Bitcoin and XRP Surge Ahead: Major Moves in the Crypto World This Week

Crypto Market This Week: Bitcoin, XRP, & Shiba Inu Steal Spotlight

This week in the crypto world has been dominated by significant developments surrounding Bitcoin (BTC), Ripple's XRP, and Shiba Inu (SHIB). According to CoinGape Media, a series of favorable events have unfolded for Bitcoin. Notably, BTC miner Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA) announced plans to raise $700 million to boost its ongoing acquisition efforts. Additionally, Semler Scientific invested $29 million into Bitcoin while MicroStrategy acquired 15,400 BTC worth $1.5 billion this week alone.

XRP also made headlines as it surpassed Solana and USDT in market capitalization. The American blockchain firm behind XRP saw whales shifting around $177 million worth of the cryptocurrency amidst rising legal optimism due to recent appointments favoring pro-crypto policies in the US administration.

Can Other Cryptos Beat XRP In 2025?

Benzinga conducted a poll asking readers if any major cryptocurrencies could outperform XRP by 2025. Despite impressive gains from various coins like Dogecoin and Ethereum throughout 2024 following key political shifts, such as presidential elections or SEC chair resignations, Bitcoin emerged as the top contender. Predictions indicated that it would surpass others including Solana or Hedera within just one year’s timeframe according to their survey results published in early December.

'No Longer Ethereum': Vitalik Buterin Makes Surprising Statement

The co-founder of Ethereum recently sparked discussions about the balance between decentralization and functionality among blockchains during an interview reported by U.Today. He emphasized the importance of maintaining core values despite the challenges posed by integrating centralized solutions onto platforms. The ETH network, which recently faced consolidation after nearing $4,000 earlier this quarter, remains stable due to strong buyer interest at critical support zones ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 per token. The outlook remains positive moving forward given a continued focus on maintaining verifiability across ecosystem components. Future success hinges on the ability to manage trade-offs effectively without compromising the foundational principles that underpin the project.

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