Five large crypto companies, including Ripple, Circle and BitGo, secured conditional OCC approval to convert into national trust banks, tightening links between crypto and traditional finance. The move is supportive for the medium-term adoption narrative, particularly for XRP and stablecoins, even as near-term prices remain choppy.
XRP holds the $2 handle amid ETF and banking-license narrative
XRP trades near $2.00–2.02, slightly higher intraday but down about 1% over 24 hours, as it digests heavy recent volatility and profit-taking after its spot ETF debut. Bulls point to strong ETF flows and Ripple’s U.S. trust bank push as structural supports, while bears note ongoing selling by long-term holders and sensitivity to Bitcoin’s swings.
Solana and high-beta alts bounce but stay under pressure
Solana is up around 0.4% on the day near $133 after a 3%–4% slide Friday, mirroring a tentative rebound across high-beta altcoins following the Fed decision. Flows show rotation from mega-cap BTC/ETH ETFs toward newer SOL and XRP products, but not yet at a scale to fully offset macro-driven risk-off moves.
Altcoins follow lower, with Ethereum and Solana underperforming Bitcoin
Solana is down about 3% and XRP roughly 1–2%, mirroring broader weakness in majors as derivatives liquidations and technical selling pressure the complex. News flow around AI and tech equity volatility, alongside thinner year-end liquidity, is amplifying moves in high‑beta coins like SOL and ADA.
Macro backdrop: dovish Fed and softer dollar support long-term crypto thesis
TradingEconomics and Yahoo Finance report gold near record highs and the dollar index hovering near multi-week lows after the Fed’s third 25 bp cut and new T-bill purchases. While today’s tape is risk-off for crypto, the combination of easier Fed policy and added dollar liquidity is seen as supportive for longer-term Bitcoin upside in on-chain valuation work from Bitcoin Magazine.
Crypto retreats as AI-driven tech selloff weighs on risk assets
Bitcoin trades around $90,246, down roughly 2.5%, and Ethereum falls nearly 4.8% as concerns over an AI spending bubble and weak tech sentiment—highlighted by sharp drops in Oracle and Broadcom—spill into digital assets (Reuters, Yahoo Finance, CoinDesk). Broader risk-off flows and elevated volatility in crypto proxies such as Strategy Inc. (MSTR) are amplifying downside pressure.
Bitcoin pullback still sits above on-chain ‘floor’ metrics
Despite the drop below $90K intraday, on-chain valuation tools such as CVDD and Balanced Price from Bitcoin Magazine still place longer-term cycle floor estimates in the mid-$40K to ~$80K range. This suggests current levels are well above historically observed bear-market lows, though shorter-term sentiment has clearly turned cautious.
Ethereum and Solana underperform on risk shedding and treasury unwinds
ETH near $3,083 (-4.8%) and Solana around $132 (-3.4%) are lagging Bitcoin as investors de-risk from higher-beta smart-contract platforms. CoinDesk notes that listed ‘treasury plays’ tied to ether and Solana have been hit particularly hard when BTC sells off, reinforcing the downside beta in these ecosystems.
XRP dips modestly despite structural DeFi and banking tailwinds
XRP trades near $2.01, down about 1.4%, underperforming BTC but holding up better than ETH and SOL. CoinDesk reports Hex Trust’s launch of wrapped XRP on Solana, Ethereum and other chains and Ripple’s conditional U.S. trust bank approval, both of which expand XRP’s DeFi reach and regulatory standing, helping cushion the pullback.
Macro backdrop: Dovish Fed and softer dollar support hard assets, not crypto
The Fed’s third 25 bp cut and plans to buy $40B/month in T‑bills have weakened the dollar toward two‑month lows and fueled expectations of further easing in 2026 (Trading Economics, FXStreet, Reuters). This has propelled gold back toward record highs above $4,300/oz and kept copper elevated, while crypto has decoupled short term as investors rotate toward metals and away from speculative tech and digital assets (Investing.com).