Bitcoin is expected to go higher after reaching record levels as US-led policies, and the Trump hype, give credence and "structure" to the digital asset, analysts said.
The world's biggest cryptocurrency hit another milestone on Monday, topping the $120,000 mark, amid heightened flows into Bitcoin exchange traded funds. That indicates a new level of seriousness from investors.
"What we’re seeing now is sustained interest, supported by structural inflows, rather than short-term speculation," said Josh Gilbert, a market analyst at digital investment platform eToro.
Is $150,000 within sight?
Bitcoin passing $120,000 signals a sustained bullish trend heading into the third quarter of 2025, with the cryptocurrency projected to average about $125,000, said Ryan Lee, chief analyst at Bitget Research.
With analysts expecting a trading range of between $105,000 and $150,000, the key levels are $108,500 for support and $130,000 for resistance, "serving as critical markers for momentum confirmation", he added.
But Bitcoin's rise will hit some bumps, as "investments of this magnitude don’t move in straight lines", said Nigel Green, chief executive of wealth management company deVere Group.
"They surge, cool, consolidate, then break out again. That’s the phase we’re entering," he said. “The trajectory to $150,000 is intact, but investors should expect a sharp move to $140,000, then a healthy sell-off before we power higher."
A correction may also be due. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index, used to measure the mood of the market, is at 70, indicating "greed".
That means it is now back in overbought territory, suggesting a correction to the $105,000 to $110,000 range "wouldn’t be surprising", said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, a senior analyst at Swissquote Bank. "Still, the rally is underpinned by a crypto-friendly US policy shift and growing emerging market adoption – [and] both remain intact."
Who is buying Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is witnessing more participation from institutional investors, such as hedge funds and mutual funds, Mr Gilbert said.
"Publicly traded companies are now adopting Bitcoin as part of their treasury strategy, with some making multibillion-dollar allocations," he added. "At the same time, retirement funds and sovereign wealth funds are starting to gain exposure through ETFs [exchange-traded funds], adding to the wave of demand chasing a fixed supply. This is the first real bull market where institutional participation is front and centre."
US policy wins
US President Donald Trump, a former crypto sceptic, is now championing digital assets. His influence and promises – both in the political and personal spheres – started the resurgence of the sector.
That has resulted in his administration pushing for more crypto-friendly regulations. This week, the US House of Representatives will tackle key bills aimed at further regulating the cryptocurrency market.
Crypto enthusiasts are hopeful that the Clarity Act, Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act and Genius Act will be passed, which are expected to bring "some much-needed structure to the Wild West of digital assets", said Devika Mittal, regional head at Web3 company Ava Labs.
"It's a bold move that demonstrates how far we've come from the days when cryptocurrency was viewed as a fringe investment. The timing couldn't be better, as countries like Vietnam are starting to embrace crypto themselves, following America's lead in the global digital economy."
That also bodes well for Wall Street, where companies have been awaiting clearer rules. These bills could finally give them the confidence to dive in – in addition to protecting every day investors from scams and sketchy practices, Ms Mittal added.
"Instead of treating crypto with suspicion, lawmakers are now actively working to help the industry thrive while keeping it transparent," she added. "It's a remarkable turnaround that could reshape our understanding of digital assets and blockchain."
Among those bills, the Genius Act is expected to create a federal framework for stablecoins, one of the most significant regulatory steps the US has taken to date.
“This is not crypto on the fringe any more. This is front and centre of US financial policy. Trump is championing it, lawmakers are acting on it and Wall Street is all-in,” Mr Green said.
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
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