Crypto Market News Today, December 13: Why Is Crypto Down Just as the US Market Opens? Manipulation?

[Ben Graham]

As market news today continues to puzzle investors, the very same question dominates every social media. Why is crypto down just as the US market opens? The timing feels almost scripted. Bitcoin’s sudden $2,000 drop in just 35 minutes wiped nearly $40 billion off its market cap, while $132 million in long positions were liquidated within an hour.

Market Cap

24h 7d 30d 1y All Time

The jeetery events like this naturally revive concerns about crypto manipulation, especially when traditional assets remain relatively stable. When we ask why crypto is down during a strong US market session, the answers are likely unfundamental and more emotional in nature.

Selling pressure built at the end of the week as global macro expectations shifted. Even with the overall bullish signals across equities and commodities, crypto failed to follow. This decouple between crypto and the US market is exactly why the talk of manipulation refuses to die.

Bitcoin isn’t dumping because of news or TA.

It goes way beyond that.

The clock struck midnight.
End of month. Start of week. Dec 1st.

Algo’s were reset.
Funds were rotated.
And manipulation began before anyone could even react.

Most were still sleeping.

The red candles… pic.twitter.com/KX2b8VK7bO

— CryptoReviewing (@CryptoReviewing) December 1, 2025

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Why Is Crypto Down as the US Market Reacts? Japan to Blame?

To understand why crypto is down, many point to Japan. The Bank of Japan is expected to hike interest rates on December 19, with more increases projected in 2026. The last time Japan tightened policy, markets suffered sharply as yen carry trades unwound. This ugly memory was enough to spark fear, even before any official move.

JUST IN: Bank of Japan set to hike rates next week for the first time in 11 months – Nikkei Asia

Yen carry trade unwind continues pic.twitter.com/X9IAwHX96R

— Radar 𝘸​ Archie (@RadarHits) December 12, 2025

As the US market opened, volatility accelerated. Liquidations fed into liquidations, turning fear into momentum. Investors once again asked why crypto is down while stocks sit near all-time highs (although it’s dumping a bit at the moment).

Gold added trillions to its market cap this year, silver bumped by 125% in 2025, and inflation is cooling. Yet Bitcoin ignored every tailwind; nothing is logical, which now drives the pukeworthy short-term price action.

(source – SILVER USD, TradingView)

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Manipulation and the US Market Disconnect

When no news, good news, and bad news all lead to the same result, accusations of crypto manipulation grow. In the US market, market makers often use headlines as cover. The October 10 crash following a Trump tariff tweet wiped out $19 billion in leverage in a day. Many now agree the tweet wasn’t the cause; it was the excuse.

This pattern explains why crypto is down despite positive developments. President Trump recently brought up the idea that the interest rates should be 1% or lower in 2026, and Fed official Goolsbee expects more rate cuts.

JUST IN: President Trump says interest rates should be 1% or lower next year.

— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) December 12, 2025

The latest FOMC update confirmed three cuts in 2025, cooling inflation, the end of QT, and fresh liquidity injections. Stocks responded. For us? Not much.

Adding to the bullishness, US senators are pushing to finalize a crypto market structure bill before the end of 2025, which could reduce manipulation by as much as 70%. Until then, we never know.

BREAKING: U.S. Senators are pushing to finalize the crypto market structure bill before the end of 2025.

This bill is expected to reduce market manipulation in crypto by at least 70%.
The industry really needs this. pic.twitter.com/Z7tNh1NuQn

— Crypto Mafia (@CryptoMafia06) December 12, 2025

Headlines no longer move crypto the way emotions do. Fear, impatience, and exhaustion push retail investors out while smart money accumulates quietly. This cycle has repeated every time. Weak hands exit first. Silence follows. Then momentum returns.

If you’re still here, discipline matters more than timing. The next breakout will reward endurance, especially during moments like this when everyone keeps asking why crypto is down while the US market marches on. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

This article is my personal opinion piece, and the information provided should not be considered financial advice. And happy Saturday!!

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3 hours ago

RAVE Crypto by RaveDAO: What Is It? RAVE USD1 Pair Launched on ASTER and Backed By Trump Jr.

By Akiyama Felix

RaveDAO, with its RAVE crypto token, is the latest project pulling the market’s attention, though it’s still early to say how much of that attention is sustainable. The idea behind RAVE is simple enough: use a token to support live entertainment, ticketing, and community events, things beyond crypto.

This narrative gained visibility after the RAVE crypto USD1 pair went live on ASTER, followed by reposts from Donald Trump Jr. and CZ. Neither offered commentary or endorsement, but in crypto, even a repost can be enough to move a chart. Following it, RAVE crypto pushed to an all-time high, which says more about timing and visibility.

This is how real adoption happens—step by step. More liquidity. More reach. USD1 continues to scale gain traction. @worldlibertyfi @aster_dex https://t.co/XIoEt8eK1G

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 12, 2025

Read the full story here.

4 hours ago

XRP Price Prediction: Ripple Is Opening Its Own Bank — Is This the Biggest XRP News Ever?

By Akiyama Felix

Brad Garlinghouse, XRP CEO, just announced that Ripple has received conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish a national trust bank called “Ripple National Trust Bank.”

Yes, you heard it right: XRP is opening its own bank. They have come a long way.

This is a major milestone: Ripple is now establishing a federally regulated U.S. bank, with a focus on stablecoins and digital assets. Their stablecoin, RLUSD (Ripple USD), will be backed and supervised by both federal regulators (<a class=”general-link” href=”http://occ.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/2025/nr-occ-2025-125.html” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener”>OCC</a>) and the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) — two of the strictest financial regulators in the U.S.

HUGE news! @Ripple just received conditional approval from the @USOCC to charter Ripple National Trust Bank. This is a massive step forward – first for $RLUSD, setting the highest standard for stablecoin compliance with both federal (OCC) & state (NYDFS) oversight.

To the…

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) December 12, 2025

Read the full story here.

The post Crypto Market News Today, December 13: Why Is Crypto Down Just as the US Market Opens? Manipulation? appeared first on 99Bitcoins.