Bitcoin stalls around $86k, could dip lower; Check forecast

Key takeaways

  • BTC is down by less than 1% in the last 24 hours and is currently trading below $87k.
  • It could dip lower if the bullish trend fails to prevail.

Bitcoin stalls around $86k

Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP) prices hover around key levels following a positive start to the week. The price action of the leading cryptocurrencies suggests fading bearish momentum. 

However, the bulls have failed to push prices higher, and Bitcoin could revisit lower support levels in the near term. However, if the support levels hold, Bitcoin could rally higher over the next few days.

Analysts are optimistic that Bitcoin’s price could appreciate in the medium to long term. While commenting on the current market conditions, Coinbase UK CEO Keith Grose said,

“Market conditions are shifting as institutions across Europe take a more structured and regulated approach to digital assets. We’re seeing clearer frameworks emerge, stronger infrastructure being developed, and early examples of central banks and financial institutions running controlled pilots to build practical understanding – including the Czech National Bank’s recent decision to test a small, ring-fenced portfolio of digital assets.”

Bitcoin’s price could face further pressure

The BTC/USD 4-hour chart is bearish and efficient as Bitcoin has underperformed in the last 24 hours. The leading cryptocurrency found support around the $80k psychological level on Friday and has slightly bounced back since then. 

At press time, Bitcoin is trading around $86,800 per coin after failing to overcome the $90k resistance level. If the recovery continues, BTC could rally toward the next key resistance at $90,000.  The ILQ and TLQ levels above $92k could also serve as short-term targets for Bitcoin. 

BTC/USD 4H Chart

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the 4-hour chart reads 47, after slipping below the oversold threshold last week, suggesting that downside pressure is declining. The MACD lines are also close to the bullish zone as buyers remain in control.

However, if BTC fails to overcome the $90k resistance, it could extend the decline toward the key psychological level at $80,000.

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Texas buys $5mn BTC ETF, pushes for Bitcoin reserve plan

  • The state legislation sets aside $10 million for Bitcoin accumulation.
  • Texas is preparing a formal tender to choose a custodian for the reserve.
  • New Hampshire authorised a Bitcoin reserve and approved a $100 million Bitcoin bond.

Texas is moving ahead with one of the most ambitious state-level crypto strategies in the country as it begins shaping the framework for a government Bitcoin reserve.

The state has now taken its first formal step by acquiring $5 million in shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust.

The purchase is part of a wider plan triggered by legislation passed earlier this year, which allocated $10 million for future Bitcoin accumulation.

The early activity positions Texas to become the first US state to hold a dedicated cryptocurrency reserve, giving it a lead in a growing competition among states exploring digital asset policies.

Texas builds foundation for Bitcoin reserve

The state has been gathering information from the cryptocurrency industry to help design how its reserve will operate.

The review began after Texas issued a request for information in September seeking guidance on best practices for storage, security, and management.

Industry groups sent detailed submissions covering custody models, investment structures, governance frameworks, and security systems.

The process is part of a wider effort to ensure the reserve can be managed with clear procedures once it transitions from planning to execution.

Texas officials are expected to follow this phase with a formal request for proposal.

The tender will be used to select a custodian and determine the final operational rules for the programme.

The recent $5 million allocation acts as a temporary measure rather than direct Bitcoin ownership while the state completes its selection process, according to a CoinDesk report.

States explore government crypto strategies

Other states have also gained exposure to Bitcoin, though through different channels.

Michigan and Wisconsin accessed cryptocurrency markets through public-employee retirement funds.

Wisconsin sold a $350 million allocation in May, according to public records.

These moves reflect growing institutional interest at the state level, even in cases where governments have not yet adopted dedicated reserves.

Several states are actively studying the idea of holding Bitcoin for strategic purposes.

New Hampshire has authorised the creation of a government Bitcoin reserve, although it has not yet made any purchases.

Last week, the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority approved a $100 million Bitcoin bond designed to support an economic development fund backed by cryptocurrency.

The structure relies on private sector activity rather than direct state accumulation.

Early development continues nationwide

Arizona is also taking steps toward a government-level reserve.

Its legislation directs unclaimed cryptocurrency assets held by the state into a dedicated reserve.

The plan creates an initial legal foundation that could support future accumulation, although the full reserve framework is still in development.

These early efforts reflect a rising interest among states in integrating digital assets into long-term financial planning.

The state-level activity is unfolding alongside federal discussions.

President Donald Trump has publicly supported the idea of a national Bitcoin investment strategy.

The administration has issued an executive order directing officials to begin planning for a federal reserve structure.

Government teams working on the project are now waiting for congressional approval before advancing to the next stage.

Texas sets the pace in state crypto adoption

Texas remains the most advanced of the state-level initiatives due to its legislative backing and its first confirmed investment.

The move signals a shift from exploratory interest to practical implementation, with a structured plan for selecting custodians and defining reserve operations.

The next steps will determine how the state transitions from temporary allocations to direct Bitcoin ownership once contracts and governance systems are finalised.

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Stablecoin issuer Paxos acquires Fordefi to strengthen institutional DeFi access

  • Paxos purchases an institutional wallet provider in a $100M deal.
  • The move leverages Fordefi’s MPC wallet for a regulated custody framework.
  • DeFi is increasingly becoming part of the mainstream monetary infrastructure.

Paxos, a reputable blockchain infrastructure company behind multiple stablecoins, confirmed the acquisition on Forderfi late on Tuesday.

While the firms didn’t reveal the transaction’s value, sources close to the matter suggest that the deal exceeds $100 million, reflecting one of the most aggressive and strategic expansions in recent years.

The team emphasized:

This strengthens our ability to support institutions with more flexible and sophisticated digital asset infrastructure.

For context, Fordefi is a thriving enterprise wallet and custody provider.

This acquisition comes as institutions are moving to on-chain operations at an unprecedented pace.

Companies exploring blockchain technology like tokenized assets, complex DeFi strategies, and stablecoin settlements are seeking secure, modular custody.

Paxos aims to satisfy this demand by merging its compliant custodial infrastructure with Fordefi’s policy-centered MPC (multi-party computation) wallet tech.

Commenting on the strategic purchase, Paxos co-founder and CEO Charles Cascarilla said:

Together, Paxos and Fordefi provide customers with a world-class custody solution built upon advanced wallet technology and regulated, qualified custody. We’re excited to welcome Fordefi to our team as we enter this new phase of growth.

Paxos enriches its enterprise playbook

Businesses venturing into the blockchain and crypto sectors have leveraged Paxos for compliant infrastructure and custody.

The firm maintains a high-end regulatory model, with supervision from Singapore’s MAS, the NYDFS in the US, Abu Dhabi’s FSRA, and FIN-FSA in Europe.

Moreover, its tokenization and stablecoin systems power fiscal settlements for leading companies, including MasterCard, Nubank, PayPal, and Interactive Brokers.

Now, Paxos is integrating Fordefi to offer its customers a unified platform that supports everything from asset tokenization and issuance to streamlined access to DeFi protocols.

CEO Cascarillar added:

Fordefi has built an impressive stack and customer base founded on easy-to-use APIs and seamless web3 connectivity. Market participants require a regulated platform partner that meets their range of complex custody needs.

The fast-growing Fordefi

Fordefi has grown into a reputable institutional wallet provider in the DeFi industry since its 2021 launch.

The platform boasts two crucial features.

First and foremost, Fordefi’s MPC-based address model reduced single-point failure risks.

On the other hand, the policy engines enable enterprises to handle compliance rules, risk management, and permissions across decentralized and centralized setups.

Fordefi currently secures over $120 billion in monthly transactions, supporting nearly 300 enterprises, including hedge funds, crypto-native companies, and trading desks.

Josh Schwartz, CEO of Fordefi, believes Paxos will heighten its reach while aligning with its primary missions. He said:

Fordefi has built a best-in-class wallet platform trusted by nearly 300 institutions. Joining Paxos allows us to bring our technology to an even broader audience while maintaining our focus on security, usability, and innovation. Together, we will offer enterprises the unified custody and stablecoin infrastructure they need to deploy real-world digital asset use cases at scale.

For now, Fordefi will operate independently as Paxos pursues a phased integration.

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Sweden’s Klarna announces KlarnaUSD stablecoin, set to go live on Tempo

  • Klarna launches KlarnaUSD, a USD-pegged stablecoin, on Stripe and Paradigm’s Tempo chain.
  • KlarnaUSD targets cheaper cross-border payments before wider consumer rollout.
  • Stablecoin market surges past $300B as major fintechs adopt blockchain rails.

Klarna has taken a major step into digital finance with the announcement of KlarnaUSD, a USD-pegged stablecoin built on Tempo, the new layer-1 blockchain developed by Stripe and Paradigm.

The move signals a decisive shift for the Swedish digital bank, which is preparing to integrate blockchain technology more deeply into its global payment systems.

Klarna steps into crypto

KlarnaUSD is now live on Tempo’s testnet, with a full mainnet rollout planned for 2026.

The stablecoin is issued through Bridge, Stripe’s dedicated stablecoin infrastructure product, giving Klarna a direct connection to one of the most advanced payment-focused blockchain stacks.

Notably, Klarna is the first financial institution to issue a token on Tempo, a blockchain engineered specifically for fast and low-cost payments.

Klarna explained that the token will first support internal payment flows.

The goal is to cut the cost of cross-border transfers, a persistent expense for global fintech companies.

After the mainnet rollout, the digital bank has signalled plans to extend KlarnaUSD to merchants and consumers after internal testing.

That expansion would build on Klarna’s broad checkout and instalment-payment network, though the firm says there are currently no plans to integrate the stablecoin into its buy now, pay later product.

Klarna’s push to cut global transfer costs

Klarna’s CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, once sceptical of crypto, has now embraced blockchain’s potential in payments.

Siemiatkowski said that crypto has reached a stage where it is “fast, low-cost, secure, and built for scale,” describing KlarnaUSD as the beginning of a broader strategy.

With more than 114 million customers and $112 billion in annual gross merchandise volume, Klarna believes it has the scale to shift how global payments work.

The bank’s partnership with Stripe has been central to this push. Stripe already processes much of Klarna’s traffic, and Tempo provides the infrastructure for more efficient settlement.

Cross-border payments cost consumers and businesses around $120 billion each year, and KlarnaUSD is expected to cut a significant portion of these fees.

Early estimates across the industry suggest blockchain-based rails can reduce international payment costs by up to 90% compared to traditional networks.

Furthermore, KlarnaUSD’s launch comes at a moment when stablecoin usage is surging, with annual transaction volume already surpassing $27 trillion, according to McKinsey.

The global stablecoin market capitalisation has climbed from $260 billion in July to about $304 billion by November, with much of this growth coming after the passage of the US GENIUS Act, the first federal law governing stablecoins.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expects stablecoins to reach a $3 trillion market cap by 2030, a scale that could save the US government $114 billion annually.

A market expanding at record speed

Other major companies are also entering the stablecoin arena.

MetaMask launched mUSD earlier this year, and Western Union plans to deploy a stablecoin on Solana in 2026.

Visa added support for the Global Dollar token and expanded settlement capabilities across Stellar and Avalanche.

The momentum suggests that stablecoins are becoming a central pillar in global financial infrastructure.

Klarna’s entrance adds another high-profile name to this growing list.

The bank recently listed on the New York Stock Exchange, raising $1.37 billion and reinforcing its financial position despite its stock hovering near 52-week lows.

Strong liquidity gives Klarna room to explore blockchain-based products, with executives hinting that more crypto-related projects are on the way.

As KlarnaUSD moves toward mainnet, eyes will be on how the firm integrates the token into its global operations.

If successful, KlarnaUSD may become one of the clearest examples yet of how established fintech companies can use blockchain to update old payment systems, and potentially redefine the future of cross-border money movement.

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