Crypto Markets Surge as BTC Hits $100k, AI Agents Lead Rally
Bitcoin flirted with $100k before pulling back slightly to $99k, up 2%, while Ethereum gained 4%, now at $3,325, and Solana stole the spotlight with a 14% surge, climbing to $212. BTC ETFs saw a massive $755 million inflow, with ETH ETFs adding another $60 million, signaling strong institutional interest. Altcoins like VIRTUAL, XRP, and ENA were among the top gainers as BTC dominance fell, and AI-driven projects saw renewed momentum.
In major headlines, XRP hit a 7-year high, surpassing Bitcoin in Google search trends, while Trump is rumored to be considering strategic reserves for Solana and XRP. Meanwhile, a Hashkey survey suggests Bitcoin could top $300k by 2025, fueled by rising interest from pension funds and nation-states. On the regulatory side, the SEC filed its opening brief in the XRP appeal and hinted at freezing non-fraud crypto cases, adding to market drama.
MicroStrategy is looking to raise $2 billion through a stock issuance, while Bitfinex prepares to recover 80% of hacked BTC. Over in India, Jio announced a collaboration with Polygon, and Justin Sun is set to launch a 20% APY stablecoin. South Korea suspended Upbit, and monthly trading volumes on CEXs hit an all-time high in December.
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Macro & General: Stocks Rally as CPI Brings Optimism
The NASDAQ jumped 2%, and gold rose 1% to $2,738, as a muted CPI report fueled optimism, leading to the best day for stocks in two months. Equal-weighted S&P funds saw record inflows, while foreign investors shrugged off fears of a US yield “death spiral.”
On the geopolitical front, Trump teased saving TikTok via an executive order and may appoint Vivek Ramaswamy to a Senate seat. Meanwhile, Rubio proposed militant action against drug cartels, and Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire deal that may already be at risk. In Europe, Greenland’s independence debate heats up, and the UK announced a 100-year partnership with Ukraine.
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AI & DeFAI Dominate Left-Curve Corner
The AI agent market cap soared 60% in 2 days, nearing an all-time high of $18 billion, with the Bitget CEO projecting it could hit $60 billion in 2025. AIXBT doubled in value to $820 million, and ARC hit an ATH of $500 million after its first handshake project. DeFAI tokens like GRIFFAIN, BUZZ, ANON, and MOBY also reached new peaks.
NFTs stayed hot, with Azuki, Wealthy Hypio Babies, and Bera NFTs driving interest. Meanwhile, ai16z announced plans for humanoid robots priced at $420k each, and
