Ripple’s Game-Changer: XRP Headed Straight to Your 401(k) Account

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

US financial policy is experiencing a subtle yet significant shift. Lawmakers are actively pushing to integrate digital assets into retirement planning. This move could significantly impact the long-term relationship between capital and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and XRP. What was once on the financial fringe is now moving toward the system’s core.

The focus is shifting away from hype and short-term trading and toward long-term portfolio building, structure, and regulation.

Retirement accounts are central to the American financial system, and any changes here will have lasting impacts. According to commentary shared by Pumpius on X, Congress is pressing SEC Chair Paul Atkins to take decisive steps.

Lawmakers want regulated frameworks that allow exposure to cryptocurrencies within 401(k) retirement plans.

This push aligns with broader efforts to modernize the US financial infrastructure, driven by concerns that current regulations lag behind market developments.

Momentum gained after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in August 2025, instructing regulators to expand retirement plans’ access to alternative assets, explicitly mentioning cryptocurrencies.

The Department of Labor swiftly retracted its earlier warning about cryptocurrencies in 401(k)s, removing a significant obstacle for plan fiduciaries.

This move did not endorse cryptocurrencies but restored regulatory neutrality. Since then, official communication from Congress has reaffirmed this stance, including a bipartisan letter urging the SEC to amend securities regulations. Lawmakers view cryptocurrencies as a matter of investor choice and market fairness.

However, not all digital assets are equally suited for retirement. XRP is particularly noteworthy for its integration with financial infrastructure and regulatory clarity. Assets intended for retirement portfolios must meet strict requirements, including the presence of institutions, transparent markets, and substantial liquidity.

Platinum Extends Epic Surge as Prices Flirt with $2,000 Barrier

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Platinum continued its fast-paced surge, rising as high as 4% . Platinum has now increased by 18% in a continuous run of gains this month. Financial firms are parking metal in the US to protect themselves from the risk of tariffs, and the London market is showing signs of tightening.

This year, exports to China have also been strong, and the recent launch of futures trading on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange has increased confidence in the country’s demand. In reference to platinum, Wu stated that “low elasticity in recycling, limited reinvestment at the mine level, and persistent production constraints are making future supply risks harder to ignore.” It is more likely a re-rating than a brief increase.

South Africa, which produces between 70% and 80% of the world’s platinum, experienced mining disruptions that have reduced output.

According to the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC), there will be a deficit of hundreds of thousands of ounces in 2025—the third year in a row. purchasing safe havens in the face of geopolitical unpredictability, hedging against inflation, and moving away from expensive gold.

Bullion Steady at Multi-Month Peaks: Gold Eyes $4,500/Oz Milestone

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Gold remained stable near a record high as investors monitored the escalating tensions in Venezuela and awaited US inflation data.

Bullion was trading close to $4,330 per ounce after increasing by 0.8 percent on Wednesday, . It is about $50 away from its October all-time high. The Federal Reserve’s appetite for additional interest rate cuts will be closely monitored in the inflation data that is due on Thursday.

Precious metals, which don’t pay interest, benefited greatly from the Fed’s third consecutive rate cut last week. However, the Fed has been unclear about the rate of monetary easing going into next year. There is about a 25% chance of a reduction in January, according to traders. Additionally, rising inflation reduces bond returns, which benefits gold.

Precious metals have become more appealing due to heightened tensions, and this week’s events in Venezuela—where Trump has ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers—have helped them. Brazil and Mexico have offered to mediate as pressure mounts on Nicolás Maduro’s government due to an increased US military presence in the area.

According to Dilin Wu, a research strategist at Pepperstone Group Ltd., “the direction of real yields has become more supportive.”. Precious metals are reclaiming their function as portfolio stabilizers when combined with persistent geopolitical unpredictability and reduced year-end liquidity. Gold has risen to almost second place.

China Snubs Nvidia H200: Beijing Outsmarts Trump’s Chip Strategy

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

China has deciphered the US strategy that permits it to purchase Nvidia. White House AI czar David Sacks stated that the H200 is rejecting the AI chip in favor of domestically produced semiconductors.

President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would permit shipments of Nvidia’s H200 to China as part of an administration initiative supported by Sacks to take on Chinese tech giants like Huawei by introducing competition from the United States to their domestic market. Sacks hinted on Friday that he wasn’t sure if that strategy would succeed. In an interview with Bloomberg Tech, Sacks stated

“They’re rejecting our chips,” citing an unidentified news story he had seen that day. They don’t seem to want them, and I believe that’s because they want semiconductor independence. Sacks stated that he was alluding to a Financial Times article that claimed China was about to restrict access to the chips through a local approval process in which Chinese buyers would have to defend their purchases.

Sacks’ remarks raise concerns about Nvidia’s ability to recoup revenue from China, a data center market that it has completely excluded from its projections but that CEO Jensen Huang has estimated to be worth $50 billion this year.

Analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence project that China could generate $10 billion in H200 revenue annually, but only if the country accepts the US company’s chips.

Nvidia stated in a press release that it is still collaborating with the government on H200 licenses for approved clients. The company stated, “While we do not yet have results to report, it’s clear that three years of overbroad export controls fueled America’s foreign competitors and cost US taxpayers billions of dollars.”

XRP’s Triumph: SWIFT’s 90% ISO 20022 Shift Hands Ripple the Cross-Border Crown

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

SWIFT anticipates that by the beginning of 2026, 90% of all transactions will transition to ISO 20022.

The organisation responsible for overseeing ISO 20022 compliance is the Registration Management Group (RMG), which includes a range of members or parent companies associated with well-known Layer 1 blockchains. Notable members include Algorand (ALGO), Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR), Stellar Lumens (XLM), and Ripple (XRP), the latter two of which joined in 2020.

Stellar’s participation has provided both original altcoins with an opportunity to improve interoperability with SWIFT and other major financial institutions.

Financial giants like BlackRock and JPMorgan are actively acquiring ISO 20022-compliant coins. Stellar (XLM) has notable partnerships with companies like MoneyGram and IBM World Wire; however, its trading volume is lower than XRP’s. Ripple has established active partnerships with over 300 banks and financial payment solutions, including Santander and SEB, and is working on integrating its own RLUSD stablecoin.

Ripple’s (XRP) spot market volume consistently exceeds $2 billion, making it reasonable for the altcoin to grow with relatively low transaction fees. However, this $2 billion in spot trading is quadrupled by its futures market volume. XRP’s demand in perpetual contracts hit $8 billion in a single day, highlighting a new trend among traders seeking larger gains.

Stellar Lumens (XLM) generally maintains a daily trading volume between $100 million and $200 million; both Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) chains process a block on average every five seconds. XRP’s ledger handles about 40 million transactions daily, significantly surpassing Stellar’s average of 7 million transactions daily

Fear & Greed Hits Ripple’s Bottom: XRP’s $2 Level – Bargain Hunter’s Dream or Bearish Illusion

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

The $2 support is a crucial threshold that XRP is testing, and the structure beneath it appears entirely different this time. Retail panic-selling during previous selloffs was fueled by intense fear, and XRP fell below important support levels.

The market posted significant liquidations in October 2025, when extreme fear readings reached their lowest point, the XRP $2 support is still intact. The $2 support is still in place because institutional demand has taken the retail sellers’ position.

Exchange balances fell by 45% in just 60 days as institutions took custody of 1.35 billion XRP. Inflows into XRP ETFs also reached $1 billion in just four weeks, the quickest since the introduction of Ethereum ETFs.

More important than the actual fear levels is comprehending the structure underlying this support, including who is purchasing, how supply is flowing, and what institutions are doing. There’s more to XRP’s defense of the $2 support than just trader psychology. It signifies a change in who purchases and how supply is absorbed. Institutional buyers have intervened during recent selloffs.

Institutional investors and XRP whales now use the crucial $2 support as a low entry point. Technically, XRP indicates high subsurface pressure. Intraday charts tightened into a bullish wedge, indicating that demand is increasing despite price containment.

The path to higher resistance zones is made possible by a move above $2.10. Stronger upside intent would be confirmed if XRP can hold and close above $2.25. In previous cycles, when sentiment shifted, the XRP $2 support collapsed. The floor appears different this time.

While CME futures allowed institutions to hedge positions without dumping tokens, XRP ETF inflows created a natural entry point near $2 for regulated buyers. It would take a real shock, such as a macroeconomic crisis or regulatory reversal, rather than just traders becoming anxious, to break $2 right now.

Bidding War Twist: Warner Bros. to Back Netflix Over Paramount

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Warner Bros. plans to reject Paramount Skydance Corp.’s hostile takeover offer on concerns about funding and other conditions.

After reviewing Paramount’s proposal, Warner Bros., whose representatives wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter, stated that the board will recommend that shareholders reject the tender offer.

The board believes that the company’s existing contract with Netflix, the industry leader in streaming, provides better terms, value, and certainty than what Paramount has proposed.

According to these sources, a response to Paramount’s tender offer could be submitted as early as Wednesday. They added that no final decision has been made and the situation remains uncertain. Warner Bros. and Paramount declined to comment. A key concern for Warner Bros. is the funding being proposed by Paramount, led by David Ellison. The equity is supported by a trust managing the fortune of his father, software magnate Larry Ellison.

Warner Bros. can withdraw assets from it at any time because it is a revocable trust. The sources indicated that such a move might leave Warner Bros. with limited options.

On Tuesday, one of Paramount’s backers withdrew from the agreement, citing the involvement of “two strong competitors.” Earlier that day, President Trump criticized Paramount on social media, claiming that since the Ellison family took over earlier this year, the company’s CBS division has treated him “far worse.”

The Ellisons have emphasized their friendly relationship with the President. Another concern for Warner Bros. is the company’s ability to operate for a year or longer while seeking regulatory approval for a sale. According to sources, Paramount is not providing enough flexibility to help Warner Bros. manage its balance sheet or operate effectively.

Warner Bros. addressed these issues in a filing last week, raising concerns about the company’s capacity to refinance debt and pay a $5 billion breakup fee, which the Ellison family supports. In response, Paramount has revised the terms of its bid.

Trump Labels Venezuela Terrorist Regime, Orders Oil Tanker Blockade

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

President Donald Trump increased pressure on Caracas by announcing he was ordering a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela amid a US military buildup in the area and the threat of land strikes. Trump posted on social media on Tuesday, saying, “The largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America surrounds Venezuela. ”

Until they return to the United States of America all of the oil, land, and other assets that they previously stole from us, it will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before.”

Additionally, Trump declared that the Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela was a “FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.”.

Additionally, he charged that the “illegitimate” government was “financing themselves with oil from these stolen oil fields, drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping.” The action indicates that the Trump administration is intensifying pressure on Maduro. Venezuela denounced Trump’s most recent action as a “reckless and serious” threat.

In a statement released late on Tuesday on Vice President Delcy Rodríguez’s Telegram account, the government claimed that Trump “intends to impose, in an utterly irrational manner, a supposed military blockade of Venezuela to steal the riches that belong to our homeland. “

Venezuela reiterates that it is sovereign over all of its natural resources. In a statement, Venezuela said that the “grave” breach of international law would be immediately denounced by its ambassador to the UN. The Skipper, a sanctioned oil tanker, was apprehended by the US last week off the coast of Venezuela.

Following the seizure, three supertankers that were initially bound for Venezuela changed their course a day later, and a fourth one did so earlier this week. Additionally, the Pentagon has killed dozens in over 20 strikes against alleged drug-trafficking ships in waters close to Venezuela and Colombia.

Gold Nears Seven-Week High, Eyes Bold $4K/Oz Breakthrough

Posted on December 16, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

The bullion asset rose to seven-week highs above $4,320 per ounce. The precious metal rallied on the possibility that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will lower interest rates next year. Lower interest rates could support the non-yielding precious metal by taming gold’s opportunity cost

Furthermore, the risk-averse bias and uncertainty may increase safe-haven flows, which would raise the price of the yellow metal. However, last week’s hawkish comments from Fed officials may help the US dollar.
Traders will take more cues from the speeches by Fed Governor Stephen Miran and New York Fed President John Williams later on Monday.
Gold is trading in positive territory today. As long as the price stays above the crucial 100-day Exponential Moving Average, the precious metal’s positive outlook will continue.

Additionally, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI), which is above the midline at 68.75, supports the upward momentum. This illustrates the yellow metal’s bullish momentum. Silver has more than doubled, and the yellow metal has increased by more than 60 percent this year, both on track for their best yearly results since 1979.

Gold went bullish after conflicting statements from Federal Reserve officials led metal traders to reduce bets on additional monetary easing in the world’s largest economy next year. Global risk appetite has decreased due to skepticism that tech stocks, which have propelled global benchmarks to all-time highs, can sustain their high valuations and aggressive AI spending.

The first upside barrier to watch is the $4,345–$4,355 range, which is both the high of December 12 and the upper limit of the Bollinger Band. XAU/USD could return to its all-time high of $4,381 if there is sustained upward momentum. The next resistance level is situated at the $4,400 psychological mark

XRP to Retirement Savings: Nationwide 401(k) Entry on the Horizon

Posted on December 16, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

US financial policy is experiencing a subtle yet significant shift. Lawmakers are actively pushing to integrate digital assets into retirement planning. This move could alter how long-term capital interacts with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and XRP. What was once on the financial fringe is now moving toward the system’s core.

The focus is shifting away from hype and short-term trading and toward long-term portfolio building, structure, and regulation.

Lawmakers want regulated frameworks that allow exposure to cryptocurrencies within 401(k) retirement plans.

This push aligns with broader efforts to modernize the US financial infrastructure, driven by concerns that current regulations lag behind market developments.

The Department of Labor swiftly retracted its earlier warning about cryptocurrencies in 401(k)s, removing a significant obstacle for plan fiduciaries.