Bitcoin near $88K, Ethereum at $2,900 as crypto market ends 2025 on a subdued note

Bitcoin nears the $80,000 mark and Ethereum trades at the $2,900 level on Wednesday as the crypto market ends 2025 on a subdued note, with both struggling to regain momentum. Bitcoin and Ethereum were trading at the $88,326 and $2,968 levels respectively.

In the past 24 hours, Bitcoin and Ethereum went up by 1.14% and 0.56% respectively. Among the major altcoins, BNB, XRP, Solana, Tron and Hyperliquid gained up to 1.30% in the past 24 hours, whereas Dogecoin and Cardano went down 0.35% and 0.22% respectively in the same period.

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Riya Sehgal, Research Analyst, Delta Exchange, said that despite earlier highs above $126,000, Bitcoin risks closing the year in the red, signalling consolidation rather than a cycle breakdown, and investor sentiment remains fragile as the US Federal Reserve’s December dot plot revealed deep divisions over 2026 rate cuts.

Sehgal added that on-chain data shows slowing whale accumulation and ETF outflows exceeding $6 billion in Q4, highlighting institutional caution. However, analysts expect renewed inflows once the Fed resumes easing in 2026, and a dovish shift, improving liquidity and stable macro conditions could reignite bullish momentum by Q2 2026, setting the stage for crypto’s next recovery phase.

In the past week, Bitcoin and Ethereum went up by 1.25% and 0.89% respectively. Among the major altcoins, BNB, XRP, Solana, Tron and Hyperliquid gained up to nearly 8% in the past week, whereas Dogecoin and Cardano fell by 3.99% and 2.20% respectively in the same period.

CoinSwitch Markets Desk said Bitcoin remains range-bound amid thin year-end trading, hovering between $85,000 and $90,000, and the lack of a decisive breakout reflects muted participation as markets head into the holiday period.

“While US equity markets have staged a rebound, Bitcoin is showing signs of a gradual, steady recovery rather than strong momentum. A nearly 50% drop in open interest suggests many traders have moved to the sidelines,” CoinSwitch Markets Desk added.

Market perspective

Nischal Shetty, Founder, WazirX

As we close the final day of the year, the crypto industry indicates a balanced sentiment globally, with some restrictive factors in a few parts of the world being overshadowed by optimism around new economic developments.

Bitcoin witnessed liquidations of $143.55 million in the past 24 hours. Risk-off assets such as gold, which have had a good run in the last few months, also saw a decline before modestly rebounding. Technical indicators and expert predictions show that Bitcoin is poised to outperform gold in the short term.

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CoinDCX Research Team

The crypto markets continue to consolidate within a narrow range, with prices rising marginally. Bitcoin surged above $88,500, while Ethereum refrained from rising above $3,000.

Other top cryptocurrencies have also remained below their respective resistance levels, which could compel them to close the year’s trade within an accumulated range.