Here are this week's key cryptocurrency developments: ### **Bitcoin Breaks $100,000** Bitcoin surged past the $100,000 milestone for the first time, peaking at $104,000. This rally is attributed to institutional adoption, robust demand for Bitcoin ETFs, and the reduced supply after this year’s halving. Improved regulatory sentiment, particularly with a crypto-friendly administration in the U.S., also contributed to investor confidence [oai_citation:1,Bitcoin stagnates as altcoins take off. Plus, XRP gains over 100%, and Ethereum ETFs see record inflows. ### **Altcoin Momentum** - **XRP**: XRP's price skyrocketed by 400% in the past month, driven by regulatory optimism and increased adoption in cross-border payments. Its market cap has surpassed Tether, making it the third-largest cryptocurrency [oai_citation:3,Bitcoin stagnates as altcoins take off. Plus, XRP gains over 100%, and Ethereum ETFs see record inflows. - **Ethereum**: Stabilizing around $3,900, Ethereum benefits from growing adoption in DeFi, NFTs, and scalability improvements through Layer 2 solutions [oai_citation:5,Crypto Weekly Wrap: 5th December 2024](https://www.iconomi.com/blog/wrap-6-december-2024). - **Layer-1 Blockchains**: Algorand and Aleph Zero posted significant gains (80.4% and 65.1%, respectively), boosted by ecosystem expansions and technical developments [oai_citation:6,Bitcoin stagnates as altcoins take off. Plus, XRP gains over 100%, and Ethereum ETFs see record inflows.](https://www.calebandbrown.com/blog/weekly-rollup-december-3-2024/). ### **Institutional Developments** Spot Bitcoin ETFs have attracted over $31 billion in inflows this year, demonstrating strong institutional interest. Ripple’s partnerships and Ethereum’s potential staking ETFs further emphasize the growing bridge between traditional finance and crypto [oai_citation:7,Bitcoin Breaks $103K; Policies Reshape Crypto Landscape](https://coin360.com/news/crypto-weekly-update-nov30-dec6-2024) [oai_citation:8,Crypto Weekly Wrap: 5th December 2024](https://www.iconomi.com/blog/wrap-6-december-2024).