Dogecoin (DOGE) recently surged to a three-year high of $0.43 on November 12 before retreating to $0.38, maintaining a 3% daily increase.

However, on-chain data shows that the price spike has led many long-term holders (LTHs) to take profits. If this trend persists, DOGE risks losing much of its recent gains in the short term.

Dogecoin’s LTHs Sell For Profit

BeInCrypto’s assessment of Dogecoin’s on-chain performance has revealed a decline in its Mean Coin Age over the past week. Per Santiment, this has dropped by 1% over the past seven days. 

Mean coin age refers to the average age of the coins in circulation. It gives insight into how long their owners have held coins before being moved or sold. When this metric falls, it means coins that have been held for a long time are being moved or traded more frequently. It is often a bearish sign that indicates that LTHs could be cashing out their profit.

Moreover, the positive readings from DOGE’s market value to realized value (MVRV) ratio suggest that the meme coin is currently overvalued. This may have prompted its LTHs to want to sell for profit. According to Santiment’s data, DOGE’s current MVRV ratio is 232.36%. 

The MRVR ratio is a key metric used to analyze a cryptocurrency’s valuation relative to its historical price trends. It compares the market value (the current price of all coins in circulation) to the realized value (the price at which coins last moved on the blockchain).

A positive MRVR ratio suggests that the market value is greater than the realized value. This indicates that the asset is overvalued. Historically, many view this as a signal to sell their holdings for profit.

At 236.36%, DOGE’s MVRV ratio suggests that its current market value is 236% higher than its realized value. Therefore, if all its holders were to sell, they would realize 236%  gains on average. Such a high MVRV hints at a prolonged period of price correction as more investors take profits.  

DOGE Price Prediction: Why LTHs Must Stop Selling

Currently trading at $0.38, DOGE sits just below the $0.39 resistance level. Increased selling pressure could push the price down to its support at $0.31.

A failure to hold this level may trigger a sharper decline, pushing DOGE below the $0.30 mark and potentially toward $0.21. Such a move would further distance the DOGE meme coin price from any rally beyond $0.47 and a return to $0.50, last seen in May 2021.

However, if market sentiment turns positive and long-term holders (LTHs) hold their positions, increased demand for DOGE could drive its price past $0.47, bringing the $0.50 price zone back into reach.

A federal court in California has ruled that members of the Lido DAO can be held liable under state partnership laws. 

Tile the case focuses on the decentralized governing body behind the popular liquid staking protocol (LSP). Nevertheless, this precedent marks a landmark decision with significant implications for decentralized governance.

Court Rules Lido DAO Members Liable Under Partnership Laws

Andrew Samuels brought the lawsuit after purchasing Lido’s native LDO tokens on the secondary market in April and May 2023 via the Gemini exchange. Samuels later filed a class-action suit in December, alleging that the tokens were sold as unregistered securities. He blamed the DAO for his financial losses due to their declining value. 

In his complaint, Samuels argued that the DAO actively solicited token purchases on exchanges, violating securities laws. The court sided with him, ruling that the DAO’s structure and activities subjected it to general partnership liability. 

“The statutory phrase ‘offers or sells’ has been construed broadly to include solicitation of securities purchases. Samuels has sufficiently alleged that Lido DAO solicited these purchases, making it liable,” the court noted.

The ruling, issued on Monday by Judge Vince Chhabria of the US Northern District Court of California, rejected Lido DAO’s claim that it operates as a non-legal entity immune to traditional legal frameworks. Instead, the court classified the DAO as a general partnership, holding its participants accountable for its operations and liabilities. 

The judge identified specific participants, including prominent venture capital (VC) firms Paradigm Operations, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and Dragonfly Digital Management. Per the ruling, these VCs pass as general partners due to their active involvement in Lido DAO’s governance and operations. However, another investor, Robot Ventures, was dismissed from the lawsuit due to insufficient evidence of direct participation. 

The court’s decision marks a pivotal moment in the legal treatment of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Of note is that DAOs are designed to operate without centralized control. However, the court found that Lido DAO’s structure — where token holders govern decisions and earn staking rewards — meets California’s definition of a general partnership. 

“[This case] raises critical questions about the ability of individuals in the crypto ecosystem to shield themselves from liability through novel legal arrangements tied to decentralized financial instruments,” judge Chhabria wrote in his ruling. 

This decision suggests that mere association with a DAO may not be enough to establish liability. Instead, active involvement in governance or operations is required. 

The ruling has sparked concern across the crypto and blockchain community. Miles Jennings, General Counsel and Head of Decentralization at a16z crypto, described the decision as a severe setback for decentralized governance. 

“Under the ruling, any DAO participation (even posting in a forum) could be sufficient to hold DAO members liable for the actions of other members under general partnership laws,” Jennings wrote in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). 

The decision highlights the risks for participants in DAOs, particularly those involved in governance or decision-making processes. 

By rejecting the argument that a DAO’s decentralized structure shields its participants from liability, the court has set a precedent that could affect other DAOs and their contributors. The ruling emphasized that a general partnership can exist even without the explicit intent to form one. It suffices, provided two or more individuals associate to co-own and operate a business for profit. 

This case has far-reaching implications for the crypto industry, particularly for decentralized projects that rely on token-based governance models. Moving forward, DAOs may need to rethink their structures and establish legal entities to protect participants from similar liability risks. 

“Every DAO will require a legal wrapper, a careful choice of jurisdiction, and compliance with laws of security (token) issuance unless the law changes,” Chief Apostle of RWA commented.

The decision signals a challenging road ahead for Lido DAO and its participants as they walk the legal and regulatory pathway. Meanwhile, other DAOs and decentralized projects may face increased scrutiny as courts and regulators examine their operations under traditional legal frameworks. 

Lido DAO’s LDO token is down almost 2% on this news. As of this writing, it is trading at $1.18.

GOAT, once dominating the meme coin market, has faced significant challenges with the emergence of Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT). 

The sudden rise of PNUT has disrupted GOAT’s market position, causing the meme coin to lose its demand. Despite the downturn, GOAT investors remain optimistic about its potential recovery.

A Squirrel Defeats GOAT

The social dominance of GOAT has shifted significantly since October, largely due to PNUT’s arrival. For most of October, GOAT commanded market attention, benefiting from strong investor interest and widespread hype. However, PNUT’s late-month debut captured the spotlight, pushing GOAT out of the top trending tokens.

Currently, PNUT stands as the more popular asset among investors, evidenced by its rising mentions and active participation in social channels. This surge in attention has directly impacted GOAT, whose declining engagement metrics suggest a loss in momentum. The competition between these meme coins is reshaping the market conditions.

Despite the decline, GOAT’s funding rate remains in positive territory, signaling ongoing confidence among traders. Many are placing long contracts, betting on a potential price recovery. This optimism reflects a belief that GOAT still has room to regain its dominance in the meme coin sector.

However, the price drop has introduced uncertainty among investors, with concerns about GOAT’s ability to sustain its market position. The funding rate’s positive stance is encouraging but will require strong market cues to translate into meaningful price gains. Traders are closely watching for signs of a potential reversal.

GOAT Price Prediction: Drawdown Ahead

GOAT’s price has fallen by 25% in the last 24 hours, dropping from an all-time high of $1.36 to $1.01. With the asset nearing the critical $1.00 mark, further declines are likely if bearish momentum continues.

The critical support level sits at $0.72, and a drop to this point would signal more significant losses for investors. Losing this support could exacerbate the bearish outlook, creating challenges for a swift recovery.

Alternatively, if GOAT rebounds from $0.72, the meme coin could make a bid to breach previous highs and form a new ATH. This would invalidate the bearish thesis and re-establish GOAT as a top contender in the meme coin space.