OKB price dips 20% as OKB Boost contract glitch drains entire reward pool

  • The malfunction allowed 32 wallets to claim 623M PYBOBO within 4 seconds.
  • The event emptied nearly all the 625M reward pool almost instantly.
  • The glitch coincides with OKB’s price underperformance.

The virtual currency sector recorded another sell-off on Friday as Bitcoin lost 10% in the past 24 hours to press time’s $81,865.

The global crypto market cap stands at $2.81 trillion after a 10% decline over the last day.

Amidst the broader bloodbath, OKX’s native token suffered the most as the downside coincided with OKX facing new scrutiny after an unexpected contract glitch in its recent Boost reward campaign.

A planned distribution of PYBOBO coins ended up with nearly all the pool drained within four minutes, and it wasn’t the massive demand as earlier thought.

OKX’s token underperformed the overall cryptocurrency market in the past 24 hours.

It dipped from $115 to $94 during this writing, and over 18% dip on its daily price chart.

OKB experienced intensified selling pressure as the news of contract malfunctioning spread.

A 4-second glitch empties 99.68% of incentives

On-chain stats show that 32 addresses claimed 623 million PYBOBO coins, wiping nearly all the 625 million allocated for the distribution event.

The most striking thing is that the entire sweep took only four seconds, catching the team and participants unaware.

Notably, a multifunction within the OKX Boost claim contract seems to have permitted abnormal, rapid claims, allowing a few addresses to receive far more PYBOBO tokens than initially planned.

OKLink identified a particular wallet that claimed 37.847 million tokens, worth roughly $18,600.

Nevertheless, what’s striking is how fast the pool evaporated, with 99.68% of rewards gone by the time the ream noticed the glitch.

The event’s nature indicates an unintended move that propelled distributions well beyond their specified limits.

OKX Wallets halts claiming amid investigations

The team acknowledged the issue immediately after the reports emerged and confirmed delaying PYBOBO claiming until after resolving the contract issuer.

The temporary pause aims to prevent further potential damage as the project conducts a review.

The team has promised to publish more updates as they investigate the matter.

The incident sent ripples across the OKX ecosystem. OKB testified to that with its overwhelming selling pressure.

OKB price outlook

OKX’s token  hit a daily low of $94 after losing the $100 psychological mark.

It has dropped from a daily high of $115, losing over 18% of its value in the past 24 hours.

OKB has seen its daily trading volume surge 100%, signaling increased speculative activity.

The digital coin would likely slump further before regaining a dependable footing as sellers thrive in the current financial landscape.

The post OKB price dips 20% as OKB Boost contract glitch drains entire reward pool appeared first on CoinJournal.

Japan stimulus shakes global markets as yen sinks and crypto demand rises

  • Japan’s 40-year bond yield rose to 3.774% on Thursday.
  • Five-year CDS spreads reached 21.73 basis points on 20 November.
  • GDP contracted in Q3 2025 and inflation reached 3% in October.

Japan’s new stimulus package is setting off sharp reactions across global markets, with the yen sliding to its weakest point against the US dollar since January 2025 and long-term bond yields rising to record levels.

The cabinet approved a 21.3 trillion yen package on Friday, the largest since the COVID-19 period, and the announcement immediately shifted expectations in currency, bond, and crypto markets.

The scale of the support and the pressure on Japan’s finances are now pushing investors to reconsider how they assess global risk, particularly as liquidity conditions evolve.

Economic reset

The package focuses on easing price pressures, supporting growth, and strengthening defence and diplomatic capacity.

Local government grants and energy subsidies form a key part of the plan, and households are expected to receive around 7,000 yen in benefits over three months.

The government also aims to lift defence spending to 2% of GDP by 2027.

The supplementary budget is expected to pass before the end of the year, although the ruling coalition currently holds only 231 of 465 Lower House seats.

The support comes during a period of weakening growth.

Japan’s GDP fell 0.4% in the third quarter of 2025, equal to a 1.8% annualised contraction.

Inflation has remained above the Bank of Japan’s 2% target for 43 months and reached 3% in October 2025.

Policymakers expect the new measures to lift real GDP by 24 trillion yen and generate a total economic impact near 265 billion dollars.

Rising market pressure

The fiscal boost has intensified concerns about long-term debt sustainability and market stress.

Five-year credit default swaps on Japanese government bonds reached 21.73 basis points on 20 November, the highest level in six months.

The country’s 40-year bond yield rose to 3.697% immediately after the announcement and climbed further to 3.774% on Thursday.

Every 100-basis-point increase in yields raises annual government financing costs by about 2.8 trillion yen, which has drawn attention to the strain on public finances over time.

Nikkei reports lingering caution about the continued use of fiscal stimulus beyond emergencies, adding another layer to investor concerns.

This debate has become more relevant as the yield curve shifts and Japan’s borrowing costs rise.

These movements are also important for the 20 trillion dollar yen-carry trade. Investors typically borrow yen at low rates and invest in higher-yielding markets overseas.

A mix of higher yields and sudden currency moves can force unwinding.

Historical data show a 0.55 correlation between yen-carry trade reversals and S&P 500 declines, which adds another source of volatility.

Yen reaction

The yen dropped sharply after the stimulus announcement, prompting speculation about future currency stability and the potential for intervention.

October exports rose 3.6% year on year, but the increase was not enough to ease concerns about broader economic pressure.

The scale of fiscal support and the persistence of inflation have become central factors in how global markets interpret Japan’s next steps.

Crypto shift

These conditions are feeding directly into crypto markets.

A weaker yen tends to drive Japanese investors toward alternative assets, including Bitcoin, especially during periods of rising liquidity.

Experts have noted that Japan’s decision adds to a global environment that already includes potential US Federal Reserve easing, Treasury cash movements, and continued liquidity support from China.

Together, these factors are creating conditions that could lift crypto demand into 2026.

At the same time, higher long-term yields pose a risk.

If yen-carry trades unwind quickly, institutions may be forced to sell assets, including Bitcoin, to meet liquidity needs.

The post Japan stimulus shakes global markets as yen sinks and crypto demand rises appeared first on CoinJournal.

Bitcoin just hit a critical point: analysts split between $85K crash and $250K surge

  • Bitcoin trades near $92K amid mixed signals from ETFs and tech markets.
  • Hoskinson and Saylor predict a strong BTC rebound despite recent losses.
  • ETF outflows and macro risks could, however, push BTC toward $85K support.

While Bitcoin price has recovered from the low of $88,540 hit on November 19, the question is whether it will hit a higher high than the $93,403 registered on November 18.

Some analysts believe BTC is preparing for a deeper slide, while others insist a powerful rebound is already forming beneath the surface.

At press time, BTC price was around $92,237 and already showing signs of exhaustion, which would spell doom since it formed a lower low on November 19, which is a bearish sign.

Bullish calls grow despite the slide

At $92,237, Bitcoin (BTC) is reeling from a bruising stretch that has erased more than $33,000 from its value in under two months.

Notably, today’s uptick follows a pause in ETF outflows and a rebound in tech stocks, driven by Nvidia’s stronger-than-expected earnings.

While the market remains on edge as macro uncertainty and shifting liquidity conditions continue to pressure risk assets, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson remains one of the strongest voices calling for a major rebound.

During CNBC’s Squawk Box show on Tuesday, Hoskinson argued that Bitcoin’s recent losses reflect broader macro distortions, including tariff tensions, recession risks, and uneven regulatory signals.

Hoskinson believes these forces will ease in the coming months.

He expects BTC to recover sharply and potentially hit $250,000 within the next year, projecting that institutional adoption and large-scale tokenisation will redefine market cycles.

Michael Saylor shares a similar level of confidence, viewing the current downturn as typical of Bitcoin’s long-term behaviour.

The MicroStrategy executive says the company is built to withstand extreme drawdowns, calling his position “indestructible” in a recent interview with Fox Business.

Notably, Saylor has continued to buy BTC even as volatility increases, reinforcing his view that deep corrections are part of the broader path toward higher valuations.

ETF activity has also become a pivotal factor.

The BlackRock Bitcoin ETF posted a record $523 million daily loss on November 18 following a streak of outflows across the spot Bitcoin ETF landscape.

Total Bitcoin Spot ETF Net Inflow
Total Bitcoin Spot ETF Net Inflow | Source: Coinglass

The Bitcoin ETFs outflow seems to have stabilised, with IBIT seeing $60M worth of inflows on November 19.

Analysts warn that sustained inflows will be essential if Bitcoin hopes to avoid a retest of this week’s lows.

Bearish risks still loom

Not all signals point upward. Some traders see a real chance BTC could break below key support levels near $90,000.

If the market fails to hold this support, prediction platforms indicate rising expectations of a drop toward $87,000.

ETF outflows totalling more than $3 billion this month highlight lingering caution, and many retail participants remain hesitant after weeks of drawdowns.

Macro conditions remain complicated.

Expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts have faded, while recession concerns are resurfacing due to weak jobs data and ongoing trade friction.

These pressures have limited upside momentum even as Nvidia’s tech rally briefly boosted risk appetite.

Despite the uncertainty, Bitcoin continues to trade like a high-beta asset tied closely to broader market sentiment, and the next few days may determine whether buyers regain control or whether sellers will test new lows.

The post Bitcoin just hit a critical point: analysts split between $85K crash and $250K surge appeared first on CoinJournal.

Bitcoin slides below $90K as crypto correction becomes one of the worst since 2017

  • Bitcoin plunges below $90K, erasing all gains for 2025.
  • ETF outflows and leverage-driven liquidations deepen the selloff.
  • Sentiment hits “Extreme Fear” as crypto markets shed over $1T.

Bitcoin crashed below $90,000 on Wednesday, marking a devastating 28% decline from its early October peak above $126,000.

The plunge has erased all of crypto’s 2025 gains and pushed the largest cryptocurrency into bear market territory.

Ethereum tumbled 6% to below $3,000, while the broader crypto market saw roughly $1.2 trillion in value evaporate over recent weeks.

Analysts say this 43-day drawdown now ranks among the steepest corrections since 2017, with forced liquidations and ETF outflows accelerating the selloff.

The unwind feels sudden, given that Bitcoin looked unstoppable just six weeks ago.​

What makes this collapse particularly brutal is how thoroughly it dismantles the bull narrative. Trump was supposed to be the “crypto president.”

The spot Bitcoin ETF was supposed to unlock institutional buying. Instead, Bitcoin is negative for 2025, down 2% after climbing as high as +35% in October.

Investors who chased breakouts above $120,000 are now underwater. That kind of momentum reversal breeds panic and forces margin calls.​

The liquidation cascade: Why leverage turned this into a bloodbath

The mechanics of the crash tell you everything. K33 Research’s Vetle Lunde noted that “steady outflows from ETFs have also added fuel to the selloff.”

US spot Bitcoin ETFs shed nearly $2.3 billion over five consecutive sessions. That’s redemptions from big institutions that are simply walking away. When the largest buyers start selling, smaller traders follow in a herd stampede.​

The real damage comes from leverage. The government shutdown eliminated key economic data, creating a data vacuum.

Without employment numbers and inflation prints, the Fed’s December rate-cut decision became genuinely uncertain. Suddenly, the “rate cuts will save crypto” thesis evaporated.

Leveraged long positions got liquidated in cascading forced sales. When Bitcoin swept below the average cost basis of spot Bitcoin ETFs, algorithmic selling kicked in.​

Sentiment has completely inverted. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index remains pinned at “Extreme Fear,” the lowest it has been.

Retail investors who bought near $125,000 are watching unrealized losses mount. Long-term holders haven’t capitulated yet, but the on-chain data is starting to show cracks.​

Where does Bitcoin bottom? Analysts map out ugly scenarios

Lunde’s base-case scenario puts support between $84,000 and $86,000, but that’s if this correction mirrors recent downturns.

If it gets worse, if it mirrors the two deepest corrections in the past two years, Bitcoin could revisit April’s lows near $74,000, where MicroStrategy’s average entry sits.​

The truly bearish case opens the door to an 80% drawdown from recent highs. That would put Bitcoin in the $20,000–$25,000 zone, but analysts say that needs a full credit crisis to materialize.

Right now, stocks are holding up. Risk assets aren’t in freefall. That limits how low crypto can go without broader carnage.​

For now, Bitcoin is stuck between competing forces. Long-term holders are accumulating at these levels. Institutions aren’t panicking enough to dump entirely.

But neither are they buying aggressively. Without a macro catalyst, a Fed pivot, tariff relief, or genuine AI-driven productivity gains, Bitcoin likely stays volatile and sloppy until early 2026.

The post Bitcoin slides below $90K as crypto correction becomes one of the worst since 2017 appeared first on CoinJournal.

Bitcoin ATMs appear in Nairobi malls as Kenya’s new crypto law faces early compliance test

  • They appeared soon after the Virtual Assets Service Providers Act of 2025 took effect.
  • CoinATMradar currently lists two Bitcoin ATMs in Kenya.
  • The Central Bank of Kenya and the Capital Markets Authority say no VASP is licensed yet.

Bitcoin ATMs have surfaced across major shopping malls in Nairobi, only days after Kenya activated its first comprehensive crypto law, creating an unexpected test for regulators who have not yet authorised any crypto provider to operate.

The machines, branded Bankless Bitcoin, appeared beside traditional bank kiosks and offered cash to crypto services to shoppers.

Their arrival coincides with the early phase of Kenya’s Virtual Assets Service Providers Act of 2025, which came into effect on 4 November and set the first formal rules for crypto businesses.

Gaps in licensing

Local outlet Capital News confirmed that multiple malls in Nairobi had new machines installed, expanding beyond earlier attempts to introduce crypto ATMs in Kenya.

In 2018, The East African reported that BitClub deployed Bitcoin ATMs in the city, although the machines never reached mainstream retail spaces and adoption remained limited.

Kenya currently has two reported Bitcoin ATMs, making the latest installations notable for their placement in high-traffic commercial environments.

Regulators signal caution

The new law assigns oversight responsibilities to two regulators. The Central Bank of Kenya will handle payment and custody functions, while the Capital Markets Authority will regulate investment and trading activity.

However, the regulations required to begin licensing crypto firms have not yet been issued.

In a joint notice released on Tuesday, the Central Bank of Kenya and the Capital Markets Authority stated that they have not licensed any VASP to operate in or from Kenya under the new Act.

They also warned that companies claiming authorisation are doing so without approval.

The National Treasury is developing the regulatory framework that will decide when licensing can begin, placing operators in a temporary environment where the law exists but permissions do not.

This creates a visible gap. Bitcoin ATMs are entering public spaces even as regulators tell the public that no provider has met the requirements laid out in the law.

The contrast places pressure on authorities to clarify enforcement and could shape how crypto firms approach compliance in the near term.

Informal use grows

The spread of Bitcoin ATMs into high end malls highlights Kenya’s evolving crypto landscape.

Capital News reported that Bitcoin usage has long been active in lower income neighbourhoods such as Kibera, where residents use BTC as a form of banking in areas with limited access to formal financial services.

People have relied on crypto to store value without extensive documentation or traditional banking infrastructure.

The shift from informal areas to upscale malls suggests that consumer interest is expanding even while regulatory conditions remain unsettled.

The coexistence of visible infrastructure and incomplete licensing rules places Kenya at an early crossroads as it moves from a largely informal crypto market to a regulated one.

The post Bitcoin ATMs appear in Nairobi malls as Kenya’s new crypto law faces early compliance test appeared first on CoinJournal.