Bitcoin Latest Updates: IDC Warns of Legal Action Regarding Curve's Low-Valued Lloyds Acquisition Amid Crypto Market Decline

Lloyds Banking Group’s contentious $139 million purchase of digital wallet firm Curve has sparked intense backlash from investors, with the deal’s valuation prompting legal threats and amplifying existing market anxieties. The UK’s largest retail bank has agreed to buy Curve—a platform serving more than six million users—for £120 million ($139 million),

. Yet, the acquisition price has faced strong opposition from Curve’s biggest outside shareholder, IDC Ventures, which owns 12% and argues the offer significantly undervalues the business. , accusing Curve’s leadership of mismanagement and a lack of transparency in the sale process. “Shareholders are genuinely shocked that would move forward with a deal to both the company and its investors,” the firm said. Curve’s board, on the other hand, defended the transaction as the “most viable option,” admitting the valuation was below prior expectations but stressing the importance of financial security .

The deal is unfolding against a backdrop of a broader downturn in the crypto sector, which is experiencing historic levels of liquidations. , as (BTC) and (ETH) dropped to their lowest points in months. This sharp decline has been driven by a combination of macroeconomic instability, including changing forecasts for Federal Reserve rate cuts and a spike in Japanese bond yields, which has tightened global liquidity .

Bitcoin’s value fell below $85,000 for the first time since April, wiping out all gains for the year and leaving it down 12% for 2025. Ether mirrored this trend, slipping under $2,750—a 19% drop from its yearly high. The selloff has triggered further declines, with leading altcoins such as

, , and also falling between 8% and 15% . and high leverage, with open interest in perpetual futures contracts down 35% from the October peak.

The Curve buyout has further unsettled investor confidence.

that Lloyds’ proposal was below previous fundraising valuations, which had reached $289 million following a £37 million round led by Hanco Ventures. IDC Ventures’ resistance underscores deepening governance issues, including a recent unsuccessful bid to oust Curve’s chairman, Lord Stanley Fink, and CEO Shachar Bialick . These leadership struggles have undermined trust among investors, with Curve’s shares now trading well below their historical levels.

At the same time, the crypto market’s sharp decline has introduced systemic risks.

the company’s estimated break-even point of $74,400, have become a key concern for equity investors reassessing their positions. The company could face index-related challenges in early 2026, including passive outflows if its shares are dropped from major benchmarks—a scenario that could intensify downward pressure on Bitcoin .

With the market enduring its steepest monthly decline since the 2022 crypto winter, specialists warn that stability remains out of reach.

, rather than a macro hedge, highlighting the market’s extreme sensitivity to shifts in sentiment and positioning. Although leverage has been reduced, it has not fully recovered, and spot markets remain dominated by sellers. Any rebound will likely depend on a new macroeconomic or regulatory trigger—a prospect that seems remote amid ongoing turbulence.