Bitcoin
(BTC):
$98,833.89
+1.06%
Ether
(ETH):
$3,356.95
+1.95%
Nikkei
225:
38,283.85
+0.68%
Bitcoin
is
inching
closer
to
the
$100,000
mark,
though
its
momentum
has
slowed.
It
clinched
another
record
on
Thursday
at
$99,500,
dipping
below
$99,000
heading
into
the
U.S.
open.
BTC
has
risen
1%
over
the
past
24
hours,
while
the
broad-market
CoinDesk
20
Index
gained
over
7%.
Most
alternative
cryptocurrencies
(altcoins)
in
the
CD20
outperformed
BTC,
an
early
sign
of
capital
rotation
into
smaller,
riskier
tokens
as
bitcoin’s
pace
stalls.
The
$100,000
price
point
poses
a
significant
resistance
level,
where
investors
might
take
profits
on
their
investments.
Still,
there’s
a
possibility
of
BTC
rallying
to
$115,000
by
Christmas,
supported
by
broadening
stablecoin
supply,
inflows
into
ETFs
and
bullish
options
positioning
on
BlackRock’s
spot
BTC
ETF
(IBIT),
10x
Research
said
in
a
Friday
note.
Altcoins
are
taking
their
moment
to
shine
as
regulatory
headwinds
look
poised
to
clear.
Gary
Gensler,
the
chair
of
the
U.S.
Securities
and
Exchange
Commission
(SEC)
is
set
to
leave
on
Jan.
20,
President-elect
Donald
Trump’s
inauguration
date.
Industry
participants
anticipate
that
the
agency’s
new
leadership
will
be
more
open
to
approving
investment
products
for
smaller
tokens
and
allowing
staking
for
ETFs.
XRP
led
the
rally,
gaining
33%
in
24
hours
and
Cardano’s
ADA
rose
over
15%.
Solana’s
native
token
(SOL)
hit
an
all-time
high
above
$260,
the
first
of
the
large-cap
altcoins
to
surpass
the
2021
market
peaks.