Tom Lee: Bitcoin May Hit an All-Time High by the End of January 2026

On December 19, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire posted: "Who wants to predict stablecoin development trends for 2026? I think 'BOOM' sums it up best."

On December 19, Federal Reserve’s William stated that the Fed has not yet implemented quantitative easing through asset purchases. (FXStreet)

On December 19, Federal Reserve’s Williams stated the Fed’s current policy is in a good place, allowing for more information gathering. Employment data aligns with a gradual cooling in the labor market, and there’s no sense of urgency for further action right now. His personal view is the neutral real interest rate is slightly below 1%. (Source: FXStreet)

**Glassnode: Bitcoin Set for Largest-Ever Options Expiry ($23.58B) on Dec 26** On December 19, crypto analytics firm Glassnode issued a statement noting Bitcoin is poised for the biggest options expiry in its history: roughly $23.58 billion worth of Bitcoin options will expire on December 26, while the spot price remains locked in its recent trading range. Over the past month, Bitcoin options trading activity has cooled, with fund flows dropping sharply—typically a sign of fading market confidence in upside potential—though demand for downside protection via put options still holds. The implied volatility (IV) curve has seen broad declines, signaling reduced recent demand for hedging and upside leverage as the market absorbs more controlled price moves. Currently, at-the-money (ATM) IV across all maturities hovers around 44%, down more than 10 volatility points from recent highs. The 25% skew (put IV minus call IV) remains positive, meaning put options are still priced higher

December 19 — Traders are betting on a short-term Bitcoin rebound, per a Cointelegraph report, as the cryptocurrency’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) sits in an extremely oversold state — hitting its lowest level in nearly three years. Bitcoin has dropped 36% from its all-time high of $126,000 to $80,500, weighing heavily on its long-term RSI. On the weekly chart, the indicator fell from a September local high of 64 to its current reading of 35. The last time RSI reached this level was January 2023, when Bitcoin traded between $15,500 and $17,000. Analyst Jelle noted: “Historically, when the weekly RSI touches this level, it’s worth watching. Either we’re near a bottom, or a bigger downward move is coming soon.” In a Friday X post, Mister Crypto pointed out Bitcoin’s Stochastic RSI is at its deepest oversold level on record. “The chance of a short-term rebound is very high,” he said.

On December 19, EFG Bank economist Sam Jochim said the Bank of Japan’s delayed interest rate hike is more like easing off the gas than hitting the brakes. He noted there’s still room for further rate hikes next year, adding the BOJ has stressed that even after this move, interest rates will remain “significantly low.” Future trends will largely hinge on next year’s annual spring labor negotiations—which set the tone for wage growth—meaning another rate hike is unlikely before June 2024. Jochim added that while the BOJ remains behind the curve following today’s decision, the pace of monetary policy tightening will stay extremely gradual. (Source: Kryptonewsz)