Since the early October market crash, investors have pulled about $3.3 billion from Ethereum ETFs in the U.S., with more than $500 million withdrawn this year. Ethereum ETF assets have fallen below $13 billion, the lowest level since July. Ethereum is down nearly 60 percent from its all-time high and has posted negative monthly returns since September. While Bitcoin’s sharp decline has drawn market attention, Ethereum is also under pressure amid weaker risk appetite and tighter liquidity.

Federal Reserve Board member Christopher Waller said in a speech that some of the optimism that emerged in the crypto market after Donald Trump’s election is fading. He described recent crypto market volatility as normal and attributed it to regulatory uncertainty and risk adjustments by major financial institutions. According to Waller, the growing presence of institutional investors has deepened the crypto market’s ties to the traditional financial system.

The US December retail sales report did not grow as expected and remained unchanged month-on-month, while the market had anticipated an increase of about 0.4 percent, The control group, which is the basis for calculating consumption in GDP, also fell 0.1 percent, showing weaker consumer momentum at the end of the year, Declines in sectors such as clothing, furniture, and autos were the main drivers of this performance, while signs of cost-of-living pressures and weak discretionary spending, especially among low-income households, were observed, Economists expect that tax refunds and wealth effects in early 2026 will partly support consumer demand despite this weakness.

Trump has said that if talks with Iran fail, he may send a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, He expects the second round of US-Iran negotiations to take place next week and emphasized that either an agreement will be reached or strong action will be necessary, An Axios reporter noted that this move is part of preparations for any potential military action.