Weekly: Bitcoin below $81,000, Ukraine’s crypto deadline, and threats for Ethereum

Bitcoin: short-term holders capitulate

This week, Bitcoin fell below $81,000. The market tightened sharply, fear is growing, and many traders are locking in losses. At the same time, large players remain calm — which can be a positive sign when weak hands exit and strong hands start accumulating.

Whales, Harvard, and Bitcoin bonds

Big players are wide awake. Harvard is significantly increasing its position in BTC ETFs, El Salvador is buying more bitcoin, and New Hampshire is issuing $100 million in bitcoin-backed bonds. Some major capital is leaving ETFs while other capital enters through new instruments — the market is becoming more mature.

Ethereum: technical progress and risks

Ethereum has also dropped, but this week the focus is not only on price. New technical solutions improve privacy and network functionality, yet risks are also growing: increased institutional influence, competition from ETF structures, and a possible decline in developer activity. If these factors balance out, the ecosystem can stabilize.

Ukraine: regulatory changes ahead

Ukraine has set a tentative deadline for full legalization and taxation of cryptocurrencies: early 2026. This means businesses and users should already consider how to adapt to the new rules. There is plenty of work ahead, but progress is visible.

AI and big money: Gemini, Kraken, Kalshi

Google rolled out the powerful new Gemini 3 Pro model, capable of working with text, code, and multimedia — AI is moving deeper into finance and crypto. Kraken raised $800 million at a valuation of around $20 billion and is preparing for an IPO, while Kalshi attracted $1 billion: capital is actively flowing into services and infrastructure, not just coins.

What else happened this week:

• Kalshi raised $1 billion at an $11 billion valuation.
• Traders lost over $1.9 billion in a single day as bitcoin fell below $83,000.
• BingX launched the new educational project “Crypto Friday” for the crypto community.
• Tether stated that in 50 years USDT may no longer be needed. According to them, the best money is bitcoin.
• Altcoins: trading volume of altcoins on Binance reached 60% of total volume — a record high.

Kursoff’s opinion

The market looks more like a deep correction than a collapse. Bitcoin often behaves this way before strong accumulation phases. Ethereum is at a crossroads of technical changes — and that's good, because it forms the foundation for future growth. Ukrainian regulations will also open new opportunities for those who prepare early. And most importantly: all these events together create an interesting entry point for those who see crypto not as short-term speculation, but as a part of a strategy.