Why Is Cryptocurrency Rising Today?

Why Is Cryptocurrency Rising Today? – December 17, 2025

The cryptocurrency market is experiencing a slight uptick today, with modest changes that suggest no significant shift overall. The market capitalization has risen by just 0.1%, sitting at approximately $3.03 trillion. Notably, 75 out of the top 100 cryptocurrencies have witnessed price increases over the past 24 hours, while the total trading volume across the crypto market is around $108 billion.

Key Takeaways

The overall cryptocurrency market capitalization is up 0.1% to $3.03 trillion.
75 of the top 100 cryptocurrencies saw price increases within the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin (BTC) remains stable at $86,388, while Ethereum (ETH) shows a slight decline to $2,924.
XRP and Dogecoin have experienced upward movements.
Market sentiment remains cautious, with the fear and greed index indicating uncertainty.

Why Is Crypto Up Today

Cryptocurrency Winners and Losers

As of now, among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, four have seen their prices decline, while four have increased (excluding stablecoins). However, it's important to note that these fluctuations are so minimal that overall prices remain largely unchanged.

Bitcoin (BTC): Up by merely 0.1% since yesterday, currently valued at $86,388.
Ethereum (ETH): Decreased by 0.1%, trading at $2,924.
XRP: The only standout with a 1.2% increase, at $1.9.
Dogecoin (DOGE): Saw a 0.6% increase, priced at $0.1298.

Conversely, Tron (TRX) recorded the largest drop of just 0.2%, trading at $0.2792. Among the top 100 cryptocurrencies, 75 coins saw slight increases. Notably, Midnight (NIGHT) rose 4.5% to $0.05944, while Monero (XMR) experienced a 4.2% rise to $429. Conversely, Aster (ASTER) declined the most, down 9.2% to $0.7421, followed by Bittensor (TAO), which fell 6.2% to $246.

Recent delayed job and retail reports from the US have introduced additional uncertainty for investors, revealing that the labor market continues to show signs of weakness. In contrast, the Marshall Islands has rolled out a universal basic income (UBI) program, allowing citizens to receive payments in cryptocurrency. Each resident is entitled to about $200 quarterly, equating to approximately $800 annually, with the first payments distributed in late November.

Market Volatility Persists Despite Stabilization

Analytics from Glassnode indicate that with the marketplace's recent downturn, risk hedging has increased. Bitcoin’s price plunged into the low $80,000 range, which coincided with heightened expectations for price fluctuations and overall uncertainty.

Analysts noted that market conditions have begun to stabilize, yet there is still a considerable degree of implied volatility compared to the low-volatility period observed for six months prior. This suggests a potential shift towards a more volatile trading environment.

Glassnode Analysis

Market Watch: Key Levels and Events

As of Wednesday morning, Bitcoin is trading at $86,388, having fluctuated from a low of $86,248 to a peak of $87,918 before retracing. Over the last week, BTC has decreased by 6.7%, currently operating within the $85,704–$93,042 range and down 31.4% from its peak of $126,080.

Potential downward movements could see Bitcoin prices dip to $84,000 or even $82,300. On the other hand, a bullish trend could lift prices towards $100,000.

Bitcoin Trading Analysis

Currently, Ethereum is valued at $2,924. The trading day has been quite erratic, with a range spanning from an intraday low of $2,902 to a peak of $2,971. This past week has seen substantial losses for ETH, with a 12% drop and a current value that is 40.7% below its all-time high (ATH) of $4,946. If ETH continues to decline, it may retest the $2,800 and potentially $2,680 levels, while a rally could push it above $3,000, possibly reaching $3,300.

Furthermore, market sentiment within the cryptocurrency sphere experienced a slight uptick while remaining entrenched in fear territory, with the fear and greed index currently at 25, compared to 22 the previous day. This sentiment reflects persistent uncertainty among market participants, which seems unlikely to change without a significant catalyst.

Crypto Market Sentiment

On Tuesday, the US Bitcoin spot ETFs faced outflows amounting to $227.09 million, decreasing the total net inflow to $57.27 billion. Of the twelve ETFs, five experienced outflows and one saw inflows, with Fidelity being the only ETF to gain with an addition of $26.72 million. In contrast, BlackRock and Bitwise reported outflows of $26.72 million and $50.93 million, respectively.

Bitcoin ETF Performance

Similarly, Ethereum ETFs in the US faced negative flows for the fourth consecutive day, with outflows of $224.26 million on December 16—leveling out to similar figures as the previous day. The total net inflow has now reduced to $12.64 billion. Among the nine funds, two witnessed outflows and none recorded inflows, with BlackRock seeing a majority of outflows at $221.31 million, followed by Fidelity at $2.94 million.

Ethereum ETF Performance

Additionally, HashKey Holdings commenced trading in Hong Kong on Wednesday, with initial shares rising about 6% upon opening, although they subsequently pulled back below the IPO price of HK$6.68 later in the morning. HashKey’s chief, Xiao Feng, expressed confidence in the long-term prospects of digital assets, citing the importance of regulatory growth and clear compliance frameworks amidst market volatility.

Quick FAQ

The cryptocurrency market showed slight growth in the last 24 hours, while the US stock market presented mixed results during its Tuesday session: the S&P 500 fell by 0.24%, the Nasdaq-100 rose by 0.26%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 0.62%. Recent job and retail reports have heightened uncertainty among investors. While the market's current rise might suggest some stability, significant catalysts are necessary to break the trend of sideways trading.