and $72,000, where stronger buyer interest is expected to show up,” the research said. This price level, which represents Bitcoin’s prior all-time high from earlier cycles, is seen as a key support region that could draw in institutional investors searching for places to purchase.

Several analysts have come up with scenarios in which BTC falls 20–25% from its present levels before finding solid support. This is because of the technical breakdown below $90,000 and large inflows into exchanges.

BTC/USD Bull Case: Relief Rally and Six-Figure Targets Remain in Play

Even if some analysts are warning that Bitcoin’s price will go down, many others are still hopeful about its future. Trader Captain Faibik confidently said that the current downturn was “complete” and that “in the next few days, Bitcoin will break out and then everyone will rush in with FOMO entries.”

Ted Pillows said that there are risks on the downside, but he also said that a “relief rally” might happen shortly, with prices rising to the $98,000-$100,000 level before any long-term drop. This approach fits with what traders think will happen: a final spike before a bigger correction.

Trading account Korinek_Trades makes more ambitious predictions about Bitcoin’s future by using Elliott Wave theory to chart its progress. As part of a five-wave structure, their study predicts “upside targets to 150K,” which would mean BTC will reach new all-time highs. The weekly chart analysis of the account reveals that the current consolidation is just a stop before the bigger uptrend continues.

[[BTC/USD-graph]]

 

Fundstrat’s Internal Contradiction Highlights Market Uncertainty

This week, rumors came out that there are opposing viewpoints within the well-known research firm Fundstrat, which made the differences in Bitcoin price estimates even more interesting. Sean Farrell, the head of digital asset strategy at Fundstrat, is said to have informed customers that under a “base case” scenario, Bitcoin may collapse to $60,000-$65,000 in the first half of 2026, Ethereum could drop to $1,800-$2,000, and Solana might plummet to $50-$75.

This conservative view is far different from what Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat, has said in public. He still thinks that new all-time highs will happen in early 2026, and some interpretations of his comments suggest that objectives may be as high as $200,000 by the end of January 2026. Lee has said that macro factors, institutional flows, and cycle dynamics are the main reasons why prices would keep going higher.

Clients and market watchers have noticed that these seemingly contradicting forecasts come from two separate types of analysis: one focused on risk management and protecting portfolios from losses, and the other on longer-term macro scenarios and positive possibilities. Still, the fact that the price may be anywhere from $60,000 to $200,000 shows how hesitant Bitcoin investors are as 2025 comes to an end.

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Navigating the Crossroads

Bitcoin seems to be at a very important turning point right now, according to technical analysis and how the market is moving. The most likely short-term scenario is that the price will stay between $85,000 and $92,000 for the next 7 to 14 days as the markets digest year-end positioning and wait for clearer directional cues.

If Bitcoin breaks above $92,000 with a lot of volume, the main upside goal becomes a relief rally above $98,000-$102,000, which might happen in 2–3 weeks. This would fit with what has happened in the past, when rapid recoveries happened after long periods of consolidation.

If the price breaks below the $86,000 support level, on the other hand, it might lead to faster selling toward the $70,000-$72,000 demand zone, where past all-time highs could act as a floor. If the technical warning signs that analysts have seen come true, this bearish scenario may happen in 4 to 6 weeks and would mean a drop of about 20% from current levels.

Daily Crypto Signals: Bitcoin Faces Volatility Near $88K, Uniswap Fee Switch Proposal Gains Support

Posted on by Arslan Butt

The cryptocurrency market remains in a state of uncertainty as Bitcoin [[BTC/USD]] trades around $88,000 with analysts divided on whether a relief rally or further decline toward $70,000 lies ahead. Meanwhile, Uniswap’s [[UNI/USD]] transformative fee switch proposal has secured overwhelming community support with nearly 62 million votes, setting the stage for significant token burns and improved supply-demand dynamics.

Daily Crypto Signals: Bitcoin Faces Volatility Near $88K, Uniswap Fee Switch Proposal Gains Support
Latest crypto market news

Crypto Market Developments

The crypto community is still unsure about the future because they are debating whether the current conditions point to an approaching bottom or more losses. Maksim Balashevich, the founder of Santiment, said that crypto traders haven’t shown enough concern on social media to show that the market has hit a bottom. His research shows that Bitcoin might yet drop to around $75,000, which would be a drop of about 14.77% from where it is now.

The traders that think the decline will finish soon are quite optimistic, which is why there is hesitancy. In the past, this kind of feeling has not been common at actual market bottoms, which usually happen when a lot of people give up and are scared. Some people in the crypto world think the market will bounce back quickly, while others are getting ready for it to be weak for a long time.

Meanwhile, US policymakers are working on laws that are good for cryptocurrencies. Representatives Max Miller and Steven Horsford put forward a discussion draft that suggests tax breaks for stablecoin transactions up to $200 and new ways to delay staking and mining payments. The plan is to stop recognizing low-value gains from regular customer payments made with regulated stablecoins that are tied to the US dollar. The plan include protections against abuse, such as not letting brokers and dealers get rewards and giving the Treasury the power to make regulations against abuse.

Bitcoin’s Rangebound Trading Continues

[[BTC/USD-graph]]

 

Bitcoin has been stuck in a $5,000 range for eight days, fluctuating between $88,000 and $93,000 as of Sunday. People in the market are becoming more and more sure that an attempt to break out is coming soon, but there is a lot of disagreement about which way it will go. Ted Pillows, a crypto analyst, said that a relief rally might send Bitcoin up to the $98,000-$100,000 level before it goes down again. Captain Faibik, a trader, confidently declared that a positive breakout would happen within days, causing sidelined investors to rush in.

But there are still bearish scenarios to think about. CryptoQuant analyst CryptoOnchain said that the $70,000–$72,000 area is the next big downside target, when more buyers are expected to show interest. One thing that makes people worry about the downside is that more and more Bitcoin is coming into Binance. About $1.4 billion worth of BTC has been added to the exchange. The combination of a technical breakdown below $90,000 and a lot of money coming into exchanges makes it far more likely that the market will go back toward the high-demand zone. Some analysts are even utilizing Elliott Wave theory to guess that Bitcoin may go as high as $150,000, although these guesses are based on the idea that Bitcoin will finish its present corrective phase first.

Uniswap Community Approves Fee Switch Proposal

[[UNI/USD-graph]]

 

The community has overwhelmingly supported Uniswap’s major fee flip proposal, called “UNIfication,” which will go into effect later this week. Since voting began on December 20, approximately 62 million votes have been cast in favor of the governance proposal as of early Monday. This is considerably more than the 40 million votes needed to pass. Voting will end on Christmas Day, and thus far, only 741 votes, or around 0.001% of all votes cast, have been against the idea. around 1.5 million votes have not been cast.

If the vote passes, there will be a two-day timelock period before the Uniswap v2 and v3 fee changes go live on the Unichain mainnet. The plan calls for burning 100 million UNI tokens from the Uniswap Foundation’s treasury and setting up a Protocol Fee Discount Auctions system to boost the rewards for liquidity providers. Since voting started, UNI has gone up almost 25% and is now trading at $6.08, up from a seven-month low of $4.88 during the market collapse. Several well-known people in the crypto world, such as Jesse Waldren from Variant, Kain Warwick from Infinex, and Ian Lapham, a former engineer of Uniswap Labs, have supported the idea. The Uniswap Foundation has promised the community that protocol development will continue to be a top focus. They plan to give out 20 million UNI tokens through a Growth Budget to help builders and the ecosystem grow.

Silver Price Forecast: $67 Close Sets Stage for CPI-Driven $70 Test

Posted on by Arslan Butt

Silver finished last week on a strong note, closing at $67.17 on Friday, after a steady climb higher following a breakout above a key resistance level.

US macro data has cooled, and markets are reassessing interest rate expectations, so silver is entering this week on the back of both technical strength and changing macro signals.

The question now is whether the US data this week will add some momentum to silver’s recent rally, or put the brakes on it after last month’s surge.

Last Week’s US Data Gave Us a Silver-Lined Macro Picture

The past week gave us a mixed but generally silver-friendly macro picture. Manufacturing data took a hit, inflation cooled off, and consumer sentiment softened – all of which fit with the idea that US growth is slowing without hitting rock bottom.

The key takeaways from last week are:

  • The Empire State Manufacturing Index suddenly plummeted to -3.9, underlining just how soft the industrial sector is at the moment.
  • The CPI y/y rate fell to 2.7%, below expectations.
  • Retail sales are stagnating, while unemployment ticked up to 4.6%
  • PMIs slipped, indicating slower momentum heading into year-end.

For silver, all this matters. Easing growth and inflation means there’s less pressure on real interest rates, which keeps silver in the plus column even though risk appetite isn’t exactly going wild.

What Traders Are Watching This Week

It’s a relatively quiet week ahead, but there are still some market-moving events to keep an eye on, with this week’s focus on growth and confidence data rather than inflation shocks.

The key things to watch are:

  • Preliminary GDP q/q, expected at 3.2% – a pretty big drop from the 3.8% we saw last time
  • Durable Goods Orders and Core Durable Goods
  • An update on Consumer Confidence
  • Unemployment Claims in the middle of the week

If US GDP or consumer confidence takes a hit this week, that could help silver out, but if the numbers surprise to the upside, that could push silver back towards that resistance level.

Silver Price Forecast: Bullish Shape, But Can It Hold?

From a technical point of view, silver’s still in good shape. Price has basically turned the $66.90-$67.00 zone into support and continues to respect an uptrend line that started in early December.

The metal is also holding up well above the 50-EMA at $65.28 and the 100-EMA near $63.68, which confirms that the longer-term trend is still intact.

Silver Price Chart - Source: Tradingview
Silver Price Chart – Source: Tradingview

Momentum is still healthy, with the RSI near 64, suggesting we still have some steam left in silver without getting too overextended. The Fibonacci extension levels point to $68.17, then $69.53, and the psychological $70.00 level looms if things keep going up.

  • Weekly outlook: If silver stays above $66.90, it’s still looking bullish
  • Upside targets: $68.20 → $69.50 → $70.00
  • Risk level: A daily close below $65.80 would make the whole setup look weaker.