Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin & Ethereum Slide as Fear Index Hits Extreme 23 - December 30, 2025
Fear grips crypto markets as major digital assets retreat.
Market Sentiment Plunges
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has plunged to a reading of 23, firmly in the 'Extreme Fear' territory. This gauge of investor psychology suggests a market dominated by panic and risk aversion, a stark contrast to the euphoria seen during bull runs.
Heavyweights Under Pressure
Bitcoin (BTC), the market bellwether, is leading the downside move. Ethereum (ETH), the leading smart contract platform, is following suit. The synchronized decline indicates a broad-based sell-off rather than isolated weakness.
What's Driving the Sell-Off?
While specific catalysts are omitted here, markets often move on a cocktail of macro concerns, regulatory whispers, and leveraged positions getting liquidated. It's the financial equivalent of a crowded theater when someone yells 'fire'—rationality exits first.
History shows these fear spikes often create long-term buying opportunities, but catching a falling knife requires steady hands. For now, the market is cutting through optimism, leaving traders to navigate the volatility. Remember, in crypto, 'extreme fear' is just another Tuesday—and sometimes a prelude to the next leg up.
Major Crypto Events Today
Source: Forex Factory
24-Hour Crypto Market Update: Prices, Volume & Trends
The global cryptocurrency market today recorded a capitalization of $3.03 trillion, reflecting a 1.5% negative change in the last 24 hours. Total trading volume noted $126.45 billion.
Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance over the industry remains intense, with 57.3%, while ethereum (ETH) carries 11.7%. As of now, 19043 cryptocurrencies are being tracked. The largest gainers in the industry over the last 24 hours are Polkadot and the XRP Ledger Ecosystem.
(Note: BTC and ETH are often viewed as less volatile historically, but still risky)
Bitcoin (BTC) price today reached $87077.56, decreased by 1.01% in the last 24 hours, with a trading volume of $47.43 billion and a market cap of $1.73 trillion.
Ethereum (ETH) priced today sits at $2929.27, slightly dipping 0.92% in 24 hours with a trading volume of $26.23 billion and a market cap of $353.54 billion.
(Trending data is based on a combination of 24-hour price movement, trading volume, and CoinMarketCap.com trending metrics.)
Collect on Fanable (COLLECT) trades at $0.03711, down 3.57%, with a trading volume (TV) of $399.9 million.
RateX (RTX) is priced at $2.73, up 0.33% with $355.03 million in TV.
Audiera (BEAT) stands at $2.07, falling 12.6%, with $83.01 million TV.
Bitcoin (BTC) sits near $87,050.98, down 0.06%, with $47.43 billion in TV .
Midnight (NIGHT) priced at $0.09727, down 2.77%, posting $137.39 million in TV.
(Ranked by 24-hour percentage gain)
Midnight (NIGHT) at $0.09737, posting an 8.58% gain, with trading activity of $137.6 million.
Humanity Protocol (H) is at $0.1744, up 7.07%, while recording a trading volume of $55.3 million.
MYX Finance (MYX) at $3.61, gaining 2.51%, with volume of nearly $11.9 million.
(Ranked by 24-hour percentage loss)
Canton (CC) at $0.1259, slides 7.82%, with trading volume of $39.4 million
Jupiter (JUP) at $0.1864, dips 6.76%, posting a trading activity of $29.3 million.
Toncoin (TON) is at $1.57, down 5.79% with a trading volume of $169.2 million.
Stablecoins noted a 0.2% negative change over the past 24 hours, with a market capitalization of $311.9 billion and trading volume of $103.8 billion.
The Decentralized Finance (DeFi) market declined 1% over the last 24 hours, recording a market cap of $102.3 billion and total value locked (TVL) at $4.7 billion. Defi dominance globally marked 3.4%.
(TVL refers to the total crypto assets locked in DeFi protocols.)
Fear and Greed Index Today
Source: Alternative Me
Today’s Fear and Greed Index stands at 23 (Extreme Fear), down from 24 yesterday and last week, and far below 28 last month. Persistent price weakness, low trading volumes, and cautious sentiment amid macro uncertainty have intensified fear, signaling risk aversion and defensive positioning by investors.
Latest Crypto Market News Today, 30 December
(Note: All of these updates affect traders, as they affect liquidity, sentiment, and potential returns, and thus have to be monitored closely.)
Coinbase Institutional says crypto derivatives surged in 2025, with DEX perpetuals topping $1.2 trillion monthly. Speculative exposure peaked NEAR 10%, then fell. Equity perpetuals may bridge the crypto and traditional industry.
DefiOasis data shows Polymarket trading heavily favors a few winners, as most users lose small amounts while a tiny elite captures the majority of realized profits among over 1.7 million addresses.
Bitmine Immersion added 44,463 ETH last week, raising holdings to 4.11 million ETH, 3.41% of supply. It has staked 408,627 ETH, with MAVAN staking launching in Q1 2026 as planned.
Dragonfly partner Haseeb Qureshi estimates that in 2026, Bitcoin will be over $150,000, dominance will decline, DeFi will consolidate, stablecoins will explode, regulation will progress, and AI will transform the development and security of crypto markets in the world markets.
The Federal Court of Australia found NGS Group and NGS Crypto operated unlicensed and unregistered blockchain mining projects, raising 59 million out of 450 investors, ordered liquidation, and barred financial services forever due to SMSF risks.
Cap of on-chain stock markets was $1.2 billion, with the September xStocks launch and regulatory clarity in December indicating the transition of tokenized equities out of the pilot phase to broader use.
Comparative Insight
The sentiment was not as strong as compared to last month because the Fear and Greed Index decreased to 23 from 28. bitcoin dominance remained elevated, and the altcoins exhibited more pronounced price movements, indicating the cautious movement of capital instead of the general exit.
What This Means for Crypto Investors
To investors, the update represents high risk and emotional trading environments. Although the price action in the short-term is not certain, the current trends of better regulation, expansion of derivatives markets, and tokenized equities are indicative of long-term ecosystem maturity, rewarding users who make informed decisions and avoid impulsive choices.
Risk Context: This commentary is only informational and not for long-term conditions. It does not indicate the direction of the price or indicate an action to be taken on the investment.
CoinGabbar’s Opinion
Based on the 24-hour Cryptocurrency update, investing now carries a higher short-term risk due to extreme fear, falling volumes, and macro uncertainty. However, disciplined investors may find selective opportunities. This market favors cautious strategies, strong research, and patience rather than aggressive or Leveraged positions.
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Do Your Own Research before investing. CoinGabbar is not liable to any financial loss. The crypto assets are risky, and you may lose all your investments. Not all regions can offer some of the services or assets discussed.
