Crypto Chronicles: XRP’s ‘Wow!’ Moment, SHIB’s Groundhog Day & Bitcoin’s Price Rollercoaster

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Ah, Thursday has arrived, and with it, the grand spectacle of the crypto market-where Bitcoin, the digital goldfish, is floundering about in its bowl, desperately trying to swim upwards but finding itself stuck beneath a rather gloomy mid-Bollinger Band. Yes, folks, the candle this month is redder than a tomato at a salsa dance-off, and that pesky lower band at $52,256 is starting to look like a real destination, rather than just a frightful figment of our collective imagination.

Now, hold onto your hats, because here comes the juicy bit! Ripple’s CTO, the ever-enthusiastic David Schwartz, had a moment of unbridled excitement that can only be described as a “Wow!” when his team at Common Prefix announced they’ve finally documented the XRPL’s Payment Engine. It’s like someone found the instruction manual for a very complex IKEA furniture set-only this one actually makes sense!

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)

  • Ripple’s chief tech wizard dropped a “Wow!” after Common Prefix shared a thrilling new spec for XRPL’s Payment Engine.
  • SHIB is sliding towards $0.00000678-cue the dramatic music for the “Black Friday” bottom.
  • Bitcoin is currently lounging around $87,283, under the midband, while the lower band waves at $52,256 from afar.

Ripple CTO reacts “Wow!” to new XRP milestone-and no, it’s not about price

In a stunning turn of events, Common Prefix announced its latest achievement within Ripple’s ecosystem. They’ve managed to document the XRPL’s Payment Engine in a way that even your grandma could understand (if she had a PhD in computer science). Apparently, the key components of this engine-path finding, payment execution, and multi-currency support-were like those secret ingredients in Grandma’s famous cookie recipe: hard to decipher and easy to mess up!

This announcement is more than just a good read; it’s laying the foundation for some serious future fireworks with formal verification of the Payment Engine. Schwartz’s “Wow!” wasn’t just a casual remark; it was an announcement that the “boring” layer is getting a much-needed upgrade. And in the world of money, boring is precisely what you want-it’s like a sturdy pair of shoes on a long hike.

Wow!

– David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) December 17, 2025

$0.00000678, the mystical zone tied to “Black Friday,” which once made a staggering $40 billion vanish into thin air-poof! At this point, SHIB holders don’t need to imagine the test; they can just count the candles until the inevitable happens. ⏳

If SHIB manages to grip that $0.00000678 level, the roadmap to recovery is straightforward: regain $0.000008, then aim for the higher ground around $0.00001178. But if it falters, SHIB will find itself back in the dark realms where buyers had to prove their existence-not just talk about it on social media. 📉

Bitcoin to $52,000? Not so crazy after all!

As all this drama unfolds, our dear Bitcoin is doing its best impression of a quiet mime at a boisterous party. Currently, BTC is lounging around $87,283, down about 3.4% for the month. But numbers are just numbers until you realize the location is key: it’s below the mid-Bollinger Band, which is like being stuck in traffic during rush hour-nobody wants to be here.

The lower Bollinger Band is hanging out at $52,256, whispering sweet nothings about how “$52,000 isn’t really that crazy.” In the grand scheme of things, being under the midband often means the lower band becomes the shiny object of desire if the market doesn’t make a swift U-turn.

The chart does provide some checkpoints along the way down. A cozy $80,600 is a major reference level, with another friendly mark at around $74,110-akin to the break-even point for Michael Saylor. Should Bitcoin lose these levels, the conversation shifts from a mild pullback to a frantic search for the real bottom. 🚨

Crypto market outlook

As we roll into the weekend, all eyes will be on whether the market can defend its nearest hard levels simultaneously. Right now, the majors are precariously close to triggering cascading moves that could lead to either glory or despair.

  • Bitcoin (BTC): Needs to reclaim that midband at $88,903, with $80,600 and $74,110 lurking as supports. The ultimate lower target remains at $52,256-let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!
  • XRP: XRP/USDT is hovering around $1.876, with a day’s range from $1.826-$1.881. Bulls must keep it above the latest daily lows to avoid another leg down; nobody likes a tumble!
  • Shiba Inu (SHIB): SHIB/USDT is lingering near $0.0000075, with everyone watching the $0.00000678 level like hawks eyeing a particularly juicy worm.

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2025-12-18 16:14