Polkadot Advances as Coinbase Unlocks USDC Stablecoin Integration
On December 16, 2025, Polkadot (DOT) rose about 1.9% to approximately $1.912, outperforming the CoinDesk 20 index which gained 0.6%. This momentum was driven by Coinbase unlocking USDC integration, allowing withdrawals directly from Coinbase.
Trading volume surged, registering 17% above 30-day averages, with heavy institutional activity noted through 229,817 tokens traded and a 24-hour volume of 4.53 million tokens, which was 87% above normal levels. Institutional flows surged over 300% above average participation as catalysts aligned with technical momentum.
CoinDesk Research's technical model indicated DOT forming higher lows, with core support between $1.87 and $1.88 and a session high near $1.94, signaling a potential breakout backed by volume exceeding 3.59 million tokens. The price action was characterized by methodical accumulation rather than speculative buying.
Short-term upside targets are around the $1.92 to $1.93 zone, with an immediate objective near $1.94. These recent developments follow Polkadot's announcement a day earlier of support for USDC and withdrawals from Coinbase, setting the stage for the price increase.
