Gold Steady After Hitting $4,500 Peak Amid Year-End Profit Booking

Posted on December 25, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

The bullion asset saw little change after a three-day surge that raised the price of the precious metal to an all-time high above $4,500 an ounce. Platinum also retreated from an all-time high reached overnight, falling more than 6%.

Some traders are beginning to take profits following a fierce run in the precious metal market as the year comes to an end, with gold up nearly 70% in 2025.

The price of platinum has more than doubled. The selling pressure was supported by the 14-day relative strength index for gold, which was in overbought territory, indicating that a pause or decline in price may be imminent.

The appeal of gold as a haven amid growing tensions in Venezuela, where the US has blockaded oil tankers, has fueled the metal’s recent surge.

Additionally, traders are speculating that the Federal Reserve will further reduce borrowing costs in the upcoming year, which would benefit non-yielding precious metals. Both gold and silver are expected to have their best yearly results since 1979.

Elevated central bank purchases and inflows into exchange-traded funds have supported the precious metals rally. World Gold Council data shows that total holdings in gold-backed ETFs have increased each month this year, except May.

Goldman Sachs has predicted that prices will continue to rise in 2026. The base-case scenario is $4,900, with upside risks. While fiscal drift attracted retail buyers and dollar diversification kept central banks in a strong position, easier global monetary policy has helped precious metals. More generally, a banner year in metals was made possible by a combination of tight supply, tariffs, and geopolitical tensions. This week, silver saw its first price above $70 per ounce.

Speculative inflows and persistent supply disruptions across major trading hubs have driven the metal’s most recent surge, following a historic short squeeze in October, which has been even more pronounced than gold’s. Since then, London’s vaults have seen substantial inflows, but a large portion of the world’s silver supply remains in New York, as traders await the conclusion of a US Commerce Department investigation into whether imports of vital minerals pose a threat to national security.

Intel Shares Fall Amid Reports of Nvidia Scrapping 18A Chip Test

Posted on December 25, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Intel’s stock dropped after a report claimed that Nvidia Corp. stopped a test to produce advanced chips using Intel’s manufacturing process. According to Reuters, which cited two unnamed people with knowledge of the situation, Nvidia tested the so-called 18A process recently but decided not to proceed.

Requests for comment from Nvidia and Intel representatives were not immediately answered. Reuters was informed by an Intel representative that the company’s 18A manufacturing technologies are “progressing well.”. “Intel recently opened Fab 52, a new factory at its Ocotillo, Arizona, location, which is the first to use the 18A technique in mass production.

According to the company, it is the most advanced production technology created and used in the United States. In an effort to take on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the industry leader, Intel is pushing to produce cutting-edge chips domestically. and reaffirm American dominance in the sector. NVIDIA decided to invest $5 billion in Intel after the US government acquired about 10% of the company.

The investment by the most valuable company and a major chip designer for the artificial intelligence boom was viewed as a boost for Intel, which has been struggling to control losses and catch up with rivals that have outperformed it in recent years. But Intel did not commit to producing Nvidia chips as part of the agreement.

18A is an attempt to resume producing Intel’s top products internally. According to Intel, the technology has two new features that are revolutionary for the sector. The first concerns transistors, the tiny switches that enable semiconductors to function. Tens of billions of transistors are crammed into a tiny space on modern chips. The ability to turn these transistors on and off becomes crucial for increasing chip efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

BlackRock XRP Stealth Mode: Massive Hidden Buys Could Fuel the Ultimate Wealth Explosion

Posted on December 25, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Maxwell Stein, the Director of Digital Assets at BlackRock, caused a stir in the crypto market.

“Trillions of dollars are poised to enter the blockchain ecosystem, but in the short term, we need to demonstrate the technology’s utility,” stated Maxwell Stein. Meanwhile, Adena Friedman, President and CEO of NASDAQ, elaborated on how banks have begun tokenizing bonds, fixed income assets, and stablecoins, particularly Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).

Ripple’s annual Swell conference is one of the most anticipated events in the cryptocurrency community. However, renowned analyst Digital Asset Investor recently noted that while the Swell conference may not directly impact prices, an announcement regarding an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) backed by BlackRock could have a significantly different effect. This comment reignited discussions about the factors that truly influence XRP’s market fluctuations and whether Swell WAS a meaningful price catalyst.

The consensus among digital asset investors is clear: the Swell conference typically does not lead to immediate changes in XRP’s value. The conference mainly focuses on cross-border payment innovations, blockchain integration, and industry collaboration—topics that support long-term fundamentals but rarely trigger short-term price spikes. Conversely, the analyst suggested that a formal XRP ETF, especially one backed by a major international investment firm like BlackRock, would dramatically transform the market landscape. Such an event would signify institutional support and regulatory recognition, potentially attracting significant capital inflows and influencing the token’s price.

Reactions on X varied among users. While some see potential, one user noted that the current market trend indicates weakness and consolidation, suggesting that broader declines may overshadow any positive developments. They also mentioned that retail traders might react emotionally in the short term.

The overarching conclusion is that traders differentiate between significant financial advancements and mere symbolic events. Although Swell’s global reach and institutional partnerships are noteworthy, they rarely generate headlines that impact the market. In contrast, the possibility of a BlackRock XRP ETF would have much larger implications for investor accessibility, liquidity, and long-term valuation.

Market participants will likely continue to look for signs of progress in institutional integration as Ripple’s Swell 2025 conference in New York approaches. However, until an ETF or regulatory milestone is officially announced, expectations for substantial price movements remain low.

Bitcoin’s Rare Down Year Looms as October Leverage Wipeout Echoes On

Posted on December 24, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Bitcoin has only finished the year lower in 2014, 2018, and 2022, and it is currently down 7% YTD. Since 2025 isn’t like the previous three bear market years, analysts and experts are asking, “Is something broken?” Many specifically point to October 10, when Bitcoin prices plummeted 10%, losing over $12,000 in a single day in the biggest leverage flush in the industry. ”

What happened on October 10th? According to exchanges, everything is OK. Analyst “Max Crypto” questioned, “Market makers are saying they are fine,” adding that it seems like a few large companies are constantly selling cryptocurrency.

Investor George Bodine stated, “The overhang of ‘Crashtober’ still haunts us, and 10 was the pivotal moment to where we sit today.” “I have never seen the fundamentals behind Bitcoin as strong as this year,” he said, adding that the October 10 disaster coincided with record runs in gold and silver, both of which had momentum.

Furthermore, altcoins do not recover; whenever Bitcoin declines without attracting new investment, they bleed. Contrary to what would be expected from healthy market behavior, this suggests that money is leaving the market entirely, rather than shifting between assets.

However, it was a significant deleveraging event, and since then, aggregate OI [open interest] has been declining, indicating that confidence in positioning through perps has undoubtedly suffered.

They predicted that “we will see traders return to the market as they always do, and OI will begin to rise once more” if the price bottoms in this area. “This next rally is even more sustainable than the previous one, so less leverage in the system is not a bad thing.”

XRP’s ETF Triumph: Ripple Stronger Demand Than Ethereum in a Tough Market

Posted on December 24, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

XRP is now gaining recognition as a dependable bridge between traditional finance and digital assets. Analysts and investors have noticed this shift, interpreting the growing inclusion of the token in regulated investment vehicles as a sign of market maturation.

The reception of XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offers insight into this transformation and explains why market participants are growing more confident in its long-term potential. XRP ETFs have been “better received than Ethereum was,” according to Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise. In conversation with Ripple CTO David Schwartz, Hougan highlighted that steady inflows into XRP ETFs point to deeper structural demand beyond fleeting trading interest.

This underscores how institutional capital can be channeled through regulated instruments. XRP’s regulated funds have consistently attracted institutional involvement, unlike earlier cryptocurrency ETFs that mainly depended on speculative interest.

According to Hougan’s analysis, the market is assured about XRP’s usefulness and adherence to regulations. The consistent inflows into ETFs support this, indicating that investors view XRP as a long-term infrastructure asset rather than a short-term speculative vehicle. Ripple’s ongoing focus on practical use cases, especially in cross-border payments and liquidity solutions, further increases institutional appetite. Large-scale investors looking for assets with real-world utility and growth potential are drawn to XRP because it addresses inefficiencies in the conventional financial system.

The Satoshi Signal Strikes Again – Is a Bitcoin Price Plunge Coming?

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Analysts caution that the surge in interest in Satoshi Nakamoto, the enigmatic creator of Bitcoin, could have negative effects on the price of BTC. Spikes in Satoshi’s Wikipedia page views have historically coincided with significant turning points in the Bitcoin market cycle, according to data released by Alphractal.

Bitcoin is falling rapidly after climbing briefly to $107K.

Rising curiosity during powerful rallies has typically coincided with euphoric tops, while similar spikes following protracted drawdowns have indicated capitulation lows.

This pattern was evident in the legal disputes of 2018 and the institutional hype wave of 2021, both of which preceded significant market peaks. However, after prices had already fallen during the post-FTX panic, increased interest surfaced, closely matching a cycle bottom.

Satoshi was among the top eleven richest people in the world due to the combination of revived stories about a US Strategic Reserve and dormant wallets transferring about 80,000 BTC.

Alphractal’s João Wedson contends that social interest in Satoshi serves as a trustworthy sentiment indicator.

Wedson’s analysis shows that price drops typically follow spikes in narratives related to Satoshi Nakamoto, with a 73 percent chance that Bitcoin will drop once such attention increases.

The CEO of Aphractal warns that traders who disregard sentiment risk succumbing to confirmation bias by relying only on technical or fundamental signals. However, following the recent spike, interest has decreased, raising the question of whether the market is about to enter a calm phase or is just waiting for another socially driven move.

Bitcoin continues to consolidate around its 4-hour 200 MA and EMA, repeatedly failing to break through the resistance zone between $93,000 and $94,000. According to analysts, a persistent rise above this level might lead to a liquidity retest in the $97,000–$98,000 range, but it would be repeatedly rejected.

Ripple Scores Big as Ex-BlackRock VP Highlights XRP ETF’s $1B+ Volume Amid Market Fatigue

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Former BlackRock vice president John Gillen discussed systemic stress, investor psychology, and XRP ETF flows.

Many market participants have become impatient after months of waiting for a clear rally, despite strong ETF performance. Although the price action hasn’t yet reflected it institutional sentiment might be shifting. Gillen highlighted the fatigue visible throughout the market in the video.

He remarked, “It exhausts a lot of people.” He also mentioned the ongoing demand for products traded on cryptocurrency exchanges. “There’s an XRP ETF that I think has done over a billion dollars of volume,” he said, noting “strong inflows into the Solana ETFs.”

At that level, volume indicates participation rather than desertion. Gillen provided a clear assessment to support that view. He stated, “There is still a market for these things.”

He disagreed with the idea that major digital assets are no longer relevant, emphasizing the difference between low pricing and high ETF activity.

The $1 billion trading volume shows that institutions remain interested in XRP, supporting Gillen’s comments. He didn’t criticize XRP directly but used it as an example of sustained participation despite low enthusiasm. Gillen also connected macro conditions to his outlook. His thesis, he said, has “always been that eventually something is gonna break in the system.”

He mentioned the unpredictability of the housing and private credit markets. He stressed that pressure is still building, but did not predict the exact timing. Although XRP hasn’t seen a major pump, volume and interest continue, and the journey is far from over.

Crude Oil Breaks $61 a Barrel as US Pursues Third Tanker in Venezuela Blockade

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Oil prices increased as President Donald Trump stepped up his blockade of Venezuela, with US forces boarding one tanker and pursuing another within weeks of first seizing a vessel.
Brent rose to about $61 per barrel after two weekly drops, while West Texas Intermediate was close to $57 a barrel.

The US Coast Guard boarded the Centuries tanker, which was carrying two million barrels of Venezuelan crude, in the Caribbean.

It is also pursuing the Bella 1, which is traveling to a country in Latin America. Trump wants to cut off Nicolás Maduro’s government’s main source of income, so Washington has been increasing pressure on it. The US also accused the regime of involvement in drug trafficking and designated it as a foreign terrorist organization.

Although Venezuela still has the largest crude reserves in the world, its exports, most is exported to China, make up less than 1% of the world’s total demand.
Tensions over supplies from another OPEC+ member also increased after Ukraine used drones for the first time to strike an oil tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. That came after attacks on Caspian Sea facilities owned by Lukoil PJSC. Oil prices have decreased by roughly a fifth this year, in part due to the geopolitical situation.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies restored production more quickly than anticipated, but producers outside the cartel continued to pump more, causing the declines. Robert Rennie, head of commodity research at Westpac Banking Corp., stated, “We stick to our slightly more upbeat view on crude through the end of the year based on geopolitical developments being much more supportive.” Brent will likely fall into the $50s next year.

Red Metal on Fire: Copper Nears $12,000 in 2025’s Epic Bull Run

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Copper reached a new high of $12,000 per ton at the end of a historic year marked by trade unrest, limited supply, and hope for long-term demand.

Copper is expected to see its largest annual gain since 2009, with only a few trading days remaining on the London Metal Exchange before year-end. The metal, which is essential for the energy transition, has surged in value in recent months due to growing worries about the world’s supply becoming more constrained.

The immediate cause is a rush of metal to the US that could leave the rest of the world undersupplied in an attempt to avoid future import tariffs. However, unforeseen mine outages and the excitement surrounding copper’s use in artificial intelligence infrastructure have also contributed to a 36% increase this year.

Difficult negotiations for annual ore supply contracts led to a deal for smelters to receive zero dollars per ton for processing fees—the lowest amount ever—a clear indication of mounting supply stress.

Many optimistic predictions have already been made for 2026. Citigroup, Inc. has stated that due to the rush to get metal to US shores, prices could reach $13,000 per ton by the second quarter.

Gold breaks $4,385 per ounce on Dovish Fed Signals and Venezuela Oil Blockade

Posted on December 22, 2025December 22, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Increased geopolitical tensions and wagers on further rate cuts by the Federal Reserve contributed to gold’s record-breaking yearly performance in over 40 years. The previous record of $4,381 per ounce set in October was surpassed by the precious metal, which increased by more than 1%.

Spot gold increased by 1.1 percent to $4,386.32 per ounce. Metal traders are betting that the Fed will cut interest rates twice in 2026 after a barrage of economic data last week did little to clarify the outlook, despite US President Donald Trump’s advocacy for aggressively lowering rates.

Gold and silver, which don’t pay interest, benefit greatly from looser monetary policy. The appeal of gold and silver as havens has also increased due to the recent escalation of geopolitical tensions.

While Ukraine launched its first attack on an oil tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, the US has tightened its oil embargo against Venezuela and increased pressure on President Nicolás Maduro’s administration.

Both of these precious metals are expected to see their biggest yearly increases since 1979.

Increased central bank purchases and inflows into exchange-traded funds backed by bullion have supported the roughly two-thirds increase in gold prices.

According to data compiled by Bloomberg, inflows into gold-backed ETFs have increased for five consecutive weeks, and World Gold Council figures indicate that total holdings in these funds have risen every month this year, except May.

Gold has rapidly recovered after retreating from its peak in October, when the rally was perceived as being overheated. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is one of several banks that forecast that prices will continue to rise in 2026, offering a base-case estimate of $4,900 per ounce with upside risks. It stated that investors in ETFs are beginning to vie with central banks for the scarce physical supply.