Christmas lull? Major cryptos down as investors appear to be taking profits

Despite approaching Christmas Eve, the crypto market remains stagnant and uninspired. Bitcoin, the leading crypto asset, has been unable to sustain its value above $100,000.

Historically, the period leading up to Christmas Eve has been characterized by a rally in crypto asset prices, marking new all-time highs and fostering a festive atmosphere. However, this year has not followed suit.

Bitcoin (BTC), which soared to an all-time high of over $108,000 just six days ago, has witnessed three consecutive days below the $100K threshold. Over the past week, the flagship cryptocurrency has lost 8.3% of its value and is currently trading at $95,904 per coin. Similar trends are observed among other high-cap cryptocurrencies.

Ethereum (ETH) has declined by 15.6% over the past seven days, with its current trading price at $3,339. Ripple's XRP token has also suffered a significant 7.8% drop during the same period, now valued at $2.2.

Dogecoin (DOGE), the leading meme coin by market capitalization, has plummeted by more than 21% in the past week and its price currently hovers around $0.316. Solana (SOL) has also dipped below the $200 mark, falling by 16% to its current price of $184.

Data from CoinGecko reveals that the broader crypto market has experienced a 14% decline from its all-time high of $3.9 trillion, with its current valuation standing at $3.41 trillion. The weekly crypto charts are dominated by red, reflecting the market's overall downturn.

Analysts suggest that investors are choosing to secure profits before Christmas Eve, contributing to the market's inertia.

Despite the recent sell-off, there remains a possibility of a post-Christmas rally, historically known as the "Santa Claus rally." Data from CoinGecko indicates that this rally has occurred in eight out of the past ten years, between Dec. 27 and Jan. 2, offering a glimmer of optimism amidst the market's current struggles.

However, the likelihood of a post-Christmas rally hinges on Bitcoin's performance, which has a significant influence on the overall market's direction. If Bitcoin regains its $100,000 level, it could reignite investor confidence and propel a broader market recovery.

Market analysts believe that corrections are an inevitable part of prolonged Bitcoin rallies. Moreover, experts from VanEck anticipate that Bitcoin will enter a new price discovery phase following the recent correction, projecting a potential rise to $180,000 by Q1 2025.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was down 1.1% in the past 24 hours, trading at $95,870 per coin.