Bitcoin and major altcoins have been pressured by weak spot demand and continuous outflows from ETFs, weighing on overall market momentum.
Stablecoins are holding steady, with high liquidity and steady usage despite crypto market volatility.
Market sentiment is cautious as traders react to regulatory meetings, shifting interest-rate expectations, and major developments in Tether, Saylor, and LUNA.
Crypto prices today showed mixed sentiments. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and major altcoins come under renewed selling pressure. Weak spot demand, combined with consistent outflows from ETFs and declining retail activity, are pressuring prices. Though stablecoins remain stable, broader market sentiment remains cautious as investors react to regulatory shifts and uncertain macroeconomic conditions. Let’s explore the performance of crypto prices today based on CoinMarketCap data.
Bitcoin price dropped 1.45% in the last 24 hours to $89,929.92 at press time. It continues to hold a market capitalization of $1.79 trillion, while recording a trading volume of $56.6 billion within the same period. Bitcoin price seems to be stuck between a tight range of $84,000 and $91,000 since its surge, while it has become weak against traditional markets.
CoinSwitch Markets Desk noted, “BTC attempted a small weekend bounce but is now trading around $90,000. Broader crypto sentiment remained cautious as global bond yields spiked, especially Japan’s 10-year yield nearing a 20-year high, pressuring risk assets. US equities also dipped ahead of this week’s final Federal Reserve meeting, where a 25-bps rate cut is expected, though guidance could drive volatility.”
CoinSwitch analysts explained, “BTC is holding steady above the $90,000 zone after facing resistance near $91,500. In the short term, price may continue to range between $90,000–$91,000, with a break above $91,500 opening room toward $92,000.”
Ethereum traded at $3,108.17, indicating a 0.61% dip within the last 24 hours. Currently the second-largest cryptocurrency based on market capitalization, Ethereum boasts a valuation of $375.1 billion with $24.1 billion in daily trading volume.
Other large cryptocurrencies are trading in the red zone today as well. Solana price has fallen 1.72% to $132.67, while market capitalization rests at $74.4 billion. XRP changed hands at $2.05, trimming 0.95% of its value today at the time of writing.
BNB has lost 1.33% to $891.10, while TRON (TRX) tops the losses among leading tokens with a drop of 2.02% to $0.2812. Dogecoin (DOGE) is showing relative strength in a 0.33% drop to $0.1404, and Cardano (ADA) is flat at $0.4260.
While crypto prices today show weakness across most assets, stablecoins continue to perform their role effectively. Tether trades for $1 with a market cap of $185.7 billion and leads the market with $86.2 billion in daily trading volume. USD Coin holds steady at $0.9999 with a $78.3 billion market cap.
Also Read: Crypto Prices Today: Bitcoin Price Hits $91,145, ETH Jumps 1.92% and Solana Climbs to $134
Many reasons are contributing to the weakness in today's market. Weak spot demand pressures crypto prices today, as well as ongoing structural issues. US Bitcoin ETFs have been showing consistent outflows, indicating institutional investors have been selling rather than buying into rallies.
BTC is also facing a decline in retail interest and decreasing buying pressure across major trading platforms. This environment, contrasted with the explosive rallies from prior cycles, has become more measured and dominated by institutional capital rather than retail speculation.
Here are the top global cues impacting crypto prices today:
Tether, the firm behind the world's biggest stablecoin, has participated in an $81 million funding round for Generative Bionics, an Italian AI startup working on humanoid robots. The investment plans to bolster the development of sophisticated robots targeted at industrial use and human interaction. Funding by Tether covers such areas as Physical AI systems and the opening of the company's first production facility.
Major US bank CEOs from Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo are meeting this Thursday with bipartisan senators to discuss upcoming cryptocurrency legislation. The banks are expected to oppose allowing interest payments on stablecoins and will discuss their competitive position in the crypto sector, while ways to prevent the use of cryptocurrencies for illegal activities will also be up for discussion.
Market traders now expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by less than 75 basis points through the end of 2026. The reduced expectations for rate cuts could have an effect on crypto prices, since digital assets often benefit from low-interest-rate environments. President Trump has said that inflation is expected to further decline, while ruling out deflation.
Founder of Strategy, Michael Saylor, is championing government-regulated, Bitcoin-backed digital bank accounts. Speaking on the final day of the Bitcoin MENA event in Abu Dhabi, Saylor called for a system utilizing over-collateralized Bitcoin reserves and tokenized credit instruments to offer higher-yielding and lower-volatility accounts. He thinks that such systems could attract trillions in deposits.
Terra's LUNA token jumped more than 35% to $0.1420 USDT in the lead-up to this Dec 11th sentencing in New York of Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud charges earlier this year. The judge is expected to seek clarity over what charges Kwon faces in South Korea before pronouncing his sentence.
As noted by investment firm Grayscale, the traditional price patterns driven by halving events in Bitcoin are becoming less influential, with each having a smaller relative impact as more Bitcoin enters circulation. In general, the market is being driven more by institutional capital, interest rate expectations, and regulatory developments than retail speculation driving previous cycles.
Also Read: Pi Network Price Faces Pressure as CEX Supply Rises and Testnet2 Launches
Despite current weakness, capital inflows remain moderately positive and offer some support against further declines. Crypto prices today reflect, however, a market struggling to cope with weak demand and structural challenges. Traders seem cautious, selling on rallies rather than accumulating positions, suggesting that the road to recovery may take more time than in previous cycles.
1. Why is the crypto market down today?
Crypto prices are down today because investors are selling more than buying. Low demand for crypto in the spot market, continued outflows of ETFs from institutions that invest in crypto, and a loss of retail investors' interest in the crypto market all exert downward pressure on prices, prompting traders to exercise greater caution in future trades and slowing market momentum.
2. Why is Bitcoin struggling to stay above $90,000?
Bitcoin has not managed to hold above $90,000 largely because a large percentage of coins are held at a loss, causing many to either hold on to their coins or be afraid to buy when they are at a loss. The fact that institutional investors who buy and sell through ETFs are taking profits rather than adding to their positions further illustrates weak demand for Bitcoin.
3. How is Ethereum performing compared to Bitcoin?
Ethereum has shown characteristics similar to Bitcoin, with small daily losses and low buying pressure, making the two cryptos similar in how trading conditions (low retail interest and high levels of caution among traders) are hurting them.
4. Are stablecoins affected by the market downturn?
Stablecoins, such as USDT and USDC, are not impacted by the overall market crash in the same way as other cryptocurrencies. Stablecoins are designed to maintain their value at or near $1 and therefore remain stable even when the market is volatile. Because of this quality, stablecoins are well-suited for use during periods of uncertainty.
5. What news events are impacting crypto prices today?
Several news events are influencing the market, including Tether’s investment in an AI robotics startup, upcoming US legislation discussions, lower expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts, and Michael Saylor’s proposal for Bitcoin-backed digital banking. These events shape investor confidence and market behavior.
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