The crypto markets are down as a whole, btw, not just $XTZ - comparatively speaking it's not doing so bad, especially if you've been staking - adding in Tezos's ~10% staking rewards, it's actually doing "better" than most atm.
My prediction was still Tezos at 25 cents or so - I didn't want it to be true, but looks like we're getting there. Even today, I still run into Bitcoin/Ethereum maxis who are still making arrogant and overblown statements even while the markets start to sag - which means they haven't learned their lesson yet. It might take a few more dips before they get some sense knocked into them - hence, 25 cents because we are all being dragged down along with them.
Crypto has a terrible reputation right now so these movements should not be a surprise to anyone who's been paying attention to what's actually going on. The reason why I stuck with Tezos is because the chain is working on real things - and the fact that the art is still respected here is something no other chain can claim.
The thing I'm waiting for is for Tezos to own its identity and stop taking advice from the "market leaders" who are relying on empty promises and inferior products to maintain their lead (they are secretly threatened by XTZ's potential, imo) - they are leading all of us off a cliff and we're just following them like lemmings into our doom. We need to distance ourselves from them so we can distinguish ourselves from the rest and stand out - this is called "product differentiation".
The thing is, well, I think Tezos people are often just too nice sometimes. I get that papa Bitcoin supported Tezos when it was just a child with a dream and maybe a lot of people feel some obligation towards that - but right now dad has turned into an alcoholic and is being toxic to everyone around them, including you. So it's time to cut off the ties and realize XTZ's full potential by leaving the nest.
Big decision, yes, probably why it's taking so long to pull the trigger, but we all know it has to be done at some point...when is it going to gain the self-confidence needed to finally do it and stand up for themselves? That's what we're waiting for - including a lot of people with a lot of money, too, btw.
Tech projects and businesses have life cycles just like people do - they have their growth phases, hopes and dreams, peaks and valleys too. When I first joined Ethereum in 2014 part of the bet was taking a chance on Vitalik Buterin's growth - not just in crypto, but as a person as well. When he stopped pushing himself and started towing the line of the middlemen who came after - well, that was my signal to leave.
Most places don't really change unless forced to - which is usually prompted by a crisis of some sort. The flat-line we've had over the last few years is actually the worst thing we could have because crypto markets have been dying a slow death and trapped in its own prison of indecision and fear.
Let's cut it loose, I say. It's actually better in the long run for prices to drop because that opens up possibilities of a recovery - we need to rip of the band-aid and just go all the way.