Bitcoin (BTC) started the week trading just under the closely watched $90,000 mark, with markets showing a cautious “risk-off” tone on Monday, December 15, 2025. As of the latest available pricing, BTC was around $89,809, after ranging between roughly $87,789 (low) and $90,166 (high) during the session.
The day’s price action reflects a familiar late-2025 pattern: Bitcoin is no longer moving in isolation. Traders are weighing global macro catalysts—especially a packed week of central bank decisions and U.S. economic releases—while also tracking crypto-specific drivers like spot Bitcoin ETF flows, new regulatory direction in the UK, and equity-market sentiment tied to technology and AI stocks. [1]
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of today’s Bitcoin news, forecasts, and market analysis for 15.12.2025.
Bitcoin price today: Where BTC is trading on 15.12.2025
Bitcoin was edging lower below $90,000 early Monday as traders avoided big bets ahead of key macro catalysts. Investing.com reported BTC was down about 0.4% at $89,768.6 at 06:54 GMT (01:54 ET), describing a subdued, wait-and-see market. [2]
Across broader market coverage, the Associated Press noted Bitcoin slipped below $88,000 earlier in the day before recovering to just over $90,000, linking the move to shifting expectations around Japanese interest rates. [3]
Importantly for context: Reuters recently documented that Bitcoin hit an all-time peak above $126,000 in early October, and the market has struggled to regain consistent upside momentum since. With BTC near $89.8K today, it’s trading roughly 29% below that record level (based on current price versus the early-October peak). [4]
Why Bitcoin is moving today: The macro “risk appetite” factor is back in control
1) A heavy week of central bank decisions is keeping crypto range-bound
Bitcoin’s hesitation today is closely tied to the global calendar.
Reuters reported investors began the week paring risk amid a slate of major central bank decisions and delayed U.S. data releases, including expectations that the Bank of Japan may raise rates by 25 basis points to 0.75%, while the Bank of England could cut and the ECB is expected to hold. [5]
Investing.com echoed that framing, emphasizing that Bitcoin has “struggled to find direction” as markets wait for U.S. employment and inflation data, plus central bank meetings that can shift global liquidity conditions—often a key tailwind or headwind for crypto. [6]
The Associated Press tied Bitcoin’s intraday dip specifically to the prospect of higher Japanese rates, which can strengthen the yen and reduce appetite for riskier assets. [7]
Bottom line: today’s BTC price action looks less like a crypto-only story and more like a macro positioning story—Bitcoin is trading like a high-beta risk asset again.
2) Equity-market nerves are still influencing crypto
Reuters has highlighted that Bitcoin’s correlation with equities strengthened during 2025, with growing sensitivity to factors that move tech and AI-linked stocks. That matters because the current market narrative still includes concerns about an “AI bubble” and the durability of mega-cap tech leadership—themes that have repeatedly spilled into crypto. [8]
Spot Bitcoin ETF flows: “The other leg” the market keeps watching
If macro is the day-to-day steering wheel, ETF flows remain one of the biggest medium-term drivers for Bitcoin sentiment, particularly after the dramatic rise-and-correction cycle of 2025.
Latest available ETF flow data (as of Dec. 12)
Farside Investors’ widely followed daily flow table (US$ millions) shows that the most recent reported trading day, Dec. 12, 2025, recorded a total net inflow of $49.1 million (with IBIT at -$2.0m and BTC at +$51.1m, per the table’s entries for that date). [9]
A few notable recent prints:
- Dec. 10: +223.5m net inflow
- Dec. 11: -77.5m net outflow
- Dec. 12: +49.1m net inflow [10]
Farside’s table also lists cumulative totals that underscore the structural role of ETFs in this cycle: total net flows of about 62,731 (US$m)—roughly $62.7 billion—as shown on the page’s “Total” row. [11]
Why ETF flows matter more in late 2025
Reuters quoted Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick in recent coverage arguing that future Bitcoin gains may increasingly rely on ETF buying rather than incremental demand from corporate “bitcoin treasury” firms. [12]
Business Insider similarly reported Standard Chartered now sees Bitcoin ending 2025 around $100,000 and reaching $150,000 by end-2026—forecasts that explicitly lean on the idea that ETFs, not corporate balance sheets, could be the primary marginal buyer. [13]
How this connects to today: when BTC is chopping sideways near $90K, ETF flow updates (even if they lag by a session or two) can quickly change the market mood—especially if inflows re-accelerate or outflows persist.
Regulation headlines on 15.12.2025: UK sets an October 2027 start date
Today brought one of the most concrete policy headlines in weeks.
UK: crypto regulation to begin in October 2027
Reuters reported the UK finance ministry said regulation of cryptoassets will start in October 2027, with the government introducing legislation on Monday. The approach would extend existing financial regulation to crypto firms, aligning the UK more closely with the U.S. style of oversight than the EU’s MiCA framework (which took effect in 2024). Reuters also noted UK regulators, including the FCA and Bank of England, aim to finalize complementary rules by the end of 2026. [14]
The Guardian’s coverage stressed the same core point: bringing crypto under standards overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), with the government arguing clearer “rules of the road” will boost consumer protection and market integrity. [15]
Market relevance: while a 2027 start date isn’t an immediate price catalyst, regulatory clarity can influence:
- Institutional comfort with custody, market structure, and compliance
- The competitive positioning of London as a digital assets hub
- Longer-term confidence for retail participants after a volatile year
That said, traders typically won’t reprice Bitcoin in a single session based solely on multi-year regulatory timelines—unless the details shift near-term access or capital flows.
Asia crypto business news today: HashKey’s Hong Kong IPO adds a “mainstreaming” signal
Another major crypto headline on Dec. 15 comes out of Hong Kong.
Reuters reported that HashKey Holdings, described as Hong Kong’s largest licensed crypto exchange operator, is set to raise about HK$1.6 billion (US$206 million) after pricing its IPO at HK$6.68 per share, with trading expected to begin Dec. 17. Reuters also noted cornerstone investors include UBS, Fidelity, and CDH. [16]
Reuters framed the IPO against a volatile backdrop, noting Bitcoin’s sharp drawdown after the early-October peak above $126,000. [17]
Why it matters for Bitcoin: IPOs and licensed exchange expansion don’t mechanically move BTC in the same way ETF flows can—but they support the broader narrative that crypto market infrastructure is becoming more institutional and regulated, especially in Asia’s financial hubs.
Technical analysis: The $88K–$91K battle remains the center of gravity
With Bitcoin trading in a tight band today, technical levels are getting more attention than bold directional calls.
One market analysis summary published today described a consolidation range with:
- Support around $88,500
- Resistance around $90,600
- A warning that a daily close below $88,000 could open a move toward $85,000 [18]
Separately, Blockhead’s technical read for Dec. 15 listed:
- Key support: $88,550, then $88,000
- Resistance: $90,000 and $90,500 [19]
This aligns with what price action is showing in real time: BTC’s intraday low has been near the high-$87K area, while rallies have struggled to hold above the low-$90Ks.
Bullish vs. bearish interpretations traders are weighing
Some analysts remain constructive on the idea that Bitcoin could work back toward $100,000 if it stabilizes and breaks resistance cleanly. FX Leaders, for instance, argued today that a path toward $100,000 remains feasible, pointing to recovery from November’s correction and a market still sensitive to macro conditions. [20]
At the same time, risk-focused commentary in broader coverage remains cautious: Reuters has documented the market’s late-2025 stress, including the sharp post-peak decline and fragile confidence after major liquidation events earlier in the year. [21]
Forecasts: What major calls say now (and what they imply for year-end)
Forecasts in crypto are notoriously volatile—especially after the kind of peak-and-pullback Bitcoin saw in 2025. But a few forecasts keep appearing across today’s coverage ecosystem because they frame where institutional expectations have settled.
Standard Chartered: $100K end-2025, $150K end-2026
Business Insider reported Standard Chartered now expects Bitcoin around $100,000 by the end of 2025 and $150,000 by end-2026, revising down earlier, more aggressive targets and emphasizing ETF-led upside. [22]
Reuters also reported Standard Chartered’s revised view and highlighted the rationale: diminished incremental support from corporate “bitcoin treasury” buyers and increased reliance on ETF demand. [23]
Reuters: options pricing shows meaningful downside hedging still exists
Even after some easing in bearishness, Reuters reported that traders had assigned about a 15% probability Bitcoin finishes the year below $80,000 (as of late last week in that reporting). [24]
How to read this on Dec. 15: A $100K year-end target can coexist with meaningful downside hedging. In late-cycle markets, it’s common to see “base case” forecasts stay optimistic while options markets price non-trivial tail risks.
What to watch next: The catalysts that could break Bitcoin’s range this week
Bitcoin is starting this week in consolidation mode, but the calendar is dense enough that a breakout (in either direction) wouldn’t surprise traders.
Here are the events most likely to influence BTC’s next move:
- Bank of Japan decision (rate hike expectations)
Markets are bracing for a potential BoJ hike this week, a key factor in today’s risk tone. [25] - Bank of England + European Central Bank decisions
Reuters included both in the week’s central-bank lineup, a reminder that global liquidity expectations—not just the Fed—matter for crypto. [26] - U.S. economic releases and Fed signals
Investing.com pointed to upcoming U.S. data (employment, inflation, PMI) and Fed commentary as key drivers of rate expectations—often correlated with crypto’s direction in 2025. [27] - Spot Bitcoin ETF flow updates
With flows acting as a sentiment anchor, the next sequence of daily ETF prints could quickly tilt the market narrative. [28]
The takeaway for Bitcoin price today (15.12.2025)
Bitcoin is trading close to $90,000 on December 15, 2025, but the bigger story is why it’s stuck there: a tug-of-war between macro caution (central banks and data risk), structurally important ETF flows, and a steady stream of regulation and industry headlines—like the UK’s move toward a 2027 crypto regime and Hong Kong’s HashKey IPO.
For now, the market’s center of gravity is clear: support in the high-$88Ks and resistance around $90K–$91K. A decisive break beyond that band may require a catalyst—either a macro surprise, a sharp change in ETF flows, or a renewed shift in global risk appetite. [29]
References
1. www.investing.com, 2. www.investing.com, 3. apnews.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. www.investing.com, 7. apnews.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. farside.co.uk, 10. farside.co.uk, 11. farside.co.uk, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.businessinsider.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.theguardian.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.ad-hoc-news.de, 19. www.blockhead.co, 20. www.fxleaders.com, 21. www.reuters.com, 22. www.businessinsider.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.reuters.com, 25. www.reuters.com, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.investing.com, 28. farside.co.uk, 29. www.ad-hoc-news.de
