Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, and Avalanche Show Strong Usage Growth Despite Falling Revenue December’s onchain data reveals a notable shift across major blockchain networks: transaction activity increased while fee revenue declined. This divergence suggests that recent scaling upgrades and infrastructure improvements are easing congestion and expanding capacity, allowing networks to process more activity without driving up user costs. Major Networks Process More Transactions With Less Fee Pressure Several leading blockchains recorded higher transaction counts over the past month. Ethereum transactions rose 16% even as fee revenue dropped 57%, highlighting how protocol-level changes are reshaping network economics. Polygon saw an even sharper…
Author: Blockto Team
Silver’s Extreme Price Moves Reflect Rate Cut Bets and Shifting Investor Behavior Silver prices have entered a period of unusual turbulence, delivering sharp gains followed by steep losses within hours, a pattern more commonly associated with cryptocurrencies than traditional commodities. The precious metal’s recent behavior highlights how macroeconomic expectations and speculative positioning are reshaping even historically stable markets. Over the weekend, silver surged to a record level near $84 per ounce, riding a broader rally across precious metals. Gold simultaneously climbed toward $4,530, reinforcing the strength of the metals complex. However, silver’s rally proved fragile. Within just over an hour…
Large companies increasingly stake Ether for yield, tightening circulating supply and signaling long-term confidence in Ethereum. Corporate treasuries are rapidly embracing Ethereum staking as a strategy to earn passive yield while holding long-term crypto assets. A recent move by BitMine Immersion Technologies highlights this trend, as major players lock substantial amounts of Ether into Ethereum’s proof-of-stake system, reducing the amount of ETH available for sale on the open market. Corporate Ethereum Staking Reaches New Scale BitMine Immersion Technologies, currently the largest corporate holder of Ether, staked approximately 342,560 ETH valued at over $1 billion within a two-day period. By committing…
Rising ETH Staking Demand Coincides With Network Upgrades and Institutional Accumulation Ethereum’s staking dynamics have shifted sharply, with the validator entry queue now almost twice the size of the exit queue, a development not seen in roughly six months. The change suggests growing confidence among holders willing to lock up Ether rather than withdraw it, potentially altering short-term supply dynamics across the network. According to on-chain data, more than 745,000 ETH is currently waiting to enter staking, translating to an estimated 13-day wait time. In contrast, the exit queue holds about 360,000 ETH, with an approximate eight-day delay. The crossover…
State-Backed Cyber Operations Target Exchanges and Protocols to Fund Sanctioned Regime Cryptocurrency-related cybercrime linked to North Korea escalated sharply in 2025, marking the most severe year on record for digital asset theft and laundering. State-sponsored hacking groups intensified attacks on exchanges, custodians, and service providers as the regime continued to seek alternative funding channels under strict international sanctions. Blockchain analysis indicates that North Korea–affiliated hackers stole more than $2.17 billion in cryptocurrency during the first half of 2025 alone, exceeding the total amount stolen across all of 2024. The most significant incident occurred in February, when attackers drained nearly $1.5…
New Policy Transforms Digital Yuan From Cash Alternative to Interest-Bearing Deposit Currency China is preparing a significant shift in its central bank digital currency strategy, as authorities move to allow commercial banks to pay interest on digital yuan holdings. The policy, set to take effect on January 1, 2026, is designed to accelerate adoption of the e-CNY by making it more competitive with traditional bank deposits and popular mobile payment platforms. Under the new framework, the digital yuan will evolve from functioning as a digital cash equivalent into what policymakers describe as a “digital deposit currency.” Verified digital yuan wallets…
XAUUSD Market Swings Highlight Growing Uncertainty in Safe-Haven Demand Gold prices have experienced heightened volatility after a rapid 7% advance was followed by a sharp 10% decline, reflecting increasing uncertainty across global markets. The recent price action underscores how quickly sentiment can shift in the precious metals market as traders respond to macroeconomic signals, profit-taking, and shifting risk appetite. Gold pushing aggressively higher before encountering a well-defined resistance zone near recent highs. This level attracted strong selling pressure, leading to a decisive pullback. The rejection suggests that while demand remains present, buyers struggled to sustain momentum at elevated price levels,…
BTC Risks First Red Post-Halving Year as Macro Pressure Weighs on Price Bitcoin is approaching the end of 2025 at a critical juncture, with analysts warning that the asset must stage a 6.24% rally in the final days of the year to avoid closing in negative territory. Without a late recovery, Bitcoin would record its first red annual close in a post-halving year, a notable deviation from historical trends. Bitcoin opened 2025 at approximately $93,374 but is currently trading below that level. To close the year in the green, BTC must reclaim that price threshold. This comes after Bitcoin surged…
Bitcoin Acts as a Market Check on Inflation, Deficits, and Fiscal Discipline Bitcoin may be strengthening the US dollar’s reserve currency status in an unexpected way, according to the chief executive of a major US crypto exchange. Rather than replacing the dollar, Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as a competitive pressure mechanism that discourages excessive inflation and unchecked government spending. The argument centers on Bitcoin serving as a market-driven alternative during periods of economic uncertainty. When inflation or deficit spending accelerates beyond sustainable levels, capital can move into Bitcoin, sending a clear signal to policymakers. This dynamic, proponents argue, creates an…
ETHUSD Faces Supply Pressure on the 4-Hour Chart Ethereum is trading near the $3,050 level after failing to extend its recent recovery, according to the latest market data. While buyers attempted to reclaim higher prices, selling pressure near a well-defined resistance zone has capped upside momentum. The broader setup suggests Ethereum is currently in a consolidation phase following a sharp corrective move. The market shows multiple Changes of Character (CHoCH) after Ethereum rejected from a higher supply zone earlier in the month. This shift marked the transition from bullish continuation to a corrective structure. Although price briefly rebounded from a…