The Crypto Basic

The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has issued guidance permitting national banks to engage in cryptocurrency transactions as intermediaries without assuming market risk.
Under the clarification, banks may facilitate trades between clients without holding digital assets on their own balance sheets.
The decision represents a significant step toward integrating regulated cryptocurrency brokerage services into the mainstream banking system.

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Data from Santiment suggests heightened volatility for #shiba⚡ Inu in the coming days, following a rapid rise in whale transactions and exchange reserves. Notably, the market intelligence platform shared this in an X post, highlighting renewed whale activity in the Shiba Inu ecosystem. The Tuesday tweet stated that Shiba Inu recorded 406 whale transactions yesterday, each valued at over $100,000. This level of whale transaction is the highest since June 6th, indicating renewed interest in the asset. Notably, this spike in whale activity suggests a significant shift in SHIB tokens to new locations. However, it does not explicitly identify the direction of this move. Such moves usually highlight two things: either whales are withdrawing from exchanges in large amounts to self-custody wallets, or they are moving to new addresses and exchanges. Meanwhile, Santiment identified that this whale activity coincided with a staggering 1.06 trillion Shiba Inu addition to exchange reserves. The net change in the SHIB balance suggests that the whale transactions were actually large holders moving their holdings to exchanges. While this does not directly translate into sell-offs, it puts pressure on the Shiba Inu supply, as holders could easily exchange them for stablecoins, fiat, or other cryptocurrencies. As such, Santiment advised caution, noting that SHIB could see increased volatility in the coming days. Remarkably, Shiba Inu has already seen notable price moves over the past 24 hours. The meme coin joined a broader rally yesterday, spurred by Bitcoin’s brief climb to $94,000. SHIB moved from an intraday low of $0.00000842 to a high of $0.00000905, representing a 7.4% growth. However, it pulled back slightly to close at $0.00000873. So far today, it has further relinquished most of those gains, dropping 1.49% to its current price of $0.00000859.
#CryptoNewss

Paul Atkins Says Most Crypto ICOs Are Beyond SEC Oversight.

#SEC Chair Paul Atkins stated Tuesday that most initial coin offerings (ICOs) should not be classified as securities.

His comments indicate a potential regulatory shift that could reinvigorate a fundraising method long constrained by federal oversight.

Speaking at the Blockchain Association’s policy summit, Atkins noted that many ICOs fail to meet the legal criteria defining a security. Consequently, they fall outside the jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

He explained that these offerings involve token types that “do not fit” the agency’s definition of an investment product, placing them beyond the SEC’s reach.

Atkins based his remarks on a token taxonomy he introduced last month. The framework divides digital assets into four categories, distinguishing between those that function like investments and those that do not.

According to Atkins, three categories — network tokens, digital collectibles, and digital tools — do not exhibit the characteristics traditionally associated with securities. Consequently, they merit distinct regulatory treatment.

Only the fourth category, tokenized securities, falls squarely under existing SEC rules.

Atkins further suggested that oversight of the remaining categories fall under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The commission has historically employed a lighter-touch regulatory approach.
#Crypto

The U.S. #SEC has officially closed its two-year investigation into Ondo Finance without recommending charges.
This move marks one of the latest reversals of a Biden-era action against a digital asset firm. Notably, the probe went live in October 2023 under former SEC Chair Gary Gensler. It focused on whether Ondo violated securities laws while tokenizing U.S. Treasuries and whether its ONDO token should be treated as a security.
#CryptoNewsFlash

#XRP Reaches $1,000,000,000 Milestone in No Time: #Ripple CEO.
Garlinghouse called attention to this feat in a recent post on X, confirming that the four XRP ETFs reached this milestone in less than four weeks. The Ripple CEO then commented on the growing list of spot and futures crypto ETFs since the spot Bitcoin products launched in 2024, with the U.S. SEC approving more than 40 of these products this year alone.
According to him, the surge in crypto ETFs shows clear, growing demand for regulated crypto asset products. He explained that Vanguard’s decision to open crypto access within standard retirement and trading accounts now allows millions of Americans to enter the market without needing deep technical knowledge. Garlinghouse also stressed that this rising wave of “off-chain” crypto holders cares more about underrated themes like longevity, stability, and community. Essentially, these factors increasingly guide how new investors think, what they trust, and how they decide which projects deserve their commitment. Since the Ripple CEO’s disclosure just hours ago, the XRP ETF products have added more capital to their net assets following the $30.04 million worth of inflow from Monday, Dec. 8. Today, the products now hold 597.093 million XRP tokens, currently worth $1.230 billion at the current XRP price of $2.06. XRP’s push to the recent milestone began on Nov. 13 with the success the Canary Capital XRP ETF recorded on its debut day. Specifically, XRPC saw about $245 million in net inflows, setting the stage for the successes of the other three products from Bitwise, Grayscale, and Franklin Templeton. Of the $1.230 billion cumulative NAV, Canary’s product takes the largest share, boasting 335.889 million XRP worth $691.93 million at press time. Essentially, Canary makes up 56.2% of the cumulative net assets of all four funds. Meanwhile, the Grayscale XRP ETF accounts for 104.381 million XRP worth $215 million or 17.47% of the total.
#Crypto

#SEC Chair Says Tokenization Could Transform U.S. Financial System Within “Couple of Years”.

The U.S. financial system may transition to blockchain far sooner than many expect, according to SEC Chair Paul Atkins.

Speaking to Fox Business, Atkins said the U.S. market structure is undergoing rapid change as blockchain and electronic trading continue to mature. He noted that these advances are reshaping how participants view settlement, risk, and transparency.

Building on that point, Atkins suggested the move to blockchain could arrive within a few years rather than a decade. He emphasized that tokenization is emerging as a central feature of this shift, with digital representations of assets poised to enter mainstream finance.

This growing interest in tokenized systems, Atkins explained, stems from their potential to streamline key market functions. He said, for instance, that blockchain-based settlement can improve clarity and reduce the risk of delays between trading, payment, and final settlement.

As he described, these benefits could support both institutional and retail participants. By tightening settlement windows and providing clearer audit trails, on-chain systems can contribute to a more efficient and predictable market environment.
#Crypto

#XRP Price Could Reach $18.95 if $1T is Added to XRP Market Cap. Despite the ETF’s impressive performance, XRP has declined considerably on the back of a broader market pullback. This pullback has pushed Bitcoin (BTC) below the pivotal $100,000 support. Amid the downtrend, which picked up on Nov. 11, XRP has lost $14.63 billion from its market cap, which has since collapsed to $137.12 billion. Notably, a recovery effort from the broader market could help XRP’s prospects, possibly pushing its market cap to previous highs. For perspective, XRP’s all-time high market cap currently sits at $216.69 billion, which it attained on July 18, when the price reached a peak of $3.66.
With the current valuation of $137.12 billion, XRP has lost $79.57 since that market cap high. Meanwhile, amid suggestions of a possible recovery, we recently assessed how much the XRP price could be if it not only recovered this lost valuation but added $1 trillion more.
For context, Bitcoin is the only cryptocurrency that has ever crossed the $1 trillion market cap level. It first attained this level in February 2021, soaring to $1.3 trillion at the peak of the 2021 bull market. However, it lost the $1 trillion level as the bear market emerged, dropping to $297 billion in November 2022. Today, BTC has reclaimed the $1 trillion mark, with a current valuation of $1.92 trillion. If XRP adds $1 trillion to its current market cap, its new valuation would sit at $1.137 trillion, still much lower than Bitcoin’s market cap. With 60 billion tokens currently in circulation, a valuation of $1.137 trillion would place the XRP price at a new all-time high of $18.95, edging toward the $19 region. Interestingly, the $19 target has been a recurring theme within the XRP community. For instance, in August, market analyst Dr. Cat predicted that XRP could hit a price of $19 to $32 if the XRP/BTC ratio reclaims a range of 0.00007 to 0.00012 and Bitcoin itself claims a price of $270,000.

#Crypto

First #shiba⚡ Inu Golden Cross of December—How High Can We Go?
A golden cross signals bearish price exhaustion when a short-term moving average moves above a longer-term moving average. Typically, this usually happens between the 200 MA and the 50 MA. A TradingView analysis shows this cross occurred on the 1-hour chart on December 4. At the time of writing, the gap between these moving averages has widened, with the 50 MA at $0.000008811 and the 200 MA below at $0.000008535. Notably, market watchers view this indicator as a bullish signal, expecting a price recovery for the meme coin. Meanwhile, SHIB trades at $0.00000844 at the time of writing, down 3.65% over the past 24 hours. Remarkably, this may have invalidated an earlier bearish indicator that had signaled a continued downtrend. The 23-period MA fell below the 50-period MA on the 4-hour chart earlier in the month, with analysis suggesting SHIB could drop to new lows. If this cross sparks a Shiba Inu recovery, its first target would be a retest of the $0.00000952 resistance level, an area that presented a roadblock two days ago. This move would require a 12% increase from the current market standing. Other analysts predict further highs to delete one more zero. Notably, Shib Knight projected this move, citing renewed bullishness around the SHIB ecosystem. He noted that bulls are returning and will set the tone for the next exciting move. Analyst Bitcoinsensus predicts an even bigger run to the December 2024 peak price of $0.00003343. He believes this would materialize if Shiba Inu breaks out from a falling wedge, as it recently showed strength within the structure. Remarkably, bulls are becoming increasingly confident that Shiba Inu will recover this December. Market sentiment is turning positive following renewed monetary easing efforts by the US Fed. If Bitcoin experiences the move that many analysts expect, SHIB could finally break its historically bearish price action in December.
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Analyst Predicts #XRP Price of $5.85 Where Many Will FOMO into XRP. As some decide to leave the market during the latest struggles, Analyst Dark Defender insists that these investors and others would likely return after XRP has recovered from the current phase to new highs. According to him, a lot of investors will “FOMO” into XRP when it reaches $5.85. For perspective, with XRP currently trading for $2.08, a rally to $5.85 would represent a 181% increase. Dark Defender has persistently suggested that XRP could target this price level once bullish momentum returns. For instance, last month, he called attention to a cup and handle pattern on the yearly chart, noting that when a surge occurs, the first target rests at $5.85. Also, in October, he mentioned that XRP had maintained an earlier structure that could lead to higher prices. The analyst set the first upside target at $5.85 and the second at $10. Interestingly, his latest commentary reinforces his optimism that the $5.85 target remains within reach. In addition, Dark Defender also suggested that the $10 price would materialize “shortly after.” For context, XRP would need to surge by a more substantial 380% from the current price to reach $10. The market analyst believes those who left and those who have ignored XRP would troop in once XRP hit these levels. Notably, by then, existing investors would already have raked in profits. For perspective, those holding $10,000 worth of XRP today would see their balance soar to $28,100 if XRP hits $5.85, and $48,000 at $10 per token. According to Dark Defender, this same trend occurred when XRP recovered from the $0.5 lows to reach its ATH of $3.66. Notably, Raoul Pal, who asked XRP investors to move out of XRP and find other options, admitted his wrong in December 2024 after XRP exploded by 400% from the November 2024 lows.
#Crypto

US Lawmaker Emerges as One of #Bitcoin Most Consistent Buyers This Year.

U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s reputation in the crypto space has risen as she has increases her exposure to Bitcoin.

The lawmaker has consistently accumulated shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) throughout the year. Her latest purchase appeared in a recent congressional disclosure, revealing that Greene (R-GA) acquired additional shares of IBIT on November 21, investing between $1,001 and $15,000.

Greene has made similar purchases all year. She began on January 8 with an investment of $1,000 to $15,000, followed by a larger buy of $15,000 to $50,000 on March 3. She continued accumulating IBIT with purchases ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 on September 11, October 9, October 15, and October 24, leading up to her most recent investment disclosed for November 21, bringing the total transactions to seven.

Overall, she has invested between $21,000 and $140,000 in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF this year. What makes her latest acquisition particularly notable is its timing.

When she bought the IBIT shares on November 21, Bitcoin was trading near $85,000 and struggling to break free from the month’s bearish trend. IBIT reflected that weakness as well, closing the session at $47.97.

Since then, Bitcoin has rallied to $92,900 at press time, up 9.29% from its November 21 close. Similarly, IBIT has climbed to $52.80, up 10.06% from its previous close of $47.97.

As a result of this upward move, the disclosure shows that Greene’s most recent investment has appreciated by $99 to $1,485, based on congressional reporting ranges.
#Crypto

Analyst egragcrypto Says #XRP Will Target $33 — But You Must Be Patient for It to Happen. Meanwhile, on the technical side, Egrag based his latest prediction on XRP’s historical movements. He noted that on the 2-week chart, XRP typically drops back to the 21-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) before making a significant upward move. This EMA often acts as a support level or launchpad for strong rallies. In 2017, after touching the 21 EMA, XRP surged by 1,250%. If XRP mirrors this path, it could reach $33. Meanwhile, a similar move in 2021 yielded a 560% gain. If this run repeats, XRP could rise to $17.
Egrag calculates an average potential upside of 905% if history repeats — or even just rhymes — which would place XRP around $27. In other words, considering various scenarios, he believes price targets between $17 and $33 are within reach in the next explosive leg upward. Given that he has made several similar analyses in the past to forecast XRP’s price, many are increasingly skeptical of the outlook. He admitted to receiving direct messages from market participants asking whether he ever grows tired of continuously projecting bullish scenarios for XRP. He reiterated the importance of patience, saying that the information on the chart remains promising. Reiterating a popular phrase among technical analysts, Egrag notes, “Men lie, women lie, but charts and numbers do not lie.”
While acknowledging that the market will continue to test its participants with volatility, fear, and uncertainty, he insists that patience is the most profitable strategy for those truly invested in XRP’s long-term vision.
He ends his message by encouraging the XRP community to stay strong and united, declaring that together they’ll rise — and soon, “we shall fly so much higher.”
#CryptonewswithJack