Ethereum shows renewed upside momentum as whales open $426 million in long positions ahead of a possible Fed rate cut.
Institutional exposure grows, with Harvard expanding Bitcoin holdings and XRP ETFs attracting four weeks of strong inflows.
Stablecoin and regulatory breakthroughs accelerate as USDC nears $80 billion and Binance gains full ADGM licensing.
The crypto market saw major developments marked by aggressive whale positioning, institutional accumulation, stablecoin expansion, and major regulatory approvals. From Ethereum whales betting big on a rally toward $4,000 to Ivy League endowments increasing crypto exposure and top exchanges reopening in key markets, global momentum across digital assets continues to accelerate.
A surge in leveraged long activity took place on Ethereum, as three high-profile "smart whales" opened long positions with 136,433 ETH worth about $426 million, signaling increased confidence.
According to Lookonchain, traders BitcoinOG (1011short) and Anti-CZ have also opened long positions of $169 million and $194 million, respectively.
A different whale, pension-usdt.eth, made a 20,000 ETH long entry worth $62.5 million. At the same time, another whale, 0xBADBB, went long using two accounts totaling $189.5 million.
The timing of these developments aligns with rising expectations of a 25 bps rate cut by the Federal Reserve next week.
Also Read: Is Ethereum Losing Value? Exploring Layer 2’s Impact
Harvard University is increasingly taking a role in the digital world, raising the value of its Bitcoin ETF holdings to more than $442 million, as per the SEC filings.
The purchase via BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust is the main reason for this large rise from $117 million in the last quarter, though the current holding still shows an unrealized loss of approximately $40 million.
The Ivy League institution also expanded its gold ETF exposure from $102 million to $235 million, indicating a combined inflation-hedge strategy.
As Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan noted, Harvard effectively “allocated Bitcoin 2-to-1 over gold,” emphasizing growing institutional conviction in digital assets.
Coinbase, which exited the Indian market in 2022 due to UPI payment limitations and regulatory uncertainty, has resumed user onboarding in India.
The platform quietly started allowing sign-ups via an early-access program and has now moved on to complete registration.
Currently, only crypto-to-crypto trading can be done by Indian users, while a fiat on-ramp is expected to be available by 2026. Still, Coinbase has registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit, which allows it to operate in compliance.
This step is taken as India has been the top country in the world for crypto adoption for the third year in a row, indicating there is considerable retail demand even with the regulatory barriers.
Also Read: Coinbase Resumes India Operations, Invests in CoinDCX to Strengthen Market Footprint
The XRP spot exchange-traded funds experienced strong institutional interest, with a total of $231 million in net inflows registered from December 1 to December 5 (ET). This has been the fourth straight week of inflows.
Grayscale’s GXRP ETF was the top contributor, bringing in $140 million, raising its total historical net inflows to $212 million.
The XRPZ ETF by Franklin Templeton followed with $49.29 million, increasing its total inflows to $135 million.
The rise in interest occurred at the same time as the market's expectations regarding possible 2026 catalysts, including global regulatory clarity that is more open and the greater adoption of XRP in payment systems and cross-border liquidity corridors.
Circle and Bybit have announced an expansion of their partnership, aiming to strengthen the adoption and liquidity of USDC, the most regulated stablecoin.
The main focus of the two companies' collaboration is on integrating USDC into Bybit's trading ecosystem, which comprises spot trading, derivatives trading, payments, and inter-institutional settlement.
Bybit has set the new cross-chain support, fiat on-ramps, and off-ramps enhancements to be implemented together with Circle, and thus, liquidity provisioning will be increased.
The market capitalization of USDC has gone up by 77% in 2025, from $44 billion to $78 billion, and it looks like the stablecoin is just about to cross the $80 billion line.
The global cryptocurrency exchange Binance has now become a regulated player in the UAE market, as it received three necessary licenses from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
By getting approval from the ADGM, Binance will incorporate three local companies, which will be named Nest, and these will take care of exchange operations in the following three important market segments:
1. Nest Exchange: License as a Recognized Investment Exchange, Nest Exchange is permitted to conduct completely regulated spot and derivatives trading transactions.
2. Nest Clearing and Custody: Approved as a Recognized Clearing House, this entity will manage clearing, settlement, custody, and CSD (central securities depository) functions, giving ADGM regulators visibility into post-trade infrastructure and asset safety mechanisms.
3. Nest Trading: Licensed as a broker-dealer, Nest Trading will handle off-exchange and OTC trading activity under ADGM supervision.
1. Why are Ethereum whales opening massive long positions?
Whales are betting on a bullish breakout as ETH holds above $3,000, anticipating a Fed rate cut and an ascending triangle pattern pointing toward $4,000.
2. How much Bitcoin exposure does Harvard currently hold?
Harvard now holds more than $442 million in Bitcoin ETFs, marking a major jump from $117 million last quarter.
3. Why is USDC’s market cap growing so rapidly?
USDC has surged 77% in 2025 due to stronger regulatory trust under MiCA, deeper exchange integration, and rising institutional settlement use cases.
4. What drove the $231 million inflow into XRP ETFs?
Institutional investors are increasing exposure to XRP ahead of expected regulatory clarity and wider adoption in cross-border payments.
5. What does Binance’s ADGM approval mean?
It allows Binance to operate fully regulated exchange, clearing, and brokerage entities in the UAE, strengthening its compliance framework and regional presence.
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