Deep Dive
1. Withdrawal Disruptions on Lighter (31 December 2025)
Overview:
Users of the Lighter platform on Arbitrum faced withdrawal delays due to sequencer-prover lag, with blocks stuck at #137,759,880 since 30 December. The LIT token dropped 14% to $2.80 amid the congestion, and Lighter’s team remained silent beyond initial Discord advisories to switch to Ethereum L1 withdrawals (4-hour processing).
What this means:
This is neutral for Arbitrum. While Layer-2 congestion highlights scaling limitations, it also underscores demand for upgrades. Persistent issues could pressure the DAO to prioritize sequencer optimizations. (The CCPress)
2. Leading Capital Inflows (30 December 2025)
Overview:
Arbitrum led Layer-2 capital inflows in 2025, securing $20B in Total Value Secured (TVS) and $4.5M October revenue. Tokenized stocks via Robinhood saw $50M+ volume, signaling real-world adoption. However, ARB traded near $0.19, compressing in a falling wedge pattern.
What this means:
This is bullish long-term. Strong fundamentals (transaction throughput, institutional interest) contrast with ARB’s undervaluation. Historically, such divergences precede price catch-ups when network utility converts to token demand. (CryptoNewsLand)
3. Altcoin Survival Spotlight (30 December 2025)
Overview:
Analyst Michaël van de Poppe warned that 90% of altcoins may not survive 2026, but cited Arbitrum as an outlier due to 200% ecosystem growth, $20B TVS, and rising developer activity despite ARB’s 56% yearly decline.
What this means:
This is cautiously optimistic. ARB’s survival hinges on sustaining adoption metrics (TVL, active addresses) in a market favoring Bitcoin dominance. Neutral momentum indicators suggest accumulation opportunities. (Yahoo Finance)
Conclusion
Arbitrum balances operational hiccups with robust adoption, positioning ARB as a high-conviction play in a thinning altcoin landscape. While network strain tests user patience, institutional inflows and real-world use cases signal underlying strength. Will the DAO’s 2026 roadmap address scalability without compromising decentralization?