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Crypto prices today traded lower as Bitcoin struggled at $86,728, below key resistance levels, and Ethereum fell sharply to $2,836.
Altcoins like Solana, XRP, BNB, Dogecoin, and Cardano traded in red, while stablecoins remained near their dollar peg.
Despite price weakness, strong trading volumes and rising institutional participation showed continued interest in the crypto market.
Crypto prices today were on a downtrend at press time as bears took control of the market. Most major coins faced volatility and profit-taking. Bitcoin was trading under pressure after failing to hold key resistance levels. Meanwhile, Ethereum and other large-cap altcoins slipped over 3%. Despite the short-term weakness, trading volumes were strong. This highlighted continued investor engagement even as sentiment turned selective in the broader crypto market. Here’s what happened in the crypto market today based on CoinMarketCap data.
Bitcoin price stood at $86,728, down by 0.06% over the last 24 hours. The leading cryptocurrency maintained a market cap of $1.73 trillion with trading volume reaching $44.84 billion.
CoinSwitch Markets Desk noted, “BTC slipped back toward the $85,500-$86,000 zone after a brief failed rally near $90,000, as the upside move was largely driven by short-term trading rather than sustained spot demand. The pullback also tracked weakness in US tech stocks and continued year-end profit-taking. In the near term, price action is likely to remain range-bound.”
CoinSwitch analysts further explained, “On the technical side, $85,000 remains key support, while $88,500-$90,000 continues to act as strong resistance. On the other side, Bhutan announced a national Bitcoin Development Pledge, allocating up to 10,000 BTC to support the development of Gelephu Mindfulness City, reinforcing long-term sovereign-level interest in BTC.”
Ethereum price dropped 3.25% to $2,836. The coin’s market capitalization stood at $342.41 billion at press time. The second-largest crypto by market cap recorded $26.21 billion in trading volume over the past day.
BNB dropped 2.67% to $836.08. Dogecoin faced a steeper decline of 4.18%, trading at $0.1254. Among other major tokens, Solana price fell 3.23% to $123.63 while XRP price declined 3.39% to $1.85. At the same time, Cardano price was down 3.82% to $0.3653 and TRON dipped 0.66% to $0.2776.
The stablecoins Tether and USD Coin remained largely unchanged, offering much-needed liquidity to traders. The two stablecoins traded near their $1 peg.
Also Read: Crypto Prices Today: Bitcoin Price at $86,573 as Ethereum Near $2,930, Dogecoin Climbs 1.47%
Many factors contributed to the downward pressure on crypto prices today. Bitcoin recently faced rejection at the $90,000 level and broke through a critical trend line at $86,450. Hence, creating bearish sentiment across the market.
Recent weeks have seen heightened caution among crypto investors following a sharp correction from Bitcoin's record high of $126,223 reached in October. The leading cryptocurrency has fallen roughly 30% from that peak, affecting investor sentiment.
Bitcoin treasury companies have been hit particularly hard during this downturn. Strategy’s stock has dropped 54% from Bitcoin's October peak, while similar firms have seen their premiums to Bitcoin holdings collapse after years of trading above the value of their crypto reserves.
Here are the top global cues impacting crypto prices today:
Coinbase announced a significant expansion of its platform on Wednesday, rolling out stock trading, prediction markets, and deeper integration with decentralized finance. The US-based exchange is positioning itself as an ‘everything app’ for financial services.
However, Coinbase stock responded negatively to the announcement, dropping 3.3% in afternoon trading. The company's shares were down more than 20% so far in 2025, reflecting the broader challenges facing the crypto industry.
The exchange is also launching direct trading access for Solana tokens in the coming weeks, allowing users to trade millions of tokens on one of the fastest blockchains directly through the main Coinbase app.
Bitcoin mining companies are going through major changes as they pivot toward AI data center operations. Firms like IREN, CleanSpark, Riot, and MARA Holdings, which secured cheap electricity under long-term contracts, are now converting their facilities to serve tech giants' artificial intelligence needs.
Morgan Stanley estimates that US data centers face a power shortage of 47 gigawatts through 2028. Converting crypto mining facilities could potentially address 10-15 gigawatts or more of this shortfall. Hence, making these companies attractive for investors seeking exposure to both crypto and AI growth.
The recent market downturn has led to growing interest in actively managed crypto investment strategies. Some funds are deliberately avoiding over-leveraged companies and focusing on more sustainable business models within the crypto ecosystem.
VanEck Onchain Economy ETF has delivered a 32% return since launching in May by carefully selecting positions and underweighting risky names. Fund managers argue that active management makes sense for crypto given its status as an immature asset class.
A new approach involves actively hedged digital-asset treasury strategies that generate yield by selling options rather than constantly issuing new equity or debt. This model aims to provide better protection during market downturns.
Despite the current weakness in crypto prices today, institutional adoption continues to grow. Harvard University's endowment now holds BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust as its largest publicly disclosed stock position. Sovereign wealth funds in Luxembourg, Abu Dhabi, and the Czech Republic are also building positions in Bitcoin.
The expansion of crypto investment options now includes spot ETFs, derivatives like puts and calls, futures contracts, and shares in mining companies, exchanges, and infrastructure providers. This growing ecosystem is making the crypto market look more like traditional commodity or stock markets.
Also Read: Dogecoin News Today: DOGE Price Faces Resistance at $0.14 Despite Whale Accumulation
Crypto prices today reflect investor caution after recent volatility, but a belief in the long-term growth of major tokens remains strong. The integration of crypto mining with AI data centers and expanding institutional adoption suggest the market is maturing. However, investors are becoming more selective, avoiding over-leveraged positions and favoring actively managed strategies.
1. Why did the crypto market crash today?
Crypto prices slide today on profit-taking after recent gains and as Bitcoin fails to hold crucial resistance levels. This has made traders very cautious, resulting in selling pressure across major cryptocurrencies and altcoins.
2. How is Bitcoin doing today?
Bitcoin is trading near $86,728, down a small 24-hour decline. The price drop might be limited, but the asset's inability to push above higher resistance levels has somewhat weakened market confidence and overall crypto sentiment.
3. Why did Ethereum take a bigger hit than Bitcoin?
Ethereum sank more sharply, largely because it tends to be more sensitive to market fluctuations. Large-scale altcoins tend to be subject to a risk-off approach by investors when uncertainty prevails, meaning heavier selling than Bitcoin.
4. Did today's market crash affect stablecoins?
For instance, stablecoins like USDT and USDC are little changed today because their prices are kept close to $1 by mechanisms. They offer a parking position with a very low risk for investors on days when markets are volatile.
5. Does institutional interest continue to support crypto markets?
Yes, institutional interest remains strong despite these short-term price declines. Large investors, ETFs, and funds continue to add crypto exposure, helping support long-term market growth despite volatility.
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