Here's What to Watch for in Altcoins This Week

Source: CryptoNewsNet Original Title: Here’s What to Watch for in Altcoins This Week Original Link: https://cryptonews.net/news/altcoins/32135589/ According to recent market analysis, both major protocol updates and macroeconomic headlines are expected to be decisive in determining the direction of crypto markets this week.

Token Launches & Ecosystem Developments

Lighter (LIGHTER) is expected to launch its token this month, with its inclusion in a certain platform’s listing roadmap seen as a significant development increasing investor interest. Folks (FOLKS) has given hints about the upcoming xChain V2 release, which aims to implement cross-chain vault-based DeFi lending mechanisms.

Within the Jupiter (JUP) ecosystem, a new stablecoin developed in collaboration with Ethereum is scheduled to launch next week. The Base network is expected to make a “big announcement” on December 18th, with market rumors suggesting it may be related to a potential BASE token.

INFINIT (IN), at the intersection of AI and DeFi, plans to launch “Prompt-to-DeFi” for early adopters on December 18th, allowing users to create AI-powered DeFi strategies. A major platform is planning to launch its prediction markets and tokenized shares on December 17th.

Token Supply & Infrastructure

Approximately $19 million worth of Arbitrum (ARB) tokens will be unlocked on December 16th. mETH Protocol, developed under the Mantle ecosystem, will undergo a major update on December 15th, standing out as a significant player in the liquid staking and restaking space.

On the infrastructure front, MegaETH plans to open its mainnet to application developers next week.

Macro & Market Factors

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is expected to raise interest rates for the first time in about 11 months, which could have an indirect impact on global risk appetite and crypto assets. US interest rate policy discussions are also expected to progress next week.

Finally, Synthetix (SNX) is preparing to launch its perpetual futures (perps) DEX on Ethereum on December 17th.