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Ethereum $3,093.86 has been struggling to find a direction amidst cryptocurrencies facing narrow trading ranges. The decrease in volatility indicates the market’s indecisiveness, as technical indicators and on-chain data suggest that Ethereum remains in a consolidation phase without a clear short-term trend. This scenario prompts caution among traders, emphasizing the importance of critical levels for potential breakouts. Contents Insights from Daily and 4-Hour Charts Impact of ETF Withdrawals and On-chain Data Insights from Daily and 4-Hour Charts On the daily chart, Ethereum trades between a long-standing downtrend line and a strong horizontal support around the $2,500 level. This downtrend line acts as a dynamic resistance, rejecting price rallies, and despite sporadic buyer intervention, it fails to produce a sustained breakout. The persistence of strong sellers in the market is clearly evident in this setup. The $2,500 level serves as a critical defense line on the downside. Recent selling pressure hitting this area has been met by buyers, preventing a deeper retracement. Consequently, Ethereum stays within a directionless, narrow range. The continuation of daily closes within this band signifies an ongoing consolidation phase. In contrast, the four-hour chart provides a clearer view of the short-term market. Although Ethereum attempted an upward breakout within a flag pattern formed from local lows, the effort was unsuccessful. After briefly dropping below support, the price rebounded quickly, forming a false breakout. This move trapped short-term sellers while offering limited room for buyers. Nevertheless, the lack of a restored robust uptrend indicates that this reaction remains a mere correction for now. Impact of ETF Withdrawals and On-chain Data Alongside the technical stalemate, on-chain data presents a cautious outlook for Ethereum. Mid-December saw significant institutional withdrawals from spot Ethereum ETFs, with substantial exits, particularly from BlackRock’s ETF, signaling weak institutional risk appetite. Total weekly outflows exceeding $600 million underscore the notable contraction in buying liquidity. The timing of these events is critical, as heavy withdrawals early in the week weaken Ethereum’s ability to defend key support levels. Institutional investors reducing positions at current prices emerge as a short-term risk factor with downward pressure. Meanwhile, another development in the Ethereum ecosystem gains attention. Recent surges in transaction volumes and lower fees in significant Layer-2 projects indicate a shift in network usage from the main chain to side solutions. While this supports Ethereum’s scalability in the long run, it constrains demand on the main network in the short term.

An internal strategy document attributed to Fundstrat Global Advisors projects a bearish outlook for major cryptocurrencies in early 2026. According to Cointelegraph, the circulating report warns of a meaningful drawdown during the first half of next year. The document sets specific downside targets for Bitcoin at $60,000 to $65,000, Ether at $1,800 to $2,000, and Solana at $50 to $75. Screenshots of the report were shared on social media platform X by crypto-focused accounts including Wu Blockchain. The material has not been publicly released by Fundstrat and its authenticity remains unconfirmed. The report was apparently written by Sean Farrell, head of digital asset strategy at the firm. Multiple accounts claim the document was distributed to internal clients. Fundstrat did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication. This projection sharply contrasts with recent public statements from Tom Lee, managing partner and head of research at Fundstrat. At Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai earlier this month, Lee predicted Bitcoin could reach $250,000 within months. He called Ether at around $3,000 grossly undervalued. Lee argued that if Ether returned to its eight-year average ratio against Bitcoin, prices could approach $12,000. Internal Division Reflects Market Uncertainty The divergence between Fundstrat's internal guidance and its managing partner's public optimism reveals the complexity of cryptocurrency price forecasting. This split within a single research firm demonstrates how different analytical approaches can produce widely varying conclusions. Institutional investors relying on research from the same firm now face competing narratives about digital asset prospects. We reported that institutional investors showed growing confidence with 83% planning to increase crypto allocations in 2025. Spot Bitcoin ETFs accumulated over $65 billion in assets under management by April 2025. The current market environment differs from previous cycles as professional investors now apply systematic risk management rather than emotional decisions. Lee's company BitMine continued aggressive Ether accumulation despite market weakness. The firm held nearly 3.9 million ETH as of December 7, after adding more than 138,000 ETH in one week. This represents over 3.2% of Ether's total supply. Such substantial accumulation suggests institutional conviction despite near-term bearish signals from internal analysis. Institutional Adoption Creates New Market Dynamics The conflicting forecasts arrive as institutional cryptocurrency adoption reaches new levels. According to Grayscale, 86% of institutional investors either own Bitcoin or plan to do so in 2026. Regulatory clarity has transformed uncertainty into opportunity while institutional-grade investment vehicles have democratized access to previously fragmented markets. Grayscale expects bipartisan crypto market structure legislation to become law in 2026. This will bring deeper integration between public blockchains and traditional finance. The firm anticipates Bitcoin's price will likely reach a new all-time high in the first half of the year. This projection aligns more closely with Tom Lee's public statements than with Fundstrat's internal bearish guidance. The institutional investment landscape shows both bullish and cautious signals. Standard Chartered and Bernstein analysts have forecasted Bitcoin could reach $150,000 in 2026. These projections are grounded in Bitcoin's growing adoption by pension funds, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds. Net inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs have surged from $30 billion in early 2024 to nearly $125 billion by early 2026. However, skeptics note that market corrections remain possible. The Fundstrat internal report suggests potential buying opportunities could emerge later in 2026 following the projected drawdown. This approach reflects historical market cycles where significant pullbacks preceded new rallies. The document's focus on specific price levels indicates technical analysis combined with macroeconomic factors influenced the projections. The cryptocurrency market now operates with more institutional infrastructure than in previous cycles. BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust and Fidelity's FBTC have attracted billions in assets. Corporate treasuries continue adding Bitcoin to balance sheets. This structural shift provides greater stability compared to retail-dominated earlier periods. Investors face the challenge of navigating competing forecasts from respected analysts. The Fundstrat situation illustrates how internal risk management strategies may differ from public market commentary. Understanding these dynamics helps market participants make more informed allocation decisions as 2026 approaches.

Crypto Market Overview (December 14-21, 2025) 📉 The global cryptocurrency market continued to experience significant volatility, with Bitcoin dropping below $90,000 on December 14 and further declining to $86,000 by December 18. This decline was driven by fading expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts and weakening U.S. macroeconomic data. Ethereum fluctuated between $2,900–$3,100, while altcoins like Solana and XRP saw weekly losses exceeding 5%. The total market capitalization dropped 2% week-on-week, reaching approximately $3.06–$3.08 trillion, marking an eight-month low by December 19. 📊 Positive regulatory signals emerged, with the U.S. SEC removing cryptocurrency from its 2026 priority list and confirming pro-crypto nominees for leadership positions at CFTC and FDIC. The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is slated for Senate markup in January 2026, offering hope for clearer market frameworks. However, Senator Cynthia Lummis, a strong crypto advocate, announced her retirement. 💸 China injected ¥1.05 trillion (approximately $1.4 trillion) into the market, echoing past events that triggered parabolic crypto rallies. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) raised rates to a 30-year high, creating risks for Bitcoin. However, U.S. Bitcoin ETFs saw strong inflows of $457 million, indicating sustained institutional interest despite price slumps. 🛡️ A major phishing attack resulted in a $50 million USDT loss, with victims offering a $1 million reward for recovery. Quantum computing threats resurfaced in discussions, although experts like Adam Back dismissed them as market manipulation. Memecoins and small-cap tokens hit multi-year lows, highlighting broader weakness in altcoins. 🚀 Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin reached a market cap of $1.26 billion, becoming the third-largest U.S.-regulated stablecoin. TRON integrated with Kalshi for deposits and withdrawals, and Polkadot gained native USDC access via Coinbase. Prediction markets like Kalshi surged in popularity, climbing to #3 on the App Store. #CryptoInsights #MarketTrends

$ETH is still holding above its key trendline, which keeps the current structure intact for now. The support zone for a potential wave-(B) low sits between $2,894 and $2,825 an area to watch closely. As long as price stays above this range, the bullish scenario remains valid. A breakdown below could suggest further downside, but for now, the trendline is doing its job

Ethereum treasury company SharpLink Gaming (ticker SBET) is continuing its stock buyback program with an additional purchase of 1 million shares. The stock, repurchased at an average purchase price of $16.67 per share, is down 2.8% at 16:15 UTC to around $16.32. In August, the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based firm’s board approved a $1.5 billion stock buyback program. So far, SharpLink has repurchased approximately 1.93 million shares for around $32 million, while continuing to add to its ETH balance sheet holdings. At the time the Consensys-backed firm announced its buyback program, SharpLink held approximately 740,760 ETH. Today, nearly a month later, SharpLink said it holds 838,152 tokens, valued at $3.86 billion, according to The Block’s price data. This total includes the 3,240 ETH ($14.4 million) earned via staking since June. The firm said it has repurchased approximately 1.93 million shares in total, drawing roughly $32 million against its buyback facility so far. SharpLink disclosed its first buyback on Sept. 9, confirming it would only acquire stock when its net asset value (NAV) falls below 1, signaling that it is “undervalued.” SharpLink is the second-largest ETH treasury firm, following Bitmine Immersion, the firm backed by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, with over 2 million stockpiled ETH, representing approximately two out of three ETH tokens stacked by public digital asset treasury companies, according to The Block’s data. There are approximately 70 Ethereum-focused DATs with at least 100 ETH on the books, cumulatively holding 3.1 million tokens. SharpLink’s stock strategy Stock buybacks can be controversial even for traditional businesses with cash flows, let alone a small-cap gaming firm turned ETH juggernaut. However, share repurchase programs are increasingly common among digital asset treasury firms, which typically launch with the mandate to raise funds to buy tokens. While some critics argue that buybacks prioritize short-term stock price boosts over long-term accumulation and can signal a lack of confidence in a token, SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom, a former BlackRock exec, maintains that they are immediately “accretive” and compound long-term stockholder value. According to its dashboard, SharpLink currently has a fully diluted NAV of 0.91x, meaning the market value of SBET is underperforming its ETH holdings by about 9%. The firm has already pledged not to use its at-the-market (ATM) stock facility to buy tokens when NAV dips below 1, which would further dilute its value by issuing more shares. In other words, SBET buybacks are arguably an attempt to “buy low and sell high.” SBET shares rose over 4% following its first stock repurchase of about 939,000 shares, though dipped following this most recent announcement, The Block's stock price page shows. SBET hit a recent high in June above $78 shortly after announcing a partnership with Consensys, the Ethereum development firm led by Joseph Lubin. The stock last traded at that level in 2015, according to Nasdaq. “We continue to be focused on stockholder value. By expanding our ETH concentration, we are reinforcing our commitment to align the long-term interests of SharpLink, Ethereum, and our shareholders, while showcasing how digital assets can be responsibly and strategically deployed to drive meaningful value creation,” Chalom said in Tuesday’s statement. The SBET repurchases are funded with cash on hand, staking income, and alternative forms of financing, rather than debt. The firm carries no debt and reportedly stakes nearly 100% of its ETH. SharpLink is not the only DAT to initiate a buyback program. For instance, in August, Ethereum treasury firm ETHZilla authorized a $250 million stock buyback plan, while Bitcoin treasury firm Strive announced on Monday a $500 million stock repurchase program as part of a nearly $1 billion financing plan to increase its “bitcoin per share.” Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures. © 2025 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.