Bitcoin, Ether and XRP Extend Losses as Year-End Caution Builds

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP are slipping again as traders turn cautious heading into the final stretch of the year. After weeks of sharp moves and headline-driven rallies, the market is clearly losing momentum, with many investors choosing to lock in profits rather than chase fresh upside.

One big reason behind the weakness is year-end positioning. Funds and large traders are rebalancing portfolios, trimming risk assets, and cleaning up books before closing out 2025. Crypto, which remains one of the most volatile asset classes, is often the first to feel that pressure. Even strong narratives like ETFs, institutional adoption, and rate-cut hopes are taking a back seat to short-term caution.

Bitcoin’s struggle to hold key support levels has also weighed on sentiment. When BTC stalls or pulls back, capital usually flows out of altcoins, which explains why Ethereum and XRP are seeing deeper percentage declines. ETH has faced lighter demand after its recent upgrades, while XRP, despite solid ETF inflows, is still battling heavy profit-taking from earlier gains.

Overall, this doesn’t look like panic selling more like a cooling phase. Liquidity is thinner, risk appetite is lower, and traders are waiting for a clearer catalyst. Whether that spark comes from macro data, central banks, or fresh institutional flows will likely decide how crypto enters 2026.