Crypto Market Update: Strategy Defends Balance Sheet Strength Amid BTC Drawdown

Bitcoin and Ether price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$87,388, a 0.6 percent decrease in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$86,215.64, while its highest was US$88,097.57.

Bitcoin price performance, November 26, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Bitcoin’s latest rejection from the heavily defended US$90,000–US$92,000 resistance zone has forced traders to reassess the market’s near-term foundation. The sell-off that followed sent BTC sliding into the US$80,000 region, a dip that was considered by market watchers to be the first major stress test since Bitcoin’s explosive run-up in late Q3.

Despite some optimism of a possible temporary reset, investors warn that a decisive break below US$80,000 could expose Bitcoin to a slide toward the US$69,000–US$62,000 support range. As analyst Ted Pillows wrote on X, “$BTC is facing a lot of resistance around the $88,000–$90,000 zone. If BTC doesn’t break above this level soon, expect a sweep of the lows again.”

A major driver of this uncertainty is the sudden reversal in institutional behavior. After months of steady accumulation, Bitcoin ETFs reported roughly US$3.5 billion in outflows, removing a major pillar of demand and accelerating downward pressure on spot prices.

Meanwhile, Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,912.48, a 0.7 percent increase in the last 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$2,862.84, while its highest was US$2,973.89.

Altcoin price update

• XRP (XRP) was priced at US$2.19, down by 1.4 percent over 24 hours.

• Solana (SOL) was trading at US$137.90, up by 0.7 percent over 24 hours.

Today’s crypto news to know

Strategy insists its balance sheet holds firm even at US$25,000 Bitcoin

Strategy reiterated that its balance sheet can withstand a deep Bitcoin drawdown, telling investors in a recent X post that its collateral coverage would remain at 2.0x even if BTC dropped to US$25,000.

The company disclosed updated calculations showing that its convertible debt remains overcollateralized despite the stock’s 49 percent slide and the risk of an MSCI index removal next year.

With 649,870 BTC—worth roughly US$57 billion—the firm remains the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin globally. Strategy maintains that this overcollateralization gives it room to manage volatility and refinance maturities that run through 2032.

Despite the reassurances, the company continues to face pressure from index committees and investors reevaluating the long-term role of a Bitcoin-heavy corporate treasury.

Recently, S&P Dow Jones Indices left Strategy off its latest round of S&P 500 additions, choosing to elevate SanDisk instead despite Strategy’s market capitalization placing it within the top tier of US public companies.

Strategy’s bid for inclusion has been complicated by its reliance on Bitcoin holdings, which some index members argue behaves more like an investment vehicle than a traditional operating company.

For its part, Strategy insists that its software business, alongside its Bitcoin strategy, qualifies it as an operating firm under the index rules. Chairman Michael Saylor pushed back against the characterization, stressing on X that Strategy is “not a fund, not a trust, and not a holding company.”

Japan approves major regulatory shift for crypto under FIEA

Japan’s Financial Services Agency has finalized plans to move digital assets under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, marking the country’s most sweeping crypto regulatory overhaul in years.

The shift reclassifies crypto assets as investment products and subjects issuers and exchanges to disclosure and conduct standards similar to those governing securities.

The changes affect over 13 million Japanese crypto accounts that collectively hold more than ¥5 trillion, prompting concerns from local exchanges about higher compliance burdens.

The FSA’s working group outlined new obligations, including clearer disclosure of token supply, governance structures, project risk assessments, and issuer responsibilities.

In addition, exchanges will also be required to maintain reserve funds to cover potential hacking incidents. Regulators plan to crack down on unregistered offshore platforms that continue marketing to Japanese users without approval.

The legislative package is expected to be submitted during the 2026 Diet session.

Spain moves to hike taxes on Bitcoin, Ethereum

A Spanish parliamentary bloc has introduced new tax amendments that would significantly increase the burden on Bitcoin, Ether, and other non-financial-instrument crypto assets.

The proposal would shift gains from crypto into the general personal income tax base, which carries rates of up to 47 percent—far above the current 30 percent maximum applied to savings-based income.

Lawmakers also want corporate crypto gains taxed at 30 percent and are pushing for a nationwide “traffic light” risk label that would appear on trading platforms.

Tax specialists argue the reforms would be difficult to implement, with some calling the package legally unworkable and likely to generate administrative chaos. Investors are likewise already expressing concern after a recent case in which a trader was taxed €9 million on a transaction that produced no profit, highlighting flaws in current enforcement.

If enacted, analysts further warn that the new measures could accelerate capital flight from Spain’s retail crypto market.