Current Cryptocurrency News as of December 2, 2025: Bitcoin and Ethereum Dynamics, Top-10 Cryptocurrency Changes, Institutional Trends, and Market Analysis.
At the beginning of December, global cryptocurrency markets continue to correct following a sharp rise in autumn. Major digital assets are trading in the red: Bitcoin has dropped to around $85-86k, Ethereum is hovering around $2,800, while many altcoins have lost 4-8% over the last 24 hours. November marked the worst month for Bitcoin since 2021; from a record high of $126k in early October, the asset has fallen by more than $18k. This significant drop, coupled with overall market uncertainty, has created a risk-averse sentiment in the market.
Macroeconomic factors have further fueled pessimism; for instance, the rise in Japanese government bond yields in anticipation of tightened monetary policy has created additional pressure on risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Nonetheless, December is traditionally favorable for BTC (averaging a +10% price increase), prompting investors to closely monitor developments. Bitcoin is currently holding above a key support level of around $80k, the breach of which could trigger a new wave of sell-offs.
Current Situation: Bitcoin and Ethereum
Bitcoin (BTC) continues its decline, having lost approximately 5% over the last day. As of Tuesday morning, the price fluctuates in the $85-86k range, close to November’s lows around $80k. Ethereum (ETH) has dropped by 5-6%, trading around $2,700-2,800, mirroring market sentiment (in November, Ether depreciated nearly 22%, marking its worst monthly performance since February).
Other major altcoins are following the leaders' movements: Solana (SOL), Dogecoin (DOGE), and XRP have dropped 4-5% at the start of the week, trading around $120, $0.13, and $2, respectively. Binance Coin (BNB) maintains its position around $800, bolstered by consistent interest in the Binance ecosystem. DeFi tokens (Chainlink, Uniswap, etc.) have also mostly declined in line with the overall sell-off.
DeFi and Security News
Amid the general sell-off in cryptocurrencies, events in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector have also influenced the situation. On December 1, Yearn Finance reported an “incident” in the yETH liquidity pool: an attacker withdrew approximately 1,000 ETH (around $3 million) through the Tornado Cash mixer. As a result, the protocol incurred losses of about $9 million, and the price of YFI sharply declined. This attack was a significant shock to the market and heightened concerns regarding the security of DeFi platforms. It’s worth noting that last week, the South Korean exchange Upbit experienced a major hack.
Such news prompts additional capital outflows: on Monday, liquidations of long positions in cryptocurrency futures exceeded $400 million, indicating panic selling. These events illustrate that the cryptocurrency market infrastructure remains vulnerable, with negative news immediately reflected in prices.
Ethereum: Upcoming Fusaka Upgrade
Amid the market downturn, there is positive news for the Ethereum ecosystem. On December 3, 2025, the Fusaka upgrade (combining changes from Fulu and Osaka) is expected to be activated on the Ethereum blockchain. Fusaka includes 12 significant protocol enhancements aimed at increasing the network's throughput and reducing fees, particularly for Layer-2 solutions. A key feature—PeerDAS technology—will allow for the verification of only fragments of large "blobs" of data instead of full uploads, significantly speeding up verification and reducing the load on nodes.
Developers and institutional investors (such as Fidelity) believe that Fusaka will significantly improve Ethereum's scalability. This could enhance the efficiency of decentralized applications and attract additional interest to the ecosystem. In the short term, the impact on ETH’s price may be limited, but in the long run, Fusaka creates a foundation for growth.
Regulation and Global Politics
Market sentiment is largely shaped by regulatory news. In China, the Central Bank reaffirmed its tough stance on virtual currencies in its latest meeting: cryptocurrencies do not have the status of legal tender, and stablecoins may be used for illegal purposes. The regulator promised to intensify the fight against illegal financial schemes related to virtual assets to “preserve economic stability.”
Approaches vary by country. The EU has already implemented provisions of the MiCA law: it includes protective measures for stablecoins, and regulators are discussing a ban on "multi-issuance" of tokens to prevent the risks of concurrent mass buyouts. In Japan, on the other hand, a softening is under discussion: authorities plan to reduce taxes on cryptocurrency income and allow banking groups to launch their own cryptocurrency exchanges.
- China: complete ban on cryptocurrency trading and mining, enhanced oversight of stablecoins, and transaction control.
- Europe: enacted MiCA regulations contain mechanisms to protect investors from stablecoin risks; the limitation on "multi-issuance" is under discussion to prevent concurrent mass buyouts of tokens.
- USA: a significant cryptocurrency bill is being prepared (voting scheduled for early 2026), which will clarify the status of digital assets (goods or securities) and enhance investor protection.
- Japan: measures to expand access to the crypto market are under discussion—tax incentives and access for banks to cryptocurrency services.
Institutional Sentiment and Investments
Interest among large investors in cryptocurrencies has diminished: in November, Bitcoin ETFs experienced record outflows of over $3 billion, and around $1.4 billion left Ethereum. This indicates that institutional investors are closing positions. According to Bloomberg, the total outflow from BTC ETFs during October-November exceeded $4.6 billion, while only a slight inflow of ~ $70 million occurred in the last week of November.
In particular, Strategy Inc (holding the largest corporate Bitcoin portfolio) has formed a reserve of $1.4 billion for future dividend payments, alleviating concerns about a potential forced sell-off of their $56 billion hedge fund. Nonetheless, the majority of institutional players are currently adopting a wait-and-see approach, looking for stabilization signals.
- Record outflows from Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs (several billion dollars in November) indicate a decrease in institutional investor interest.
- Major holders (such as Strategy Inc) are creating liquidity reserves (safety cushions) for fulfilling obligations, reducing market pressure.
- The inflow of new capital into the market is currently minimal: investors are adopting a wait-and-see approach and focusing on risk management.
Altcoins and Promising Tokens
Among popular altcoins, capitalizing leaders are predominantly synchronously moving with Bitcoin and Ethereum. XRP is trading around $2, Solana around $120, Cardano around $0.37, and Polkadot around $4-5. Most "blue-chip" tokens (BNB, LINK, DOT, etc.) have fallen by 5-8% at the beginning of December. The meme coin Dogecoin is maintaining a price around $0.13, and other meme tokens (Shiba Inu, Floki, etc.) have also declined amid the general correction.
Stablecoins hold significant importance in the market: Tether (USDT) and USDC are consistently trading around $1 and provide substantial liquidity. This allows investors to quickly transfer funds to a "safe haven" during high volatility and preserve capital.
New and niche tokens are currently heavily correlating with the overall trend: tokens from DeFi platforms and blockchain games have fallen in price despite update announcements. Recently surging Hyperliquid (HYPE) has come under pressure, returning to around $30.
Top-10 Popular Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin (BTC) — the first and largest cryptocurrency by capitalization, often regarded as "digital gold." BTC serves as a benchmark for the entire market.
- Ethereum (ETH) — the second-largest cryptocurrency by capitalization, the main platform for smart contracts and decentralized applications (DeFi, NFT, etc.). A major update, Fusaka, is expected in December.
- Tether (USDT) — the largest stable token (stablecoin), pegged to the US dollar. USDT is used for capital preservation and transferring funds between cryptocurrency exchanges.
- Binance Coin (BNB) — the native token of the Binance exchange. It is used to pay fees on the exchange and participates in the Binance ecosystem, including staking and launching new projects.
- XRP — the token of the Ripple network, initially created for fast international payments. XRP is popular due to Ripple's collaboration with banks and financial institutions.
- Solana (SOL) — a high-performance blockchain for smart contracts. Known for fast transaction processing times and low fees, attracting DeFi and NFT projects.
- Cardano (ADA) — a proof-of-stake-based blockchain focused on scalability and sustainability. ADA is valued for its scientific approach to development and community support.
- Dogecoin (DOGE) — a meme coin created as a joke project that has gained substantial community support. DOGE is often used for short-term speculation and internet donations.
- Polkadot (DOT) — a multi-chain platform designed to connect various blockchains. DOT is used for network security and voting on Polkadot ecosystem developments.
- Avalanche (AVAX) — a blockchain with high throughput and fast consensus. Avalanche competes with Ethereum, offering a platform to create new DeFi protocols with low fees.
Outlook and Predictions
Analysts are currently noting increased caution in the market. A key benchmark is the $80k level for BTC: holding above it will help avert panic. If Bitcoin breaches this support, further decline is expected. However, seasonal factors in December are typically favorable for cryptocurrencies, so a scenario of moderate stabilization or rebound by the end of the month remains possible.
The ongoing trend will depend on a combination of factors: central banks' monetary policies, technological innovations, and investor sentiment. Investors are advised to diversify their portfolios and closely monitor regulatory news and key projects. Announcements of significant updates (such as Fusaka for Ethereum) bring optimism, but risks remain due to global economic uncertainty and recent incidents. The coming weeks will reveal whether the cryptocurrency market can stabilize and find new momentum for growth.
