Meanwhile, XRP has reclaimed the $2 level, posting an increase of roughly 7% over the same period. Solana has also strengthened by about 2.5% and is trading near $130.
The memecoin segment, however, has led the rally. PEPE surged by around 20%, Fartcoin gained approximately 14%, and Dogecoin advanced by about 9%. Against the backdrop of a weak start to the new year for U.S. equities and precious metals, the crypto market is showing broad-based strength across a wide range of assets.
In the United States, many investors deliberately employed tax-loss harvesting strategies toward the end of 2025, realizing crypto losses to offset high tax liabilities after a strong year in the stock market. Bullish arguments now include not only the end of tax-driven selling, but also the return of institutional investors.
At year-end, institutional players often engage in so-called window dressing, selling underperforming assets and adding recent winners to improve portfolio appearance for clients. This process increases pressure on lagging instruments, such as Bitcoin ETFs, during December, while simultaneously providing artificial support to assets perceived as winners. At the same time, many fund managers lock in annual profits and bonuses by reducing risk exposure — including positions in cryptocurrencies — or by refraining from new investments altogether.
