Crypto Assets Slide Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions and Metal Rally on Dec 26, 2025
On December 26, 2025, crypto assets experienced a decline during early U.S. trading as geopolitical tensions escalated and precious metals rallied.
Bitcoin briefly traded above $89,000 but then dropped below $87,000, reaching around $87,021.34 before sliding further. Bitcoin and ether both fell about 1.6% over the past 24 hours. Dogecoin declined by more than 4%, while XRP dropped approximately 3%.
Cryptocurrency stocks also fell, with Coinbase down roughly 2%, outperforming some peers. Gemini declined about 6%, Bullish dropped around 3.8%, and Galaxy Digital was down approximately 3.5%. Bitcoin mining companies saw declines of 5% or more, led by Hut 8 with a 7.5% drop. Other miners including IREN, Cipher Mining, Terawulf, and Marathon Digital also recorded losses.
In contrast, precious metals rallied sharply. Gold rose about 1.5% to $4,573 per ounce. Palladium and platinum increased by more than 10%, while silver and copper were up approximately 5% for the day.
The metal-led debasement trade was influenced by geopolitical developments, including U.S. military strikes in Nigeria and increased sanctions pressure on Venezuela.
Major stock indices such as the Nasdaq, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average traded nearly flat during morning trading sessions.
