Kategorie: Crypto Analysis

Key takeaways

• Avalanche’s AVAX is trading above $12 after adding 2% to its value.
• The rally comes after Grayscale filed an updated form for its Avalanche ETF.

AVAX surges past $12 as Grayscale updates AVAX ETF filing

The cryptocurrency market has been bullish over the last 24 hours, with Bitcoin and other major coins and tokens currently in the green. AVAX, the native coin of the Avalanche, is one of the best performers among the top 30, up by more than 2% in the last 24 hours.

The bullish performance saw AVAX top the $12 mark and could rally higher in the near term. The rally can be attributed to Grayscale updating the sponsor details to Grayscale Investments Sponsors LLC in the S-1 form filed for the Avalanche Trust conversion into an ETF. 

The crypto asset manager has yet to reveal any management or staking fees or waivers. A listing of this ETF on Nasdaq could boost institutional support for AVAX.

Furthermore, AVAX saw a surge in fresh capital inflows as futures Open Interest (OI) jumped 1.66% in the last 24 hours, reaching $499.87 million. This indicates that traders are building new positions, including long and short. 

Despite that, the negative funding rate of -0.0113% indicates that traders are willing to hold short positions by paying a premium. 

AVAX eyes $13.50 resistance level

The AVAX/USD 4-hour chart is bearish and efficient despite the coin adding 2% to its value in the last 24 hours. The rally comes amid growing retail demand after AVAX recovered from the dip that saw it retest the $11.18 support level. 

The technical indicators have improved, suggesting a growing bullish bias. The RSI of 52 is above the neutral 50, indicating that the bulls have regained control of the market. The MACD lines have also crossed into the bullish territory, indicating a bullish bias.

If the rally continues and the daily candle closes above the $12.78 resistance, AVAX could rally towards the $13.5 level. 

However, AVAX could retest the $11.18 support level if the bulls fail to take advantage of the growing momentum.

The post AVAX tops $12 as Grayscale files updated form for ETF appeared first on CoinJournal.

Key takeaways

• BTC is up by less than 1% and is now trading above $87k.
• It could surge towards $90k as bullish momentum builds.

Bitcoin tops $87k despite poor institutional demand

BTC, the leading cryptocurrency by market cap, is trading above the $87k level after adding less than 1% to its value in the last 24 hours. The positive performance comes after Bitcoin dipped to the $86k support level a few hours ago.

The rally also comes despite declining institutional demand in the market. Data obtained from SoSoValue shows that spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded an outflow of $188.64 million on Tuesday,  marking the fourth consecutive day of withdrawals since December 18.

With the holidays, Bitcoin has reclaimed the $87k and could rally towards $90k in the near term. However, if the outflows continue and intensify after the holidays, Bitcoin’s price could see further correction. 

BTC eyes $90k as technical indicators improve

The BTC/USD 4-hour chart is bullish and efficient despite the choppy price action in recent days. The technical indicators have improved, suggesting that the bulls are slowly regaining control of the market.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the 4-hour chart stands at 49, close to the neutral 50, suggesting that the bulls are regaining control of the market. The MACD lines are also converging, indicating a building bullish bias.

If the recovery continues, Bitcoin could rally towards the next major resistance level at $90,533. This resistance has proven to be hard for Bitcoin to overcome in recent weeks, and we could expect another reaction from this level. 

If this level is surpassed, Bitcoin could rally towards the $94k resistance for the first time since December 10.

However, if the bears regain control of the market, Bitcoin could likely retest the December 18 low of $84,633 in the near term.

The post Bitcoin reclaims $87k, eyes $90k resistance level: Check forecast appeared first on CoinJournal.

Key takeaways

• XLM is down by less than 1% and is trading below $0.22.
• The coin could retest the $0.20 support level if the bearish trend continues. 

The cryptocurrency market is having a bullish Christmas as Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies are in the green. Bitcoin is trading above $87k after dipping below $86k a few hours ago. 

However, some major altcoins, including Stellar’s XLM, are still in the red despite the current market conditions. XLM is trading below $0.22 at press time after failing to close above the key resistance earlier this week.

Bearish momentum continues to grow stronger, with Open Interest (OI) and short bets rising. If the bearish momentum continues, XLM could face further selling pressure in the near term. 

XLM derivatives data suggest bearish sentiment

The primary catalyst behind XLM’s bearish performance is the derivatives and on-chain data. According to CoinGlass, XLM’s futures Open Interest (OI) increased to $112 million in the last 24 hours, up from the $30 million recorded the previous day. 

However, the increasing OI hasn’t reflected in the coin’s performance as it continues to trade below a significant support level. 

Furthermore, Coinglass’s long-to-short ratio for XLM reads 0.91, the highest level in nearly a month. This suggests that despite the surging OI, the bearish sentiment in the market remains, with traders betting on the XLM price rising. 

XLM could dip below $0.20

The XLM/USD 4-hour chart is bearish and efficient as the coin has underperformed in recent days. At press time, XLM is trading at $0.21 and could record further losses in the near term. 

If the bearish trend continues, XLM could retest the December 18 low of $0.20. A close below this psychological level could extend the drop toward the yearly low of $0.16, set on October 10.

The RSI on the 4-hour chart reads 43, below the neutral 50 level, indicating bearish momentum is gaining traction. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) lines are also converging, indicating indecision among traders.

On the flip side, if XLM recovers, it could rally towards the key resistance level at $0.22 over the next few hours.

The post Stellar price forecast: XLM stays below $0.22 as bearish momentum remains appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Bybit will gradually scale back services for Japanese users from 2026 amid ongoing regulatory pressure.
• Japan’s strict licensing rules are forcing unregistered crypto exchanges to limit or exit the market.
• While pulling back in Japan, Bybit is expanding in the UK and Middle East under clearer frameworks.

Bybit is preparing to gradually scale back services for users based in Japan from 2026, marking a further shift in how global crypto exchanges navigate one of the world’s most tightly regulated digital asset markets.

The move follows months of regulatory pressure and earlier steps taken by the exchange to reduce its footprint in the country.

Bybit said the process will involve rolling account restrictions applied over time, rather than an immediate shutdown, as it aligns with Japan’s regulatory framework.

The development comes even as the exchange expands in other jurisdictions, underlining the uneven global regulatory landscape for crypto platforms.

Japan’s regulatory pressure

The phased restrictions will apply to users identified as Japanese residents, with Bybit implementing the measures on a rolling basis.

Users who believe they have been incorrectly classified have been asked to complete additional identity verification checks to resolve their status.

Bybit is not registered with the Financial Services Agency, which requires crypto exchanges serving Japanese residents to obtain local approval before offering services.

Japan’s regulatory regime has long been regarded as one of the strictest globally, shaped by past exchange failures and consumer protection concerns.

This framework has limited the ability of overseas platforms to operate freely in the country without a local licence.

Bybit’s decision to begin a structured withdrawal from 2026 reflects the growing difficulty for unregistered foreign exchanges to maintain access to Japanese users.

Earlier restrictions in Japan

The latest announcement builds on earlier actions taken by Bybit to curb its exposure to the Japanese market.

In October, the exchange halted new user registrations in Japan, citing ongoing discussions with regulators.

That decision signalled that continued full operations without registration were becoming increasingly unsustainable.

Regulatory scrutiny intensified in February, when Japan’s Financial Services Agency requested that app stores run by Apple and Google suspend downloads of five unregistered cryptocurrency exchanges.

Alongside Bybit, the list included MEXC Global, LBank Exchange, KuCoin, and Bitget. The move reinforced Japan’s stance that access to local users must be tightly controlled.

Industry figures have warned that this regulatory bottleneck is driving innovation elsewhere.

In July, Maksym Sakharov, co-founder and CEO of WeFi, said Japan’s strict oversight was pushing crypto development out of the country, as companies look for more flexible jurisdictions.

Despite the Japan pullback, Bybit remains one of the most active exchanges globally.

Rather than exiting heavily regulated markets altogether, Bybit has increasingly adopted jurisdiction-specific strategies, limiting certain services while expanding in regions with clearer or more accommodating frameworks.

Expansion beyond Japan

While scaling down in Japan, Bybit is simultaneously rebuilding its presence in other markets.

The exchange is reentering the UK after a two-year pause, launching a platform that offers spot trading and peer-to-peer services.

The UK return is structured through a promotions arrangement approved by Archax, rather than through direct UK registration.

Bybit has also strengthened its position in the Middle East.

Last month, it secured a Virtual Asset Platform Operator Licence from the United Arab Emirates’ Securities and Commodities Authority, eight months after receiving in-principle approval.

The licence allows the exchange to expand services in a region that has actively positioned itself as a hub for digital asset firms.

The post Bybit to gradually scale back Japan services from 2026 due to tight crypto regulations appeared first on CoinJournal.

Key takeaways

• NEAR is up by less than 1% and is approaching $1.5.
• The positive performance comes despite the broader crypto market underperforming.

NEAR Intents integrates with Starknet

NEAR, the native coin of the Near Protocol, is trading at $1.48 per coin, up by less than 1% in the last 24 hours. Its positive performance comes despite the massive selloff in the broader cryptocurrency market. 

The coin bucked the trend thanks to Near Protocol’s NEAR Intents platform integration with Starknet, a ZK execution layer scaling Ethereum on Thursday. The integration effectively brings chain-abstracted, intent-based swaps into the ecosystem. 

It also allows users to seamlessly transition between Starknet and the broader cryptocurrency space without having to bridge or go through a complex multi-step process.

NEAR Intents is built on the NEAR layer-1 blockchain, allowing users to swap assets from approximately 25 supported blockchains directly into Starknet. Furthermore, users can also purchase Starknet (STRK) using over 100 tokens, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and more.

NEAR eyes $1.6 despite bearish market conditions

The NEAR/USD 4-hour chart is bearish and efficient as the coin has added roughly 1% to its value over the last 24 hours. At press time, NEAR is trading at $1.48 and could rally higher in the near term.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has increased to 36 on the 4-hour chart, confirming a short-term momentum. However, if the RSI remains within the bearish region, NEAR cannot sustain a rally towards the major resistance level at $1.80.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator is still bearish but could flash a buy signal once the upward trend continues. This signal manifests with the blue MACD line crossing above the red signal line, encouraging traders to increase their exposure in this market. 

However, if the recovery fails, NEAR could retest the $1.45 support level over the next few hours.

The post NEAR eyes $1.6 as NEAR Intents integrates with Starknet appeared first on CoinJournal.