New York — The crypto market is witnessing a sharp contrast in sentiment as Ripple Labs raises $500 million in new funding at a $40 billion valuation, signaling renewed investor confidence in blockchain projects. Meanwhile, ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood has slashed her Bitcoin price forecast by $300,000, citing intensifying competition from stablecoins and tokenized assets.
Ripple’s fresh capital injection, led by global institutional investors, comes amid its ongoing expansion in cross-border payment infrastructure and tokenization services. Analysts say the funding round underscores growing institutional optimism toward regulated blockchain ecosystems.
However, Cathie Wood’s revised outlook for Bitcoin — down from $1.5 million to $1.2 million — has rattled some crypto investors. She warned that stablecoins’ rapid growth and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) could limit Bitcoin’s long-term dominance as a global store of value.
Despite volatility, market data shows a 2.8% rise in total crypto market capitalization following Ripple’s announcement, hinting at bullish momentum among altcoins and blockchain-focused funds.
