Listen to today’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nqwUyvLDEvs7bV985k-gQ
Bitcoin/Crypto Daily Podcast 12/18/2025
Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories:
Crypto Markets Today: Bitcoin drifts lower as bearish trend persists
By Oliver Knight, Omkar Godbole (Edited by Sheldon Reback) — Published: Dec 17, 2025
Bitcoin slipped about 1.5% as a series of lower highs since October kept the downtrend intact, while the CoinDesk 20 fell 1.6% and bitcoin dominance climbed. Despite an oversold average crypto RSI near 38, options flows and a put premium signal lingering downside caution and range-bound expectations ahead of macro events. Altcoins broadly underperformed, with only a few outliers bucking weakness.
ETFs bleed, keeping bitcoin in stasis: Crypto Daybook Americas
By Omkar Godbole — Published: Dec 17, 2025
U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs saw over $580 million in two-day outflows, sapping momentum as BTC churned between $86,000 and $88,000. Rising BTC longs on Bitfinex have historically been a contrarian sign, while options positioning points to a broad $85,000–$100,000 range. Markets appear more focused on internal liquidity and positioning than macro releases, keeping price action reactive.
Grayscale outlines top crypto investing themes for 2026 as institutional adoption grows
By Siamak Masnavi, AI Boost | Edited by Omkar Godbole — Published: Dec 17, 2025
Grayscale argues crypto is entering an institutional era, driven by demand for alternative stores of value and clearer regulation, including spot ETPs and expected U.S. market-structure legislation. The firm highlights growth in stablecoins, tokenization, DeFi lending, scalable infrastructure, staking, and AI-blockchain intersections as key 2026 themes. Quantum risk and the impact of digital asset treasuries are seen as low-priority factors for next year.
Bitcoin slides with ether and XRP as market tests $3 trillion floor
By Shaurya Malwa, Omkar Godbole — Published: Dec 17, 2025
Total crypto market cap dipped below $3 trillion again, with selling concentrated in large-cap tokens tied to ETFs as sentiment softened. Fear gauges fell to one-month lows, liquidity thinned into year-end, and the dollar strengthened, while technicals highlight support near $81,000 and a deeper $60,000–$70,000 zone. Despite near-term fatigue, on-chain trends show continued long-term accumulation by corporates and financial firms.
Bhutan commits up to 10,000 bitcoin to back new mindfulness-based economic hub
By Jamie Crawley and AI Boost, edited by Sheldon Reback — Published: Dec 17, 2025
Bhutan introduced a Bitcoin Development Pledge of up to 10,000 BTC to support Gelephu Mindfulness City, positioning bitcoin as a strategic national asset. The plan explores using BTC for collateral, treasury management, or long-term reserves, leveraging the country’s surplus hydropower for sustainable mining. It complements broader digital initiatives, including national digital identity, crypto-enabled payments, and a sovereign-backed gold token (TER).
Bitcoin long term holder supply hits 8 month low, breaking historical cycle patterns
By James Van Straten — Published: Dec 17, 2025
Long-term holder supply fell to an eight-month low of roughly 14.34 million BTC, marking a third distribution wave this cycle. Unlike prior bull markets that featured a single peak-and-rebuild pattern, this cycle shows repeated LTH selling without a clear blow-off top. LTH distribution has added notable sell pressure and contributed to the near 40% drawdown from October’s highs.
Hut 8 stock surges 20% on Fluidstack AI data center deal
By James Van Straten, AI Boost | Edited by Stephen Alpher — Published: Dec 17, 2025
Hut 8 announced a 15-year, $7 billion lease with Fluidstack for 245 MW of AI data center capacity at its Louisiana campus, with options that could lift total value to about $17.7 billion. A Google financial backstop reduces counterparty risk, and the company projects $6.9 billion in cumulative NOI over the term, with commissioning slated for Q2 2027. The move underscores miners’ pivot toward high-performance compute as a complementary revenue engine.
Crypto exchange HashKey’s shares fall 5% on trading debut in Hong Kong
By Sam Reynolds, AI Boost — Published: Dec 17, 2025
HashKey’s IPO opened below issue price and recovered to close just under even, reflecting investor caution despite its dominance in Hong Kong’s licensed crypto market. Ultra-low fees and heavy compliance costs have kept revenue trailing operating expenses, raising questions about profitability and growth levers. The exchange’s strategic focus on Hong Kong also narrows its expansion narrative after exiting offshore retail markets.
Memecoin boom turns into capitulation one year after $150 billion market peak
By Shaurya Malwa — Published: Dec 17, 2025
Memecoin market cap has fallen about 70% from a $150.6 billion peak, with daily volumes collapsing from 2024’s highs near $87 billion to under $5 billion. Activity concentrated in a handful of names like DOGE and PEPE, while launchpad-fueled tokens struggled to build durable liquidity and community. The retreat underscores fading speculative appetite even as broader regulatory clarity improved.
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund supports Metaplanet bitcoin plan ahead of EGM vote
By James Van Straten — Published: Dec 17, 2025
Norway’s Norges Bank Investment Management backed all five proposals tied to Metaplanet’s bitcoin treasury strategy ahead of a Dec. 22 EGM. The measures create capital flexibility and introduce preferred share classes (MARS and MERCURY) to fund non-dilutive BTC accumulation. NBIM holds roughly 0.3% of Metaplanet, whose shares are up about 8% year-to-date.
