# Liquidity Related Articles

Less Ethereum To Sell: ETH Supply On Exchanges Slides To New Multi-Year Low

bitcoinist12/18 18:02

USDC steps into tax software and Bitcoin DeFi in one day as Circle accelerates expansion

Circle announced two major expansions for USDC on December 18, partnering with Intuit and integrating with Stacks. The collaboration with Intuit will embed USDC into platforms like TurboTax, QuickBooks, and Credit Karma, enabling faster tax refunds, cheaper cross-border payments, and improved small-business cash flows. Separately, Circle launched USDCx on the Bitcoin Layer-2 network Stacks, bringing regulated stablecoin liquidity to Bitcoin DeFi. This allows BTC-secured lending, stablecoin trading pairs, and cross-chain interoperability. Together, these moves position USDC as a bridge between traditional financial software and decentralized crypto ecosystems, potentially normalizing stablecoin use beyond crypto trading.

ambcrypto12/18 16:18

Has the Era of Easy Money for Crypto VCs Come to an End?

The era of easy profits for crypto VCs appears to be over, marked by a necessary market correction and a shift toward more sustainable investment practices. The recent collapse of Shima Capital, following SEC charges against its founder for fraudulent fundraising and mismanagement, symbolizes a broader industry-wide reckoning. Once-revered VCs are now facing scrutiny as inflated valuations, poor returns, and failed exit strategies expose systemic flaws. Market dynamics have shifted significantly: liquidity has dried up,散户 investors have retreated, and many VC portfolios are underwater. Data shows only 2% of altcoins are currently profitable, underscoring the severity of the downturn. VCs are adapting by focusing on later-stage investments, prioritizing projects with real traction and data over speculative narratives. Funding is increasingly concentrated in infrastructure—such as payment rails and privacy tools—rather than premature application-layer projects like NFTs or metaverse platforms. This period of "creative destruction" is pushing the industry toward maturity. VCs are becoming more disciplined, seeking genuine value and long-term viability rather than quick returns. While the transition is painful, it may ultimately lead to a healthier, more transparent, and more resilient crypto ecosystem.

比推12/18 15:45

Bitcoin hunts liquidity as US CPI inflation drops to lowest since 2021

US CPI inflation dropped to 2.7% year-over-year in November, the lowest level since March 2021, significantly below expectations. This led to increased market volatility, with Bitcoin briefly surpassing $89,000 before retracing. The unexpected decline fuels expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, with markets pricing in a 26.6% probability of a cut in January. Analysts note Bitcoin's price action resembles early 2025 patterns, suggesting potential further downside toward $75,000. Over $630 million in crypto liquidations occurred amid ongoing volatility and perceived market manipulation.

cointelegraph12/18 15:06

Hyperliquid at a Crossroads: Following Robinhood or Continuing the Nasdaq Economic Paradigm?

Hyperliquid, a decentralized exchange, processes perpetual contract volumes comparable to Nasdaq ($617 billion annualized) but generates significantly lower fee revenue—just 3.9 basis points—compared to retail platforms like Coinbase (35.5 bps) and Robinhood (33.5 bps). This reflects a structural divide: Hyperliquid operates at the low-margin "market layer" (exchange execution), while retail brokers capture higher profits through diversified revenue streams like net interest, subscriptions, and order flow. Hyperliquid’s architecture encourages permissionless third-party frontends (Builder Codes) and product listings (HIP-3), fostering ecosystem growth but risking "commoditization" if external interfaces gain routing power and compress fees. Recent strategic shifts suggest a move to defend its official frontend’s competitiveness and expand beyond trading fees. Initiatives like the native stablecoin USDH (capturing 50% of reserve yields) and portfolio margin lending (10% fee on borrower interest) aim to introduce broker-like revenue pools. The platform now faces a key challenge: balancing its open, modular design with the need to capture higher-margin brokerage economics—potentially requiring tighter integration and control over distribution and user balances to avoid long-term margin compression.

marsbit12/18 13:07

Huobi Growth Academy | Crypto Market Macro Report: Liquidity Repricing Amid Fed Rate Cuts, BOJ Rate Hikes, and the Christmas Holiday Season

The recent volatility in the cryptocurrency market is driven by the convergence of three key macro factors: the Fed's rate cut, the Bank of Japan's anticipated rate hike, and reduced liquidity during the Christmas holiday period. The Fed's 25-basis-point cut did not signal the start of a sustained easing cycle; instead, it reflected a cautious stance on future liquidity, disappointing markets expecting more aggressive easing. This led to a repricing of risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, the BoJ’s expected 0.75% rate hike threatens to disrupt the yen carry trade—a foundational source of global liquidity. This could trigger synchronized deleveraging across risk assets, as seen in past episodes of JPY-driven market stress. Compounding these shifts, the Christmas holiday season reduces market depth and liquidity, amplifying price movements and increasing volatility. Together, these factors suggest a period of elevated uncertainty and structural adjustment for crypto markets, rather than a definitive end to the broader trend.

深潮12/18 12:24

$U Stablecoin Launches on BNB Сhain and Ethereum by United Stables

United Stables has launched $U, a new fully-backed stablecoin, on both BNB Smart Chain and Ethereum. The stablecoin is integrated with major DeFi protocols including PancakeSwap, Aster, Four.meme, and ListaDAO, and is supported by wallets such as Binance Wallet, SafePal, and Trust Wallet. It is also listed on HTX exchange. $U is backed 1:1 by a combination of cash and audited stablecoins like USDC and USDT. Reserves are held in segregated accounts, verified via on-chain Proof-of-Reserve, and undergo independent quarterly audits. Future features include confidential balances for organizations and support for AI-driven transactions through EIP-3009 and x402. Designed for trading, DeFi, institutional settlement, cross-border payments, and AI economies, $U aims to serve as a unified liquidity layer. The CEO of United Stables emphasized its role in the future of programmable money, while BNB Chain welcomed the launch for strengthening liquidity and supporting AI-native payments.

TheNewsCrypto12/18 12:20

Over 100 Crypto ETPs Launching Soon but Many Won’t Survive

The cryptocurrency investment landscape is set for significant transformation with over 100 new exchange-traded products (ETPs) expected to launch. However, industry analysts predict many will not survive beyond 2027 due to insufficient investor interest and low asset accumulation. Market saturation is a key concern, with 126 filings currently awaiting SEC approval. Historical data supports these sustainability worries, as 622 ETFs closed last year, with an average lifespan of 5.4 years for those shutting down in 2023. Recent regulatory changes have accelerated approvals but also enabled more speculative products, including memecoin-related ETFs. Performance varies widely; Bitcoin ETFs attracted $57.6 billion in early 2024, while newer offerings like Solana ETFs have seen slower growth. The market's ability to support hundreds of new products competing for limited investment remains uncertain.

TheNewsCrypto12/18 11:38

Stop Focusing Only on Bitcoin—We Are Already in a Bear Market

The author argues that the crypto market has been in a bear market for about a year, despite many investors' reluctance to accept it. The peak of market euphoria occurred around November 2024, with the launch of $TRUMP marking the final exuberance. Two key misconceptions are highlighted: First, the meme coin frenzy was not a precursor to an "altseason"—it *was* the altseason itself. Unlike previous cycles with distinct new narratives and liquidity splits between "dumb money" and "hot money," this cycle lacked differentiation, keeping both groups in the same arena. Second, Bitcoin is no longer driven primarily by crypto-native cycles but by institutional and macro factors, meaning its price resilience doesn’t indicate an ongoing bull market. The bear market began after the $TRUMP peak, and the market has since gone through phases of anxiety, denial, panic, and now anger and depression. The author writes to encourage debate, correct flawed mental models, and signal a intention to begin accumulating near what they believe is the bottom.

marsbit12/18 09:36

Bitfinex Launches Zero-Fee Trading, Leveraging Long-Term Profitability to Accelerate Global Crypto Asset Adoption

Bitfinex, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has announced a major update to its fee structure, eliminating all trading fees for spot, margin, perpetual swaps, tokenized securities, and OTC trades for both makers and takers. The move is positioned as a long-term strategic shift, not a short-term promotion, and is made possible by the platform's sustained profitability and robust financial management since its founding in 2012. By removing fees, Bitfinex aims to set a new industry benchmark, improve market liquidity, and significantly lower the barrier to entry for users engaging with crypto assets. The exchange believes this will attract new users while rewarding existing ones, reinforcing its position as a cost-effective platform. With over 250 spot trading pairs and 60+ perpetual contracts, Bitfinex emphasizes its commitment to advancing financial freedom and accessibility through its mature technology and diverse business structure.

深潮12/18 09:25