đŸ„ˆ When silver beat Nvidia

PLUS: Silver shocks, yen jitters, Bitcoin absorbs losses, ETH whales move early, and AI optimism meets its first real doubts.

Author

Cryptopolitan News
December 29, 2025 ‱ Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Two signals have just pierced the global markets to end the year and neither of them came from the United States stock market.

Silver surpassed Nvidia in global asset value, reaching $84 per ounce to jolt its market cap past $4.68 trillion as it dethroned the chipmaker giant.

The Japanese yen also rebounded from a 17-month low as traders prepared for the possibility of intervention by the Bank of Japan or the Finance Ministry.

The message? Macro instability is back, and both hard assets and crypto are catching a second wind.

đŸ„ˆ Silver spikes above Nvidia and traders notice

Silver’s spectacular 6% rally on Monday put its valuation above Nvidia, and made it the second-largest asset in the world behind gold.

It came after Elon Musk warned that “Silver is needed in many industrial processes”, ramping up fears in the face of China’s fresh export controls. The country almost never exports silver, and new state curbs, even if just recycled were sufficient to put the squeeze on global supply sentiment. At the time of writing:

  • Silver: $84.00

  • Nvidia: $4.63T

  • Silver Market Cap: $4.68T

The rally wasn’t just speculative. Silver Mines Ltd. (AUS) rallied 26%, Sun Silver Ltd. gained 24% and China’s Zijin Mining is now up 152% YTD.

Japan’s currency anxiety signals bigger trouble

In Asia, meanwhile, the yen gained 0.3% and was last at 156.14 per dollar after snapping back from a late-week slide. But the recovery wasn’t organic.

Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said the government has a “free hand” to act against excessive swings, adding to speculation intervention was imminent. Officials at the Bank of Japan are likewise divided about raising rates further, adding to the uncertainty.

Meanwhile, China is seeking to lower the temperature of its currency, which broke through 7 offshore for the first time in a year. State-controlled banks intervened and the central media issued warnings about “one-way bets.”

The euro held steady across Europe, and the dollar index foundered around 98. But beneath the surface, currencies are screaming red.

🧠 Cryptopolitan’s take

Silver’s jump is about a lot more than just a Musk-induced pump. It is a symptom of a change in global investment psychology away from overvalued technology assets and into assets that offer utility, scarcity and resilience.

The yen’s rebound isn’t about strength, it’s about fear. As 2025 closes, traders are watching currencies, not just stocks.

POLL: Do you think silver will break more ATHs in 2026?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

📊 Market Watch

📉 A realized loss (But not capitulation)

Bitcoin’s realized loss volume is now an average of $300 million per day and long-term holders and top-buyers are doing the bleeding. Although some view it as a sign of capitulation, on-chain analysts argue there is still no real panic or bottoming nature in the market structure.

💰 AI bubble or opportunity? Michael Burry’s bet

Michael Burry has placed multi-million dollar put options against Nvidia and Palantir, betting that the $5T AI rally is overstretched.

His newsletter Cassandra Unchained argues that the hype resembles the dot-com bubble, but critics note Burry’s track record has been mixed since 2008

📊 Coinbase CEO says Bitcoin is good for the Dollar

Brian Armstrong is of the opinion that Bitcoin acts as a counter-balance to the U.S. economy. It does so “in a way that’s healthy for the dollar” as a check on inflation and deficit spending, he says.

He also argued against reopening the GENIUS Act, which he said would “only slow innovation.”

 đŸ‘€ Are you watching this?

Ethereum whales just spent $350M but retail is still on the sidelines

A split is happening in Ethereum: big whales have purchased more than 103,000 ETH since Dec 26; retail seems slow.

The Money Flow Index is flashing bearish signals: price went up, but inflows weren’t following.

RSI divergence and a forming head-and-shoulders pattern indicate ETH might break out... or break down.

Meanwhile, Ethereum reached new highs in real network activity: 1.73M weekly transactions, surged by stablecoins, DeFi and Layer-2s.

That said, with ETH still in the range of $2,900 to $3,000 and more than 40% of holders underwater, this next move is super important.

📊 Want the alpha on Perpetual DEXs?

Our latest report breaks down how on-chain derivatives are reshaping crypto trading: with transparency, self-custody, and global access at the core.

No paywall. 100% free.
👉 Read the full report

 đŸ„ Top tweets

💾 The ultimate crypto tax guide

Navigating crypto taxes can be hard, especially as more countries tighten the rules.

We’ve compiled a global guide to where taxes are rising, falling, or disappearing altogether: from the EU to Asia to the Caribbean.

Whether you’re a casual investor or running a DAO treasury, this is the clarity you need to start 2026 on the right foot.

Headline picks by our Branding Lead

Meaning Paramount Network GIF by Yellowstone

Meme of the day

Join the Conversation!

We'd love to hear your thoughts and comments. Join our community and stay updated with the latest trends and discussions in crypto.