A notable #FTX creditor has rebuffed plans that the defunct crypto exchange FTX would resume customer repayment as early as January 2025.
For context, the news made the rounds since the weekend that the Sam Bankman-Fried-owned crypto exchange will repay its creditors starting from January 3. The speculation also suggested that FTX would distribute $16 billion to its customers within 60 days of the repayment start date.

FTX Creditor Responds

In a tweet today, Sunil, a self-acclaimed FTX creditor champion, refuted the claims. He noted that the January payments were false and provided the actual distribution details.
Sunil stated that FTX has recovered $13 billion from debtors, which could increase to $14 billion in March. Meanwhile, the creditor noted that the bankruptcy estate of the defunct exchange does not intend to distribute the entire amount.
He stated that FTX filed to reserve 50% of the recovered funds. As a result, it can only distribute half of the disputed claims, worth $7 billion, in the initial repayment phase.
Meanwhile, Sunil noted that FTX would fully recompense its customers in two to three years.
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Smart contract deployment on the #Cardano network reached a significant milestone this year, nearly crossing 100,000, as blockchain gains traction.
Cardano Blockchain Insight collated the data from the Plutus-based smart contract deployer, which specifies the amount deployed by each software version. For context, Plutus is a smart contract platform on the Cardano network that allows developers to create decentralized applications that can interact with the blockchain.

Plutus V2 Leads the Smart Contract Mania

The second version of the Plutus programming language was the star of the show, as it was responsible for most of the smart contract deployment.
At the start of the year, there were just 8,083 Plutus V2 scripts on the blockchain. However, the total tally surged to 105,500 on December 29, appreciating by 97,417 smart contracts during the year.
Notably, the Plutus V2 application went live on the Cardano network in September 2022 after the Vasil hard fork. The script enhanced smart contract features in the Cardano ecosystem, introducing features such as reference inputs, inline datum, and reference script.
Meanwhile, the Plutus V1 also saw substantial traction. The maiden smart contract script added 573 smart contracts to the network, growing from 6,296 at the beginning of the year to 6,869 as of December 27.
Furthermore, the newly introduced Plutus V3 programming software also recorded considerable usage in its short time of existence. For context, the Cardano ecosystem debuted the third version of Plutus in preparation for the September 1 Chang hard fork, which introduced decentralized governance on the blockchain.
In February, the Cardano team released Plutus V3 on the SanchoNet testnet, which has enhanced features compared to earlier versions. The application entered the mainnet in August and deployed 444 smart contracts on the Cardano blockchain.
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Amid growing volatility in the crypto market, #SUI struggles to maintain its price above the $4 psychological mark. This critical level serves as a key battleground for bulls and bears. After a bearish Sunday, SUI’s price is hovering around the $4 mark.
With a market cap of $12 billion, SUI remains the 15th largest cryptocurrency. However, the increasing bearish pressure signals the potential for a quick drop below the $4 level. Traders are cautious as this psychological threshold faces repeated tests.

SUI Price Analysis

In the 4-hour chart, the SUI price trend reveals an ongoing correction phase. The pullback forms an expanding channel pattern within two crucial zones. This pattern highlights the ongoing tug-of-war between buyers and sellers.
The demand zone lies just below the $3.50 mark, extending from $3.48 to $3.44. On the upside, the supply zone spans from $4.80 to $4.85. The current pullback phase has resulted in a nearly 18% drop from the all-time high. Now, SUI is testing the 200 EMA line. This key support level could play a crucial role in determining the next price movement.
Additionally, the growing bearish pressure has caused a negative crossover between the 50 and 100 EMA lines. Currently, SUI’s price faces resistance from the trend line, struggling to break out to the upside. The rejection highlights the strength of the bearish forces at play.
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SUI Price Chart

#Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson humorously suggests Intel is dead following a supposed bullish call from CNBC Mad Money host Jim Cramer.
After several famous wrong calls, including about Bear Stearns over a decade ago as well as Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the past year, CNBC’s Mad Money show host Jim Cramer has become a meme on X as critics believe he is wrong all the time.
A problem with this infamy, however, is that his words can often be taken out of context for the sake of sensationalism, with critics quick to take the piss. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson appears to be the latest such critic.

Cardano’s Hoskinson Pounces on Supposed Jim Cramer Intel Call

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has recently taken a swipe at a supposed call from TV pundit Jim Cramer.
“Well that’s it, Intel is officially dead,” Hoskinson quipped in a Monday, December 30 X post. The post links to a Yahoo Finance-hosted article with a headline suggesting that Jim Cramer had claimed that the chip maker was completely fine despite a terrible year that has seen its share prices decline by over 50%. 
Hoskinson’s post on the supposed Jim Cramer call has unsurprisingly sparked a flurry of similar reactions, with one user describing the pundit’s supposed backing as the proverbial “final nail in the coffin” for Intel.
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Shytoshi Kusama, the lead developer of the #shiba⚡ Inu ecosystem, is enthusiastic about the upcoming launch of Shiba Inu’s new racing game, Lap Dogs. 
In an X post today, Kusama reacted to the upcoming launch of Lap Dogs, noting that the game marks yet another win for the Web3 gaming space. This comes as the Shiba Inu ecosystem team plans to expand the Web3 gaming industry with the imminent launch of Lap Dogs. 
In a follow-up comment, the Shiba Inu leader expressed pride in the team behind SHIB: The Metaverse for creating the game.

Lap Dogs Prepares for Imminent Launch 

For context, the gaming arm of the Shiba Inu ecosystem, Play with Shib, caused a stir within the community when it posted the Lap Dogs trailer. 
The X handle playfully suggested that all Shiba Inu-themed characters ‘are goodest bois.’ The community was asked to prepare and discover which of these characters is the fastest in the dog racing game. 
“Lap Dogs is coming soon. Stay tuned…” it remarked. 

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#Bitcoin has dropped to $93,300, following a bearish Sunday that resulted in a 24-hour decline of 1.71%. At the current market price of $93,390, Bitcoin’s market capitalization stands at $1.84 trillion.
Under the bearish influence on Bitcoin’s price, the crypto market has witnessed liquidations totaling $167.94 million over the past 24 hours. This figure is significantly higher than the typically lower trading volumes observed over weekends.
As liquidations surge, the tightening bearish pressure on the BTC price trend raises concerns about a potential breakdown. Could this lead to a test of the $90,742 support level?

Bitcoin Price Analysis

On the 4-hour chart, Bitcoin’s price action shows a failed bullish attempt to break above the $99,514 resistance level. This resulted in a bearish reversal from the 100 SMA line, followed by a retest of the critical support near the $93,000 psychological level.
The Doji formations near the support level reflect an attempt to absorb the increased selling pressure. However, the lower-high formation warns of a potential breakdown rally.
Additionally, the failed bullish move has increased the likelihood of a bearish crossover between the 100 and 200 SMA lines. Meanwhile, the 4-hour RSI continues to show a minor bullish divergence.

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Bitcoin Price Chart

#shiba⚡ Inu lead, Shytoshi Kusama, expresses his excitement for SHIB’s future, particularly focusing on the cryptocurrency’s transformative potential next year. 
With 2024 coming to a close in less than 48 hours, Kusama took to X to give Shiba Inu community members a hint of what to expect in 2025. 

Kusama’s Upcoming Podcast 

The enigmatic leader shed light on his upcoming podcast, which he suggests will showcase Shiba Inu’s potential. 
According to him, the podcast will feature 44 episodes, and he intends to communicate with the broader crypto community through it. He hinted at plans to talk about the technologies the team has built and how they integrate with the Shiba Inu ecosystem, like the TREAT token. 
Notably, this upcoming podcast will enable the community to understand the team’s plans for the SHIB token cryptocurrency and how Shiba Inu’s innovations can “save the world” by creating real-world impact.
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#Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson reveals his positive experience engaging with the Ripple team, providing insights into potential partnerships. 
Hoskinson provided an update about his recent discussions with the Ripple team in a recent AMA session. The Angry Crypto Show, an X account covering Cardano-related news, shared some clips of Hoskinson’s comments yesterday. 
It should be recalled that last month, the Cardano founder met with top executives at Ripple, including the company’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse and CTO David Schwartz. 

Hoskinson Eyes RLUSD Potential Launch on Cardano  

Providing an update about his recent engagement with Ripple, Hoskinson emphasized that working with the San Francisco-based payments company has been easy. The Cardano founder revealed that he recently met the team behind Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. 
According to him, the RLUSD team is trying to recover from the intensive launch phase. For context, RLUSD, which launched earlier this month, is currently available on the Ethereum and XRP Ledger (XRPL) networks. Notably, Ripple plans to launch the stablecoin on other blockchain networks in the future. 
However, the company has yet to reveal the specific timeline for this expansion or identify which blockchains will be included in the next phase of the rollout. Interestingly, Hoskinson expressed confidence that the stablecoin team will launch RLUSD on other blockchain networks next year. 
He indicated that RLUSD could be incorporated into the Cardano ecosystem, stating that “there is no reason for us not to work together.”
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Montenegro’s Minister of Justice has approved the United States request to extradite Do Kwon, the infamous #Terra (LUNA) founder.
Minister Bojan Bozokiv signed the verdict on December 27, ending the lingering decision. Notably, the US and South Korea keenly contested the extradition of the embattled Terra boss, seeking to prosecute him for his alleged involvement in the notorious 2022 Terra implosion.
For context, the Terra ecosystem tumbled in 2022, wiping out billions of dollars from the cryptocurrency market. Its native token, LUNA, crashed from over $100 to almost nothing after the algorithmic stablecoin TerraUSD depegged from the dollar valuation.
Following the over $40 billion crypto wipeout, Do Kwon took to his heels, escaping to Serbia before moving into Montenegro. In March 2023, the Montenegro police force arrested him and his partner, Han Cheng Jun, in the Podgorica airport while they attempted to flee the country to Dubai.

Justice Minister Issues Verdict 

Notably, the United States and South Korea had previously filed a request to extradite Do Kwon. Both countries’ prosecutors sought to indict the Terra boss for his involvement in the 2022 crash.
Bozokiv built on an earlier ruling by the Montenegro Supreme Court, stating that both the US and South Korea met the requirements to extradite Do Kwon from the Southeastern European country.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice favored the United States. He considered criteria like the gravity of the crime, order of submission, citizenship, and the possibility of further extradition and concluded that Do Kwon would head to the US.
Notably, the statement did not mention the extradition details, such as the date and means of movement. Moreover, Do Kwon remains in the facility for foreigners in Montenegro after being released from prison last year.

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The team behind the #shiba⚡ Inu ecosystem publishes the closing edition of The Shib magazine for 2024, reflecting on the transformative journey the cryptocurrency experienced this year. 
According to the team, 2024 was a year of monumental growth, during which Shiba Inu transitioned from its meme origin into a global crypto powerhouse. This significant feat was driven by strategic partnerships, innovation, community-driven initiatives, and a rapidly expanding ecosystem. 
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The crypto market is closing out the year with significant #Bitcoin and Ethereum options expirations and a bullish outlook heading into 2025.
Today, a record $18 billion in options expired, marking the last major expiry of the year, with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) seeing large volumes of contracts reach their conclusion.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Options Data Highlights

Specifically, a total of 150,000 Bitcoin options expired with a staggering notional value of $14.17 billion. Notably, these contracts expired with a Put-Call Ratio of 0.69.
This figure suggests that more call options were traded relative to put options, signaling that investors are leaning toward a bullish market outlook.
Meanwhile, Ethereum options saw 1.12 million expired today, with a notional value of $3.74 billion.
Despite these large expirations, the market has been relatively quiet, with no major volatility due to the overlap with the Christmas holiday. However, experts believe this lull is temporary, with significant optimism for the future.
Notably, Bitcoin is trading at $96,329, with a 0.7% uptick over the past day. Ethereum is also trading at $3,387, with a gain of less than 1% today.
Beyond this passive market today, Bitcoin has already seen strong gains in 2024. Its price more than doubled this year, rising from $42,000 to over $108K, boasting a one-year gain of 120%.
Bitcoin’s late-year rally since November set a bullish tone for the broader crypto market, benefiting others like Ethereum. This month, Ethereum set a fresh year-high above $4,100.
These strong performances in the market’s leaders have lifted sentiment, with investors and analysts increasingly optimistic about the trajectory for 2025.
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An anonymous crypto whale who participated in #Ethereum ’s Initial Coin Offering (ICO) has come out of a decade of dormancy to move some of their ETH holdings. 
The popular smart money on-chain platform Lookonchain reported the development today via on X. 

Transaction Details 

Lookonchain stated that the Ethereum ICO participant made their first transaction today after 9.4 years of inactivity. The latest transaction saw the whale move 0.01 ETH to an unknown address, “0x296…Ee557,” today at 04:40 a.m. (UTC). With ETH currently trading at $3,394 per coin, this transaction is worth $33.94 at press time. 
This marks the wallet’s first transaction since it first received 1,940 ETH coins during the Ethereum ICO in 2015. According to Lookonchain, the entire portfolio of 1,940 ETH was valued at $601 at the time. Interestingly, after a decade of holding, the value has skyrocketed to a jaw-dropping $6.56 million today. 
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A recent campaign of large stablecoin deposits by whales triggers hope of a #Bitcoin and broader market recovery following the latest pullback.
The crypto markets have shown signs of uncertainty in recent weeks following the Federal Reserve’s hawkish posture heading into 2025. While the market offered hopes of a recovery with a Christmas Day rally, an ensuing sharp correction on Boxing Day again stirred doubts. 
Amid the uncertainty, leading crypto analytics platform Santiment Feed has argued that there is hope to be found in the activity of a closely watched class of crypto investors.

Whales Preparing to Accumulate?

On Christmas day, December 25, 2024, Bitcoin rallied to $99,900 amid a 7% jump from Christmas Eve lows of $93,500 amid a Fed-led slump. But any hopes that a recovery from the recent market slump was underway were likely short-lived.
Notably, on Boxing Day, December 26, the asset shed most of its Christmas gains to trade as low as $95,000, dragging the broader crypto market down with it. Despite the wild swings, Santiment Feed has maintained that the crypto market still has bullish undercurrents, citing whale activity.
In an X post on Friday, December 27, the firm noted that this class of crypto investors with extensive holdings were increasingly moving stablecoins to exchanges following the most recent dip, per its top centralized exchange deposit dashboard, presumably to load up on more crypto assets.
Santiment Feed noted that in the past 24 hours alone, there had been at least seven such deposits worth over $9 million, with the highest carrying a value of $50 million.
The firm argued that while some of these deposits are likely aimed towards farming a new Binance Launchpool token BIO Protocol (BIO), the dominance of such large stablecoin transactions on the dashboard boded well for the crypto market regardless.
“it’s a strong sign that whales are gearing up for some purchasing, which can push up prices market-wide,” Santiment wrote, even though it is unclear when these whales intend to start making these purchases.