**Crypto Market Update: Mantle (MNT) Moves, Bitcoin Stalls, and 8 Big Developments You Should Know**

The crypto market isn’t exactly delivering holiday cheer this year. Bitcoin is hovering around $87,744, struggling to break past the $88,000 level. Meanwhile, altcoins are taking a hit, with losses exceeding 3% across the board. The long-anticipated end-of-year “Christmas rally” hasn’t shown up, leaving investors wondering what’s next. Among the coins in focus is Mantle (MNT), which has seen major developments recently. Let’s break down what’s going on with MNT, along with eight key events that shook the crypto world in the last 24 hours.

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**Mantle (MNT) — Making Big Moves in Real World Assets (RWA)**

Mantle (MNT) is quickly becoming a standout name in the crypto space, especially in the tokenized assets and decentralized finance (DeFi) sector. Backed by major players like BlackRock and involved in initiatives connected to Trump Media, Mantle is tapping into the fast-growing Real World Asset (RWA) market—a space projected to be worth trillions.

Here’s a quick look at Mantle’s major milestones over the past few months:

– **July:** Launched the “Mantle Tide” campaign to boost usage of decentralized applications (dApps).
– **August 14:** Rolled out Mantle Passport for user identity and ecosystem interaction.
– **Late August:** Completed integration with EigenDA, improving Ethereum Prague compatibility.
– **October:** Partnered with Trump’s World Liberty Financial initiative to back the USD1 stablecoin.
– **October peak:** MNT surged close to $3 before the market dipped.
– **November:** Teamed up with Anchorage Digital for secure crypto custody services.
– **Mid-December:** Successfully hosted the Mantle Global Hackathon with over 900 developers participating.
– **December 18:** Launched Fluxion DEX on mainnet, focusing on RWA-based trading.

Additionally, Securitize, backed by BlackRock, introduced a new institutional investment fund named “Mantle Institutional Crypto Index Fund” (MI4). Mantle invested $400 million into the fund, signaling its deepening push into Institutional DeFi and crypto tokenization.

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**Mantle (MNT) Price Prediction – What’s Next?**

Crypto analyst Altcoin Sherpa warns that MNT could be facing downward pressure. According to his analysis, MNT is at a critical price point. If it fails to hold above $1.105, it might drop further to $1.04 or even $0.96. Investors are advised to watch for a breakout or confirmation before making any moves.

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**8 Major Cryptocurrency Developments You Should Know**

In the past 24 hours, several important events have unfolded in the crypto world that could shape short-term trends:

1. **JPMorgan** – The financial giant, managing $4.5 trillion in assets, is considering rolling out cryptocurrency services for institutional clients.
2. **Michael Selig** – A known crypto supporter, he has been sworn in as the 16th Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
3. **Tom Lee’s BitMine** – Acquired 98,852 ETH last week, pushing its total crypto holdings to around $12.4 billion.
4. **Trump Media** – Purchased 451 Bitcoin, bringing its reserves above $1 billion.
5. **Strategy Update** – Increased its USD reserves to $2.19 billion last week but made no new BTC purchases.
6. **Erebor Digital Bank** – Backed by Peter Thiel, raised $350 million to expand its crypto-friendly banking services.
7. **Japan Bond Yields** – The country’s 10-year bond yield hit its highest point in 27 years—this could influence global markets.
8. **Pentagon & xAI Deal** – The U.S. Department of Defense signed a major agreement to boost its AI capabilities using Elon Musk’s xAI technology.

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**Final Thoughts**

The crypto market remains volatile and unpredictable as we head into the final weeks of the year. While Bitcoin struggles to gain upward momentum and altcoins like Mantle face key support tests, institutional interest continues to grow through new partnerships and funds. For long-term investors and active traders alike, keeping an eye on projects like MNT and macro-level developments may offer valuable insights moving forward.

*Note: Crypto investments are subject to high risk and volatility. Always do your own research before making any financial decisions.*