Weekend Movers – Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) and Ripple (XRP)

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The cryptocurrency market has entered a period of calm, with Bitcoin holding just below the $29,000 mark for two consecutive weeks. As of this writing, BTC is trading at $28,983, while Ethereum (ETH) hovers around $1,827. Market analysts suggest this stability may persist until a pivotal moment: the potential approval of a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Vetle Lunde, an analyst at K33 Research, described recent trading volume as “weak” but emphasized that the market stands on the brink of transformation. The firm noted that Bitcoin’s 30-day average volatility recently dipped below that of traditional assets like gold, the Nasdaq, and the S&P 500—marking a historic low. According to Deribit’s Bitcoin Volatility Index, implied volatility for BTC over the next 30 days hit a five-year low of 34.02%.

👉 Discover what could trigger the next major crypto movement.

This subdued volatility comes amid record-low trading activity, the lowest since May 2020. However, such prolonged stillness often precedes explosive moves. “Crypto’s deep sleep is often followed by a violent awakening,” Lunde warned. “Market pressure is building—breakout could be imminent.”

Blockware Intelligence reports that liquid and highly liquid Bitcoin supply is now at its lowest since the 2018 bear market. Conversely, illiquid supply—coins held long-term—is hitting new highs, signaling strong holder confidence. Meanwhile, new wallet creations are trending upward, echoing patterns seen during the 2019 recovery phase.

Major Institutional Developments

Institutional activity remains mixed. MicroStrategy reported a $24 million Bitcoin impairment charge in Q2, reflecting its accounting treatment of BTC holdings. In contrast, Block—Jack Dorsey’s fintech firm—revealed that nearly half of its $2.4 billion net income came from Bitcoin-related revenue.

On the regulatory front, Revolut announced U.S. users will no longer be able to purchase cryptocurrencies starting February 1, with full platform access ending a month later. The company cited evolving regulatory uncertainty as the reason. Similarly, GameStop discontinued its crypto wallet offering due to “regulatory uncertainty.”

These moves highlight growing friction between innovation and compliance in the U.S. crypto landscape.

Top Weekend Performers

Despite overall market stagnation, several altcoins delivered strong weekend gains. Among the top 100 cryptocurrencies by market cap, notable performers included:

Over the past 24 hours, BCH, DASH, and ALGO rose 5.8%, 5.2%, and 2.6% respectively. GALA surged 13%, while ApeCoin (APE) gained 12.3% before pulling back slightly.

Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR)

The standout performer was HBAR, which jumped 14% to reach $0.060—a key resistance level near its 200-day moving average. Currently trading at $0.0558 with a 24-hour volume of $89.7 million (up 200% from the previous day), HBAR has gained 5.8% weekly and 18.5% monthly, up roughly 55% year-to-date.

Despite these gains, HBAR remains down 27.4% over the past year and 90.2% from its all-time high.

HBAR is the native token of Hedera Hashgraph, a high-performance, enterprise-grade public network designed for secure digital interactions. Recent developments have fueled momentum:

Carlos Moreira, founder of WiseKey, stated the collaboration aims to explore tokenized stock issuance via ledger-based securities—a process known as asset tokenization.

Major enterprises are also adopting Hedera’s infrastructure:

Additionally, Hedera announced MetaMask integration via HIP-16, significantly improving user accessibility for one of the most popular crypto wallets. During this period, the mainnet achieved a milestone of 583 million transactions.

👉 See how enterprise blockchain adoption is reshaping crypto value.

Weakest Performers Over the Weekend

Not all assets fared well. Several large-cap altcoins posted significant losses:

In the last 24 hours, FLEX led the decline with a 10.8% drop, followed by SHIB (-4.8%), APE (-4%), MKR (-3%), FXS (-3%), and CSPR (-2.4%). These losses contributed to a slight dip in total crypto market cap to $1.205 trillion.

Ripple (XRP)

Among top performers in decline, XRP saw the steepest weekend drop—7.8%—making it the worst performer in the top 100.

Ranked fifth by market cap at $32.55 billion, XRP has lost over 7% in the past week despite being up 12% year-to-date and 81.5% last month. It currently trades at $0.656.

The downturn follows a sharp reversal after earlier bullish momentum driven by Ripple’s partial legal victory against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In a landmark ruling, Judge Analisa Torres determined that XRP sales to retail investors did not constitute unregistered securities offerings—an outcome celebrated across the industry.

Following the decision, major exchanges like Coinbase, Kraken, and Crypto.com relisted XRP trading, and Bitstamp introduced XRP lending services. At one point, XRP even surpassed BNB in market cap.

However, optimism faded as speculation grew over the SEC appealing the ruling. Recently, Judge Jed Rakoff of SDNY dismissed parts of Torres’ analysis, increasing expectations of an appeal.

Meanwhile, large holders—wallets holding between 1 million and 10 million XRP—have offloaded over 100 million tokens since October, reducing total supply from 685 million to 675 million, according to on-chain data. This selling pressure has weighed on price.

On a positive note, U.S.-based Bitcoin ATM operator CoinFlip now supports XRP purchases—a sign of growing retail accessibility.

What Lies Ahead?

Bitcoin has declined 1.4% over the past five days, while Ethereum fell 0.99%. Even stablecoin Tether (USDT) briefly traded below parity at $0.99786—just outside its typical 10-basis-point corridor—despite Bitfinex reporting $850 million in quarterly profit and $3.3 billion in excess reserves.

Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Bitfinex and Tether, attributed the minor depeg to temporary market stress: “It’s artificial pressure… more market makers will step in if needed.”

Technically, both BTC and ETH show neutral momentum:

Macroeconomic data looms large this week. The U.S. added only 187,000 jobs in November—below forecasts—though average hourly earnings rose 4.4%, above target. With inflation still double the Federal Reserve’s goal, markets await the December CPI release on Thursday.

Expected figures:

The Fed’s next rate decision is scheduled for December 19, with current rates between 5.25% and 5.50%—the highest in nearly two decades.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why is HBAR gaining momentum recently?
A: HBAR is benefiting from enterprise adoption, cost-efficient NFT solutions, MetaMask integration, and strategic partnerships with major financial institutions and automakers.

Q: Is XRP still a good investment after its recent drop?
A: While short-term volatility persists due to regulatory uncertainty and whale selling, XRP’s long-term potential remains tied to Ripple’s global payment network and ongoing legal clarity.

Q: What could trigger the next major crypto rally?
A: A spot Bitcoin ETF approval in the U.S., sustained decline in inflation, or significant institutional inflows could reignite bullish momentum across digital assets.

Q: How does low Bitcoin volatility affect traders?
A: Low volatility often precedes high-volatility breakouts. Traders should prepare for sudden price swings once market direction becomes clear.

Q: Are altcoins still relevant in a stagnant Bitcoin market?
A: Yes—projects like Hedera with real-world utility and partnerships can outperform during BTC consolidation phases.

Q: What role do macroeconomic factors play in crypto pricing?
A: Interest rates, inflation data, and employment reports directly influence investor risk appetite—making them critical drivers of crypto market trends.

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Final Thoughts

Last week was quiet, and this week may follow suit—yet beneath the surface, pressure is building. Regulatory clarity, macroeconomic data, and technological advancements are setting the stage for potential breakout moves.

While short-term noise—or lack thereof—dominates headlines, Bitcoin is quietly positioning for what could be its next major cycle peak in 2025. The path may be uncertain now, but history suggests that after every calm comes a storm—and then a surge.

For investors focused on long-term value creation through innovation and adoption cycles, staying informed—and ready—is key.

Core Keywords: Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR), Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin ETF approval, enterprise blockchain adoption, crypto market volatility, altcoin performance, SEC lawsuit