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Institutional confidence in Bitcoin strengthens as Brazil’s largest private bank recommends a 1-3% portfolio allocation amid currency volatility.
Ethereum shows signs of retail fatigue, with on-chain activity falling to a 12-month low, raising questions about near-term recovery momentum.
XRP and India emerge as strategic growth fronts, with Ripple-linked investments expanding across Asia and Coinbase deepening its presence in India.
The global cryptocurrency market has witnessed notable advancements across various regions, including Brazil's largest bank supporting the idea of allocating a percentage of funds toward engagement with Bitcoin, Ethereum as an asset type experiencing a level of retail fatigue, and the emergence of Ripple-based investments across Asian markets.
Itaú Unibanco, which is the largest bank in Latin America by way of asset size, is now recommending a portion of investor portfolios be allocated toward Bitcoin (BTC). This endorsement provides a significant reference point for other prospective institutional investors as it relates to the concept of adding Bitcoin as an investment into their respective portfolios.
Commenting on the endorsement that was provided by Itaú, Director of Beta Strategies for Itaú's Asset Management division, Renaldo Eid mentioned that Bitcoin was to be thought about as a "complementary" asset versus a mainstay asset within a portfolio of investments.
Furthermore, the acceptance of including BTC as a portfolio holding will create diversifying effects on an investor's portfolio, while at the same time providing partial protective benefits of protecting "currency" from the volatility associated with many traditional fiat currencies.
The suggestion is closely tied to Brazil's overall situation. In December 2024, the Brazilian real fell to record lows, prompting investors to seek assets that could protect them against foreign exchange risk.
Itaú pointed out that Bitcoin traditionally had a low correlation with local economic cycles and has been important as a global store of value.
The Pi Network (PI) is trading above the $0.20 psychological level; however, the recovery is losing steam. The on-chain metrics show that a large wallet has transferred over 1,000,000 PI coins to Gate.io within the past 24 hours, increasing short-term selling pressure.
However, the whale still holds about 7.9 million tokens, meaning they are not exiting completely but rather reducing their risk.
On the 4-hour chart, PI is struggling to break the 50-period EMA, which coincides with the dynamic resistance at $0.2065.
The RSI and MACD are pointing to the decline of selling pressure. If PI fails to hold above $0.20, it may have to face the lower pivot supports around $0.193 and $0.185.
Ethereum (ETH) is facing a decline in retail participation. According to CryptoQuant, active sending addresses have reduced to around 170,000, the lowest in a year.
This decline, together with ETH dropping below $2,850, indicates broader market caution.
Historically, low activity levels have often appeared near structural bottoms, where selling pressure fades before new demand comes in.
Crypto analyst Ali Martinez warned that if ETH closes December below $2,930, the downside risk could extend toward $2,000.
Nasdaq-listed VivoPower is expanding its XRP-focused treasury to acquire $300 million worth of Ripple Labs shares through a joint venture with South Korea’s Lean Ventures.
The move could translate to indirect exposure to nearly $900 million in XRP, based on current prices.
The investment is designed for institutional and qualified retail investors in South Korea, a market with strong demand for XRP-related products.
This step aligns with Ripple's growing presence in Asia and Europe.
The recent collaboration includes SBI Ripple Asia partnering on XRP custody and yield products, and Amina Bank in Switzerland being the first European bank to embrace Ripple's licensed payments network.
According to SOSOvalue, Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded net inflows of $457.29 million yesterday.
Fidelity's FBTC led with a remarkable $391.49 million, and BlackRock's IBIT contributed $111.17 million.
The total assets managed for Bitcoin spot ETFs are now $112.57 billion, equivalent to roughly 6.57% of Bitcoin's total market value.
Historical total inflows have now surpassed $57.73 billion, highlighting ongoing demand from institutions even amid a volatile market.
Also Read: Why Bitcoin Fell to $85K: 5 Key Reasons and What’s Next
Coinbase has made a strategic decision to build an operational presence within India via the acquisition of a minority stake in India-based cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX. Once they received approval from the Indian government regulatory agency, the Competition Commission of India, they went ahead with this investment.
This approval marks a sign of willingness from that Government Regulatory Agency (CCI) to allow for a level of caution regarding Global Companies being involved within the Indian Cryptocurrency Sector.
Moving forward, Coinbase has made provisions to commence their onboarding process within India beginning in 2026, along with launching a mechanism to convert Indian Rupees into Cryptocurrency.
Also Read: Coinbase Resumes India Operations, Invests in CoinDCX to Strengthen Market Footprint
1. Why is Itaú Unibanco recommending Bitcoin now?
Itaú sees Bitcoin as a diversification tool and hedge against currency volatility, especially after the Brazilian real hit record lows.
2. Does the Pi Network whale sell-off signal a crash?
Not necessarily. The whale reduced exposure but retained most holdings, suggesting risk management rather than a full exit.
3. What does low Ethereum network activity indicate?
Historically, low retail participation often appears near market bottoms, but recovery depends on renewed demand and address growth.
4. Why is VivoPower investing in Ripple Labs shares instead of XRP?
Equity exposure offers indirect access to the XRP ecosystem while aligning with institutional and regulatory investment frameworks.
5. What does Coinbase’s India approval mean for crypto adoption?
It signals regulatory openness, allowing global players to operate under oversight and potentially accelerating India’s crypto ecosystem growth.
