Daily Market Analysis and News From NordFX

[Stan NordFX]

– According to Professor of Physics Giovanni Santostasi, bitcoin could appreciate 64 times in the next 15 years, reaching $10.63 million. This forecast is based on a power-law model.
A power-law relationship is a mathematical connection between two quantities where a relative change in one quantity leads to a proportional relative change in the other, regardless of the initial values of these quantities. The relationship between one quantity and another represents a power function. This law is observable in a wide range of natural phenomena, from the frequency of earthquakes to the dynamics of stock market changes.
Santostasi stated that this model provides a clear and predictable scenario for the price change of the first cryptocurrency over long periods. However, over shorter spans, which the media primarily focuses on, the quotations behave chaotically.
According to the professor, unlike the well-known S2F (Stock-to-Flow) model by the analyst known as PlanB, the power law is logarithmic, not exponential. In other words, the price of bitcoin is not expected to rise continuously over time. According to Santostasi's calculations, the digital gold will peak at $210,000 in January 2026, then drop to $60,000, and after that, it will continue its wavy growth to $10.63 million.

– Experts at JPMorgan suggest that the upcoming bitcoin halving in April could trigger a significant drop in the price of the first cryptocurrency. The algorithmically mandated reduction of the mining reward from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC will decrease mining profitability. Based on this, economists at JPMorgan, led by senior analyst Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, predict that the price will fall to $42,000 after the halving.
"The cost of mining bitcoin empirically acts as a price floor," their report states. "Currently, the cost of mining is $26,500. After the halving, this figure will be $42,000." "This is also the level towards which we believe the price will gravitate once the post-halving euphoria subsides in April," JPMorgan notes.
The experts also considered the possibility of a 20% drop in the bitcoin network's hash rate, primarily due to the mass disconnection of low-efficiency equipment. Consequently, the capacity may concentrate among large cryptocurrency miners who have taken measures to reduce costs and maintain efficiency. "There might also be some horizontal integration through mergers and acquisitions among miners in different regions to take advantage of synergies in their business," concluded the specialists.

– Trader Gareth Soloway has identified a critical factor that could propel bitcoin's price to another historical high of $100,000. The expert pointed to a dilemma in the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy management amidst approximately 3% inflation. He emphasized that the institution's reluctance to aggressively cut rates could sustain high inflation, potentially contributing to bitcoin's upward trend. "If we see an increase in liquidity (which is bound to happen), then bitcoin will rise to $100,000 in 2024," writes Soloway. On the way to the mentioned round figure, like the JPMorgan experts, the trader does not exclude a short-term bearish correction. However, in his opinion, the upcoming halving in itself does not guarantee the digital gold's rise to the specified amount.

– Researchers from the University of Texas in the USA have discovered that over four years, cryptocurrency scammers utilizing the "pig butchering" scheme could have stolen more than $75 billion. The "pig butchering" scheme is a fraudulent attack where cybercriminals convince unsuspecting people to invest in a doomed or non-existent business. Once the victim believes and hands over their money, the scammers immediately disappear.
According to the study, from January 2020 to February 2024, such criminals duped at least 4,000 people. The illegal operations predominantly took place in Southeast Asia. The researchers found that tracked transactions amounting to $15 billion out of the reported $75 billion led to five cryptocurrency exchanges: Binance, Coinbase, OKX, Crypto.com, and HTX (formerly Huobi). The favorite asset among criminals was the stablecoin Tether (USDT), with more than 84% of the total transaction volume attributed to this popular coin.
Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether's issuer, stated that the report is rather misleading. "Every Tether transaction occurs online, so any action can be tracked, assets can be confiscated, and the criminal caught. This is why we cooperate with law enforcement agencies," he commented to Bloomberg. It's noteworthy that the United Nations (UN) has also previously stated that USDT is one of the most popular means of payment among criminal groups in Southeast Asia. Representatives of the issuer then questioned the accuracy of such data.

– In the summer of 2022, it would have been the 110th birthday of Milton Friedman, the great economist and Nobel Prize laureate, often called "the most influential economist of the second half of the 20th century." Back in 1999, Friedman gave an interview in which he predicted the emergence of digital currencies. He described a system where transactions are conducted electronically, and the parties involved do not need to know each other's identities. In his forecast, Friedman highlighted the potential of digital currencies to provide unprecedented privacy and efficiency in financial transactions, marking a significant departure from traditional banking systems.
"I think that the internet is going to be one of the major forces for reducing the role of government," said the distinguished scientist at the time. "The one thing that’s missing but will soon be developed is reliable electronic cash, a method whereby on the Internet you can transfer funds from A to B without A knowing B or B knowing A."


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

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[Stan NordFX]

NordFX's New Mega Super Lottery: 202+4 Prizes in 2024​

The new mega super lottery by brokerage firm NordFX kicked off on 8 March this year, featuring a multitude of cash prizes ranging from $250 to $5,000, amounting to a total of $100,000.

The Super Lottery with a prize pool of $100,000 has become a tradition, as NordFX has been hosting it for the fourth consecutive year. Over this time, more than 500 clients of this broker have emerged as winners. Unlike traders' contests, the lottery's undeniable advantage is that both experienced professionals and newcomers have completely equal chances of winning. Another benefit is that lottery winners receive their prizes in real money, not bonuses, which they can either use for further trading or withdraw without any restrictions.

There's also a third advantage: becoming a lottery participant and getting a chance to win one or even several prizes is very straightforward. You just need to have a Pro account with NordFX (or register and open a new one), fund it with $200, and simply trade. By making a trade turnover of just 2 lots in Forex currency pairs or gold (or 4 lots in silver), a trader automatically receives a virtual lottery ticket. The number of tickets per participant is unlimited. The more deposits and the higher the turnover, the more lottery tickets a participant will have, and the greater their chances of becoming one of the winners. The Super Lottery from NordFX is an excellent opportunity for traders not only to try their luck in winning cash prizes but also to increase their trading activity and possibly discover new trading strategies.

The slogan of this year's lottery, "Your 202+4 Chances to Win in 2024," makes it clear there will be plenty of prizes. This year, winners will receive 202 prizes (140 of $250, 30 of $500, 20 of $750, and 12 of $1,250) plus an additional 4 super prizes of $5,000 each. The total prize pool of $100,000 is divided into three parts: $20,000 will be played out in both the summer and autumn draws, and the third, New Year's, and most significant draw will have $60,000 in prizes.

For more details, visit NordFX's website. You can become a participant of the Mega Super Lottery 2024 and start receiving lottery tickets right now.


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

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[Stan NordFX]

Forex and Cryptocurrencies Forecast for March 11 - 15, 2024​

EUR/USD: A Bad Week for the Dollar

The past week was dominated by the European Central Bank (ECB)'s meeting on Thursday, 7 March. As anticipated, the pan-European regulator decided to maintain its current monetary policy, leaving the interest rate unchanged at 4.50%. This move reaffirmed its commitment to steering inflation into the desired range. The ECB aims to be absolutely certain that inflation is consistently moving towards its 2.0% target, which currently stands at 2.6%.

According to analysis from ANZ Bank, a reduction in euro rates is expected in Q2. "Our interpretation of current ECB official guidance is that hawks are on the rise and prefer to wait for more detailed wage growth data before initiating a rate cut. We believe a consensus will be reached in June," ANZ economists wrote.

This expectation was echoed by Gediminas Šimkus, a member of the ECB Governing Council and head of Lithuania's central bank, on Friday, 8 March. He stated that "all conditions are set for a transition to a less stringent monetary policy, with a rate cut in June being very likely. While a cut in April cannot be ruled out, the likelihood is low." He added that there is no reason to reduce the rate by more than 25 basis points in one go.

It's important to note that the Federal Reserve usually acts more aggressively than the ECB, changing its rate more frequently and with greater amplitude. To see this, one only needs to look at the statistics from the last 10 years. According to analysts at Commerzbank, this means that if both central banks start their easing cycles at the same time, the dollar rate could very quickly fall below the euro rate, which would support an increase in the EUR/USD exchange rate.

However, what the cycles will look like this time remains unclear. The CME FedWatch Tool estimates a 56% probability of a Federal Reserve rate cut in June. Yet, speaking to the US Congress on 6-7 March, Fed Chair Jerome Powell only vaguely stated that the regulator would ease monetary policy "at some point this year".

A statement by Loretta Mester, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, proved to be more interesting. Speaking at the European Centre for Economics and Finance, she expressed concerns about the continued steady decrease in inflation throughout the year. Therefore, in Mester's view, it would be appropriate to keep the rate at its current level of 5.50%. The head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland also suggested that if economic conditions align with forecasts, the likelihood of a rate cut towards the end of the year might increase.

Regarding the macroeconomic statistics released last week, Eurostat's final assessment showed that the Eurozone economy grew by 0% in quarterly terms over the last three months of 2023. Year-on-year, GDP increased by 0.1%. Both figures matched preliminary estimates and market expectations, thus having no impact on the exchange rates.

Throughout the week, the dollar was under pressure, and not just due to Jerome Powell's "dull" Congressional testimony. US macroeconomic reports appeared relatively weak. For instance, the ISM Services Sector Business Activity Index for February fell from 53.4 points to 52.6 points. Manufacturing orders in January also dropped by 3.6%, which was worse than the 2.9% forecast. The number of job openings (JOLTS) in the US last month was 8.863 million, down from 8.889 million the previous month, and initial unemployment claims for the week ending on 2 March rose to 217K, exceeding the 215K forecast. All these factors together led to the EUR/USD pair moving out of the narrow range of 1.0800-1.0865, in which it had been trading since 20 February, and rising to the 1.0900 mark.

Labour market statistics released on Friday, 8 March, could have supported the dollar, but this did not happen, even though the market's reaction was somewhat puzzling. On one hand, the number of new jobs created outside of the agricultural sector (NonFarm Payrolls) was 275K, significantly exceeding both the previous figure of 229K and the forecast of 198K. Typically, such indicators would push the EUR/USD pair down. However, this time, it sharply rose instead. This likely relates to the unemployment rate increasing from 3.7% to 3.9% (with a forecast of 3.7%) and the average hourly earnings showing a sharp drop from 0.5% (month-over-month) to 0.1% (against a forecast of 0.2%). It seems the last two indicators outweighed the positive effect from the NFP. Market participants decided that these would be additional arguments in favour of a more imminent interest rate cut, resulting in EUR/USD soaring to 1.0980.

Subsequently, the excitement settled, and EUR/USD closed at 1.0937. As for the short-term outlook, as of the evening of Friday, 8 March, 35% of experts were in favour of the dollar strengthening and the pair falling, while 65% sided with the euro. Trend indicators and oscillators on the D1 chart are 100% coloured in green, with a quarter of the latter in the overbought zone. The nearest support levels for the pair are situated in the 1.0845-1.0865 zone, followed by 1.0800, then 1.0725, 1.0680-1.0695, 1.0620, 1.0495-1.0515, and 1.0450. Resistance zones are located around 1.0970-1.1015, 1.1050, and 1.1100-1.1140, up to 1.1230-1.1275.

The upcoming week is expected to be quite tumultuous. Significant volatility can be anticipated on Tuesday, 12 March, with the release of consumer inflation (CPI) data in Germany and the USA. On Thursday, 14 March, retail sales statistics and the Producer Price Index (PPI) in the United States will be announced. The week will conclude with the publication of the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index on Friday, 15 March.

GBP/USD: A Good Week for the Pound

Starting the week at 1.2652, GBP/USD recorded a local high of 1.2893 on Friday, gaining 241 points and breaking out of the medium-term sideways channel of 1.2600-1.2800. The first reason for such dynamics is the weakness of the dollar, as mentioned earlier. The second reason is the positive economic statistics from the UK: the Construction PMI increased from 48.8 to 49.7. This indicates that the real estate sector is almost overcoming a period of stagnation, which, in turn, will eventually provide significant support to the country's economy.

There's also a third reason. In our last review, we warned that a key event for the pound sterling last week would be the announcement of the UK Government's budget on Wednesday, 6 March. This pre-election budget could significantly impact the British currency, which in 2024 is the second most successful G10 currency after the US dollar.

Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt, presenting the spring government budget, called it a plan for long-term growth. Hunt announced various benefits and subsidies amounting to £1.8 billion, as well as an allocation of £360 million for funding research and development in the biomedical sector, car manufacturing, and aerospace production. The government will also assist British households by partially reducing taxes. Moreover, it will actively stimulate economic growth to ensure the prosperity of the country's citizens. Specifically, the temporary reduction in duties on fuel and alcohol will continue.

Hunt also stated that inflation could fall to 2.0% by the end of the year, and the UK's GDP this year would grow by 0.8%. Overall, the finance minister's figures and promises, as is customary before elections, were quite impressive, allowing the pound to strongly challenge the dollar.

But will this boost of strength last for the British currency? Economists at HSBC note that the UK still faces a challenging combination of inflation and growth. This limits the Bank of England (BoE)'s ability to maintain a maximally hawkish stance compared to other central banks. As it becomes more dovish, the pound may face significant downward pressure in the coming months.

GBP/USD concluded last week at 1.2858. Analysts' opinions on its near-term behaviour are divided: a majority (60%) predict a decline, 20% anticipate growth, and 20% remain neutral. Among trend indicators and oscillators on the D1 chart, the situation mirrors that of EUR/USD: all point north, although 25% of oscillators signal the pair is overbought. Should the pair move southward, it will encounter support levels and zones at 1.2800-1.2815, 1.2750, 1.2695-1.2710, 1.2575-1.2610, 1.2500-1.2535, 1.2450, 1.2375, and 1.2330. In the event of an upward trend, resistance will be met at levels 1.2880-1.2900, 1.2940, 1.3000, and 1.3140.

On Wednesday, 13 March, the UK's GDP data for January 2024 will be released. The country's economy is expected to show growth of 0.2%, reversing a decline of -0.1% in December, which would confirm Jeremy Hunt's optimism. No other significant macroeconomic statistics regarding the UK economy are scheduled for release next week.

continued below...

 

[Stan NordFX]

USD/JPY: A Great Week for the Yen

If the past week was very good for the pound, it was simply great for the Japanese yen. USD/JPY reached a local minimum of 146.47 on the evening of Friday, 8 March, meaning the yen reclaimed more than 360 points from the dollar.

In addition to the weakening of the dollar, the yen was bolstered by rumours that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) may soon decide to normalize its monetary policy. Citing informed sources, Reuters reported that "if the results of the spring wage negotiations [on 13 March] are strong, the Bank of Japan may not have to wait until April" to exit its negative interest rate policy, and that the BoJ "is leaning towards ending negative rates as early as March."

Another report by Jiji News mentioned that "the Bank of Japan is considering a new quantitative framework for its monetary policy, which will outline the prospects for future government bond purchases." "The Bank of Japan," Jiji continues, "will review its Yield Curve Control (YCC) as part of considering a new quantitative policy.".

Thus, Wednesday, 13 March, could become a significant day for the Japanese currency, as could 19 March, when the next meeting of the Bank of Japan is scheduled. It's possible the regulator might increase the interest rate on this day for the first time since 2016. However, analysts at the French Natixis Bank believe that if there is an increase, it would be very slight. "In reality, the depreciation of the yen is beneficial for the Japanese economy," the bank's analysts write. "It helps to bring inflation back to the 2% target and stimulates exports. Since Japan has very significant net foreign assets, primarily in dollars and euros, a depreciation of the yen leads to a capital gain in yen value of these external assets." "As a result," Natixis concludes, "one should not expect Japan to move to a tighter monetary policy. At most, a symbolic increase in the base rate can be expected."

Commerzbank holds a similar position, believing that the yen's potential is limited, and a strong appreciation, especially in the medium and long term, should not be expected. According to Commerzbank economists, this is due to the Bank of Japan's lack of capacity for a pronounced normalization of interest rates.

USD/JPY concluded last week at 147.06. As for the near future, it's impossible to come to a consensus: 20% sided with the bears, an equal 20% with the bulls, and 60% remained undecided. Among the oscillators on the D1 chart, only 15% are coloured in green, while the remaining 85% are in red, with 40% indicating an oversold condition. The distribution of strength among trend indicators is exactly the same: 85% to 15% in favour of the reds. The nearest support levels are found at 146.50, 145.90, 144.90-145.30, 143.40-143.75, 142.20, and 140.25-140.60. Resistance levels and zones are located at 147.65, 148.25-148.40, 149.20, 150.00, 150.85, 151.55-152.00, and 153.15.

In the upcoming week's calendar, noteworthy events include the announcement of Japan's Q4 2023 GDP volume on Monday, 11 March. Additionally, as previously mentioned, the wage negotiations on 13 March are of significant interest. No other major events related to the Japanese economy are planned for the near future.

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[Stan NordFX]

CRYPTOCURRENCIES: Two Historic Records in One Week

In less than 24 hours on 4 March, bitcoin appreciated by approximately 10% and reached the mark of $69,016. This was a new (but not the last) historical record, surpassing the previous one of $68,917 set on 10 November 2021. Most top-10 crypto assets also saw a 10-30% increase in value over the week.

This surge in bitcoin is attributed to purchases by a supposed billionaire from Qatar, who flew in on his private jet to Madeira for the three-day Bitcoin Atlantis conference. Keychainx CEO Robert Rodin wrote that he saw something at Madeira airport that "could forever change bitcoin." BTC maximalist Max Keiser, in turn, shared a video in which the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, greets the Emir of Qatar with the words "It's happening!"

What exactly Rodin and Bukele meant is unknown. However, this was enough to fuel discussions about Qatar adding bitcoins to its balance sheet. The accuracy of such claims is unproven, but social networks are abuzz with speculation on this matter. It's worth noting that rumours about one or two sovereign wealth funds or investment companies from the Middle East secretly buying up bitcoins have been circulating for several months.

Following the update of its historical high, bitcoin then plunged, dropping to $59,107 on 5 March, with forced liquidations on the futures market reaching $1 billion. However, this dip was short-lived as whales bought up much of the supply, not only returning the market to its previous dynamics but also setting a new record: on 8 March, the leading cryptocurrency reached $69,972. This is largely because most market participants anticipate its continued growth, surpassing at least the $100,000 mark.

According to trader Gareth Soloway, the upcoming bitcoin halving in April does not guarantee by itself that the digital gold will reach the mentioned size. Soloway identifies the monetary policy of the US Federal Reserve as the deciding factor. The Fed's reluctance to aggressively cut interest rates could support high inflation, potentially contributing to bitcoin's upward trend. "If we see an increase in liquidity (which will definitely happen), then bitcoin will rise to $100,000 in 2024," writes Soloway. However, on its way to this round figure, the trader does not rule out a short-term bearish correction.

Experts at JPMorgan also discuss the possibility that the halving could trigger a sharp decrease in the price of the first cryptocurrency. The algorithmic reduction of the reward from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC will decrease mining profitability. Based on this, economists at JPMorgan, led by senior analyst Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, predict that the price will fall to $42,000 after the halving. "The cost of mining bitcoin empirically acts as a floor for its price," their report states. "After the halving, this metric will be $42,000." "This is also the level towards which, in our view, the price will gravitate once the post-halving euphoria subsides in April," note JPMorgan's experts.

According to the well-known Stock-to-Flow (S2F) model, the primary cryptocurrency has transitioned from the accumulation phase to the growth phase. The accumulation phase is characterized by a relatively smooth price increase, low volatility, and moderate corrections, with the maximum drawdown in the concluded cycle not exceeding 22%. The growth phase presents a different picture. Historical data shows that during movements towards new highs, drawdowns ranged from 36% to 71%. JPMorgan has predicted a drop in bitcoin to $42,000. At the current price, this correction would be approximately 36-40%, aligning with the lower end of the specified range. A 70% correction, however, could lead to a significantly deeper fall.

How could this happen? Initially, to stay afloat, miners, whose incomes will be halved, will begin to sell off their stocks. Then, institutional and short-term speculators, looking to lock in profits, will join in. Concurrently, stop orders will start to trigger, leading to an avalanche-like plunge in quotations. And if investors who have put their money into spot BTC-ETFs also join this "crypto-fall", the depth of the drop could be hard to imagine. It's worth noting that in January-February, BTC-ETFs attracted 75% of all investments in the main cryptocurrency, and there are no guarantees that panic sentiment won't affect the depositors of these funds.

However deep the correction might be, bitcoin, in the opinion of many experts, will still remain within the long-term upward trend. "We have entered the era of the bitcoin gold rush. It started in January 2024 and will last approximately until November 2034," believes MicroStrategy's founder Michael Saylor. According to his calculations, by that time, miners will have extracted 99% of all coins, marking the beginning of the "growth phase." (According to BitcoinTreasuries, 93.5% has already been mined as of now).

Saylor believes that currently, only 10-20% of asset managers are interested in spot BTC-ETFs. In the future, as existing barriers are removed, this figure will approach 100%. "When they [managers] can buy BTC through a bank, platform, or prime broker, they'll spend $50 million in an hour," he stated. The founder of MicroStrategy also expressed confidence that "there will come a day when bitcoin will surpass gold and will be traded more than the S&P 500 ETFs."

In the next 15 years, bitcoin could appreciate 64 times to reach $10.63 million. This forecast was made by Professor Giovanni Santostasi based on a power-law model. According to the scientist, this model provides a clear and predictable scenario for the price change of the first cryptocurrency over long periods. However, over shorter spans, which the media primarily focus on, the quotations behave chaotically. Unlike the S2F model by the analyst known as PlanB, the power law is logarithmic, not exponential. In other words, the price of bitcoin is not expected to constantly increase over time. According to Santostasi's calculations, digital gold will peak at $210,000 in January 2026, then drop to $60,000, and after that, it will continue its wave-like growth to $10.63 million.

(For reference: A power-law relationship is a mathematical relationship between two quantities where a relative change in one quantity leads to a proportional relative change in the other, regardless of the initial values of those quantities. The manifestation of this law can be found across a wide range of natural phenomena, from the frequency of earthquakes to the dynamics of stock market changes.).

As of the evening of Friday, 8 March, BTC/USD is trading at around $68,100. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has slightly risen from 80 to 81 points, entering the Extreme Greed zone. The total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies stands at $2.60 trillion (up from $2.34 trillion a week ago), with the main cryptocurrency's dominance index at nearly 52%, and its capitalization exceeding $1.35 trillion. This surpasses the fiat currency market capitalizations of Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the UAE, Mexico, and many other countries. A few days ago, BTC surpassed the Russian ruble in capitalization, taking the 14th spot in the overall ranking of the largest currencies, with the Swiss franc as its nearest competitor. Amid news that bitcoin exceeded the rouble, jokes flooded the internet suggesting Vladimir Putin is Satoshi Nakamoto. Ethereum ranked 28th, performing better than the Chilean peso but not as well as the Turkish lira.

In the overall ranking of the most capitalized assets, which includes precious metals and companies, bitcoin secured the 10th place. It surpassed Berkshire Hathaway, the company of well-known cryptocurrency critic billionaire Warren Buffett, but did not reach Meta. The top 3 are currently occupied by gold, Microsoft, and Apple.


NordFX Analytical Group


Notice: These materials are not investment recommendations or guidelines for working in financial markets and are intended for informational purposes only. Trading in financial markets is risky and can result in a complete loss of deposited funds.

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[Stan NordFX]

CryptoNews of the Week

– In a CNBC interview, former US President and Republican Party leader Donald Trump highlighted the importance of the American national currency and compared moving away from the dollar standard to a defeat. At the same time, he stated that he does not plan to obstruct the use of bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies if he wins the election in November. "If you think about it, it's an additional form of currency," Trump remarked. "Bitcoin is widely used, and I'm not sure I would want to give it up right now," the politician added. However, when asked by the interviewer if he himself invests in cryptocurrency, the former (and possibly future) president responded negatively.

– Balaji Srinivasan, former CTO of Coinbase and a general partner at a16z, has declared we are in the phase of treasury plunder amidst an empire's collapse. Bitcoin, he asserts, is the only available salvation from inflation and the potential confiscation of assets in the US, which could result from the unsustainable trajectory of government spending. According to his calculations, the US national debt has reached a record $34.5 trillion, having increased by 25% since 2020, and continues to grow by $1 trillion every 90 days. The US government spends $10 billion more daily than it receives. Based on this, Srinivasan did not rule out that, as we approach a "financial reckoning" for such behaviour, the "insatiable state" might consider the confiscation of private assets.
"Private property will not be protected by the state in a bankrupt blue (Democratic) America. Any blockchain under Washington's control is vulnerable. Fortunately, we have digital gold that is independent of the state and cannot be confiscated. Bitcoin maximalism will triumph. It will save us from state budgeting," believes the former CTO of Coinbase. Although he refrained from specifying when the "reckoning" would occur, he reminded that the inevitability of such a scenario had previously been mentioned by Ray Dalio, Elon Musk, Larry Fink, and Stanley Druckenmiller.

– Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan, has urged the US Federal Reserve to postpone cutting interest rates until June and shared his views on the first cryptocurrency, as reported by CNBC citing the businessman's speech at the Australian Financial Review summit. "I don't know what bitcoin is for, but just as with the right to smoke a cigarette, I'll support your right to buy bitcoin. Personally, however, I would never buy it," he stated, adding that the use of digital assets is often associated with illegal activities, including human trafficking, fraud, and terrorism.

– William Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital, has attributed bitcoin mining as one of the causes for inflation increase and the fall of the US dollar. "The rise in bitcoin prices leads to an increase in mining and energy consumption, raising the latter's cost, thus causing inflation to rise and the dollar to decline. This stimulates demand for bitcoin, its mining, and energy consumption. The cycle continues, bitcoin goes into infinity, energy prices skyrocket, and the economy collapses," the billionaire described his scenario, adding that this relationship "works in reverse as well."
"Wondering if I should buy bitcoin in such a situation?" Ackman pondered, to which another billionaire, MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor, replied, "You should buy some bitcoin, but not for the reasons mentioned above. Most bitcoin miners actually help to reduce the cost of electricity for other consumers, not the other way around. Let me know if you want to discuss this issue one-on-one," he wrote.

– Michael Saylor believes that bitcoin will "eat" gold in the future, becoming a more valuable asset because it possesses all the advantages of gold while being free from its disadvantages. Saylor pointed out that precious metal cannot be moved quickly, whereas bitcoin can be transferred to a new owner instantly.
The appearance of the first cryptocurrency in various investment products is a sign of the asset's future dominance, according to the MicroStrategy co-founder. The digital asset will also begin to take market share from other risky investment products, with Saylor naming the S&P 500 ETF fund as one of the potential "victims."
It is noteworthy that bitcoin, having risen above $72,000 per coin, surpassed silver in market capitalization on March 11, 2024. The first cryptocurrency moved to the eighth position in the ranking of the largest assets by this indicator, overcoming the $1.4 trillion mark.

– Pierre Rochard, Vice President of Research at his company, evaluated the US budget for 2025 proposed by Joe Biden's team. The researcher's conclusion is that the Democrats anticipate BTC reaching $250,000 within a decade: by 2034-2035. This is inferred from the taxes laid out by the White House in the budget. However, the expert clarified that there are no direct indications of this price in the budget. Conclusions are drawn based on the assessment of potential profits from taxes and the regulation of the cryptocurrency market.
Rochard draws another conclusion from the White House documents. According to his analysis, the mining industry in the US could experience exponential growth. This could be due to the active development of the US market and an excess of electrical energy, leading to a tenfold increase in this industry.

– Following the approval of spot bitcoin ETFs in the US earlier this year, demand for the flagship crypto asset significantly exceeded the daily supply of bitcoin mined by miners, and the halving scheduled for the third decade of April will only intensify this imbalance. As a result, many analysts believe that the price of bitcoin is in the early stages of a super-cycle, fuelled by institutional investors and issues in the global macroeconomy.
At the time of writing this overview, the maximum price of bitcoin was recorded at $73,556. Analysts at Matrixport are optimistic about the coin's global future. However, according to them, a risk-reward analysis suggests that the coin's quotes may soon adjust. "This bull market still has legs," Matrixport believes, "but the divergence between the decreasing RSI and high BTC prices may signal that bitcoin needs to consolidate before it can start increasing in price again."
Investor and founder of MN Trading, Michael Van De Poppe, believes that a market retracement of 20-30% is quite possible in the near future. He also noted that he expects a lot from altcoins, which have not yet reached record levels.

– Raoul Pal, the founder of investment firm Real Vision, has forecasted the targets BTC, ETH, and SOL could reach in the near future. He suggested that the target mark for bitcoin in the near term is $250,000 per coin. Moreover, the first cryptocurrency might exceed this projected level due to the high demand for spot bitcoin ETFs. The upcoming April halving is also expected to boost demand for this cryptocurrency.
Raoul Pal is also bullish on Ethereum, predicting its value could rise to between $17,000 and $20,000, thanks to the utility of smart contracts. Currently, ETH is trading around $4,000, but unlike bitcoin, it has yet to surpass its record: in November 2021, Ethereum reached a level of $4,856. The Real Vision founder believes that the altcoin's growth could be influenced by its strong correlation with bitcoin, anticipation of the launch of spot ETH ETFs, and the Dencun update.
Pal forecasts that the price of Solana could range from $700 to $1,000, as the blockchain's high performance will increase demand for this coin. In early November 2021, SOL reached its peak at $260, indicating the coin still has plenty of growth potential.

– Bernstein analysts believe that shares of mining companies remain the best proxy investments in bitcoin as the cryptocurrency moves towards a target mark of $150,000. In a note to clients, they point out that historically, miners' stock prices have almost always outperformed bitcoin in terms of growth rate during a bull market. As we are in the middle of the current cycle, every "weakness window" for miners of digital gold is, in experts' opinion, an opportunity to buy their shares.
Bernstein asserts that the segment is currently dominated by retail investors, while institutional investors mostly avoid "bitcoin-proxy" investments due to their ongoing scepticism towards cryptocurrencies. However, as the asset grows to new highs, analysts expect this category of investors' interest in miners' stocks to awaken, making them the primary beneficiaries of capital inflow.


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

Forex and Cryptocurrencies Forecast for March 18 - 22, 2024​

EUR/USD: Stubborn Inflation Refuses to Back Down

Market participants last week were keenly focused on inflation data from the US. The FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) meeting of the Federal Reserve is scheduled for Wednesday, 20 March, and these figures will undoubtedly influence the Committee's decision on interest rates. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell recently stated that more evidence of a sustainable slowdown in inflation would be necessary to start cutting rates. However, it appears that such evidence is lacking. Data released on Tuesday, 12 March, showed that prices, instead of decreasing, have been on the rise.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), excluding food and energy, was expected to increase by 0.3% but actually rose by 0.4% month-on-month. Year-on-year, inflation in February increased by 3.8%, slightly above the forecast of 3.7%. The overall CPI showed a monthly increase of 0.4% and an annual rise of 3.2%. Thus, the overall CPI has increased by 4.2% on an annual basis over the last three months, marking the highest level since June of the previous year. Certainly, this surge in inflation is not a cause for panic, but it is too early to declare a complete victory over it, for which the Fed raised rates to the highest level in 40 years.

Additional arguments for the Federal Reserve to refrain from hastily cutting rates emerged on Thursday, 14 March. It was found that industrial inflation, measured by the Producer Price Index (PPI), increased from 0.3% to 0.6% month-on-month, against market expectations of 0.3%. Against this backdrop, the yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds sharply increased, providing support to the dollar.

Beyond CPI and PPI, there's a third argument in favour of maintaining the Federal Reserve's tight monetary policy: the labour market, which remains relatively robust. Despite the highest unemployment rate increase in two years (from 3.7% to 3.9%), the number of new jobs created outside of the agricultural sector (NonFarm Payrolls) reached 275K, significantly exceeding both the previous figure of 229K and the forecast of 198K. Additionally, real wages continued to grow year-on-year in February.

Against the backdrop mentioned above, the euro faced pressure last week. Moderately dovish statements from officials at the European Central Bank (ECB) did not provide any relief. On Thursday, the bank's chief economist, Philip Lane, in an interview with CNBC, stated that wages are moving in the right direction. However, he added, the EU's monetary authorities avoid giving clear forecasts regarding further steps and must make decisions at each specific meeting.

According to Peter Kazimir, a member of the ECB's Governing Council and head of the National Bank of Slovakia, it would be wise to wait until June for the first rate cut. "Rushing this step is unwise and disadvantageous," he said. "Upside risks to inflation are alive and well. More convincing data on inflation prospects are needed. [And] only in June will we reach the threshold of confidence in this matter." "But the discussion on easing should start now," added the head of the National Bank of Slovakia.

Olli Rehn, a member of the ECB's Governing Council and head of the Bank of Finland, spoke similarly. He confirmed the start of discussions on reducing the restrictive aspect of the bank's monetary policy. When asked about the appropriate time to begin rate cuts, he carefully replied, "If inflation continues to decline, it would be possible to gradually start lifting the foot off the monetary policy brake pedal."

The preliminary Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, published on 15 March, showed a slight decrease to 76.5 from the previous value and forecast of 76.9. Following this, EUR/USD ended the working week at 1.0886. As for the near-term outlook, as of the evening of Friday, 15 March, 75% of experts voted for a strengthening dollar and a decline in the pair, with 15% siding with the euro and 10% taking a neutral stance. Oscillator readings on the D1 are evenly distributed: one-third are coloured green, one-third red, and one-third neutral grey. Trend indicators' force ratio is such: 35% recommend selling the pair, while 65% recommend buying it. The nearest support for the pair is located in the zone of 1.0845-1.0865, followed by 1.0800, then 1.0725, 1.0680-1.0695, 1.0620, 1.0495-1.0515, and 1.0450. Resistance zones are found at 1.0920, 1.0965-1.0980, 1.1015, 1.1050, 1.1100-1.1140, and 1.1230-1.1275.

In the coming week, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) value for the Eurozone will be released on Monday, 18 March. However, as the ECB meeting has already taken place, this indicator is unlikely to provoke a strong market reaction. The main event of the week, as mentioned, will be the Federal Reserve's FOMC meeting on Wednesday, 20 March. It is expected to be the fifth consecutive meeting where the federal funds rate remains unchanged at 5.50%. The greatest interest for economists and investors will likely lie in the subsequent Federal Reserve leadership press conference, where they hope to hear hints about the start date for monetary policy easing. Currently, according to CME FedWatch, there is a 40% chance that the reduction will begin in June.

Apart from these events, a comprehensive package of data on business activity (PMI) across various sectors of the economy in the US, Germany, and the Eurozone, set to be released on Thursday, 21 March, also presents interest. On the same day, traditional data on the number of initial unemployment claims in the US will be published.

GBP/USD: More Negatives than Positives for the Pound

Last week, the dollar was recovering from the losses it suffered in the first ten days of March. On one hand, GBP/USD was pressured by rising inflation in the US, and on the other hand, by weak macroeconomic statistics from the United Kingdom. Data published on Tuesday, 12 March, confirmed the cooling of the country's labour market. In January, employment decreased by 21K (against a forecasted increase of 10K), and the unemployment rate rose from 3.8% to 3.9% (forecasted at 3.8%). Additionally, the number of claims for unemployment benefits sharply increased from 3.1K in January to 16.8K in February. Meanwhile, the wage growth of UK workers slowed down, marking the slowest pace since 2022.

Market participants' pessimism increased on Wednesday, 13 March. It was revealed that although the country's GDP grew by 0.2% in January, industrial production fell from +0.6% to -0.2% month-on-month and from +0.6% to +0.5% year-on-year. The manufacturing sector saw an even sharper decline, from +0.8% to 0.0% month-on-month and from +2.3% to +2.0% year-on-year.

All these data strengthen the likelihood of the Bank of England (BoE) soon shifting to a more dovish monetary policy. Some estimates suggest this could happen as early as May. If data from the United Kingdom continue to worsen, the probability of a pound interest rate cut in the coming months will only increase, pushing GBP/USD further down.

"GBP/USD could fall as the UK continues to stagnate and the Bank of England finally begins to cut rates," analysts at the French bank Societe Generale believe. Economists at the Dutch Rabobank also see potential for significant strengthening of the dollar against the British currency over a 1 to 3-month horizon. However, Rabobank forecasts that the interest rate differential, signs of improvement in the UK's economic outlook, combined with the prospect of uneventful elections in the country and a relatively stable political backdrop, should provide moderate support to the pound. "We believe," the bank's economists write, "that over a 12-month perspective, GBP/USD will recover to the 1.3000 area.".

The pair closed the week at 1.2734. Analyst opinions on its near-term direction were divided as follows: a majority (65%) voted for a decline, 20% for an increase, and 15% remained neutral. Among the D1 oscillators, 40% point north, only 10% south, and 50% east. Trend indicators have 65% looking upwards and 35% in the opposite direction. Should the pair move southward, it will encounter support levels and zones at 1.2695-1.2710, 1.2575-1.2610, 1.2500-1.2535, 1.2450, 1.2375, and 1.2330. In the event of an upward move, resistance will be met at levels 1.2755, 1.2820, 1.2880-1.2900, 1.2940, 1.3000, and 1.3140.

In addition to the Federal Reserve's FOMC meeting, the upcoming week will also feature a meeting of the Bank of England, scheduled for Thursday, 21 March. The day before, we will learn about the inflation situation (CPI) in the United Kingdom, and just before the BoE meeting, preliminary data on business activity (PMI) in the country will be released. The workweek will conclude with the publication of retail sales data in the United Kingdom.

continued below...

 

[Stan NordFX]

USD/JPY: What to Expect from the Bank of Japan

The upcoming week, on Tuesday, 19 March, will also see a meeting of the Bank of Japan (BoJ). Consequently, speculation regarding an imminent shift in the regulator's monetary policy is mounting. Analysts at TD Securities have shifted their forecast for a yen rate hike from April to March. "Following a positive round of wage negotiations, we believe the Bank of Japan has the necessary information to raise the rate at next week's meeting," they write. TD Securities expects that if the rate is increased, such a move away from NIRP could easily push USD/JPY to 145.00. However, if the BoJ does not do so but attempts to sound hawkish, hinting at the possibility of a policy reversal in April, the pair might rise, but only slightly – to 150.00.

Rabobank analysts also discussed the potential tone of the Bank of Japan's statements. "If the Bank of Japan exits its negative interest rate policy on 19 March, it is likely that rates will only be raised by 10 or 15 basis points (bps)," the Rabobank experts believe. "Furthermore, at best, the Bank of Japan's guidance next week will be cautiously optimistic. It is important to note that even after the negative rate is relegated to economic history, Japan's monetary policy settings will likely remain accommodative." Rabobank does not rule out that a very cautious tone from the BoJ regarding further changes may increase the risk of a "sell the fact" reaction post-19 March. "Nevertheless, despite the risk of a short-term increase in the pair, we continue to see the possibility of USD/JPY declining to 146.00 in a three-month perspective," conclude the Rabobank economists.

Strategists at Standard Chartered echo similar sentiments. Like many of their peers, they anticipate that the Bank of Japan will end its ultra-loose policy in March rather than April. However, in their view, the expected policy adjustment is unlikely to signal the start of an aggressive rate-hiking cycle. The abolition of the negative interest rate policy (NIRP) will not alter the negative yield differential with other countries. Nonetheless, the potential cessation of yield curve control (YCC) should ultimately be positive for the yen, especially if the Federal Reserve and the ECB start cutting rates from June. In this scenario, Standard Chartered strategists believe that by the end of Q2 2024, USD/JPY could fall to 145.00.

Economists at ING, the largest banking group in the Netherlands, have repeatedly emphasized that a sustainable rally in the yen is more dependent on cuts in the Federal Reserve's rates than on rate hikes by the Bank of Japan. "We still believe that it will be difficult for the yen to sustainably strengthen beyond the volatility surrounding the rate hike until rates in the US are reduced. This remains our base scenario for this year," they write.

Societe Generale analysts are notably optimistic about the Japanese yen in their forecasts. They believe the yen is the only G7 currency likely to significantly appreciate against the US dollar this year. Even if the Bank of Japan's steps away from negative interest rates and yield curve control on 19 March are fairly symbolic, the yen is still expected to strengthen, as it is currently considered undervalued.

Throughout the past week, USD/JPY, buoyed by a strengthening dollar, rose and concluded at 149.05. Looking ahead, whereas a majority of analysts sided with the dollar in EUR/USD and GBP/USD, the situation here is reversed – in anticipation of a historic move by the Bank of Japan, 65% of experts leaned towards the bearish side for the pair, with 35% remaining undecided. No votes were cast in favour of the American currency. Technical analysis tools seem unaware of the Bank of Japan's meeting, which is why only 35% of D1 oscillators favoured the yen, 25% favoured the dollar, and 40% remained neutral. Trend indicators show a clear advantage for the dollar – 90% are coloured green, and only 10% red. The nearest support levels are located at 148.40, 147.60, 146.50, 145.90, 144.90-145.30, 143.40-143.75, 142.20, 140.25-140.60. Resistance levels and zones are at 150.00, 150.85, 151.55-152.00, 153.15.

Apart from the Bank of Japan meeting, no other significant events related to the Japanese economy are scheduled for the coming days. Traders should also note that Wednesday, 20 March, is a public holiday in Japan: the country observes the Vernal Equinox Day.

continued below...

 

[Stan NordFX]

CRYPTOCURRENCIES: Riding the Wave of FOMO to New Historical Highs

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is currently the dominant sentiment in the market, driving the leading cryptocurrency to new heights. Another record was set on Thursday, 14 March, when BTC/USD reached $73,743.

Following the approval of spot bitcoin ETFs in the US earlier this year, demand for the flagship crypto asset has significantly outstripped the daily supply of bitcoin mined by miners. The halving, scheduled for the third decade of April, will only intensify this imbalance. Despite these two drivers remaining on the agenda, their endless discussion has started to weary market participants. As a result, the focus has shifted towards issues of the global economy, the Federal Reserve's monetary policy, and the upcoming presidential elections in the US.

Starting with the potential Presidents of the United States, specifically what could happen if the White House is won by one of the two main contenders. Former US President and Republican Party leader Donald Trump emphasized the importance of the American national currency in a CNBC interview, comparing a departure from the dollar standard to defeat. At the same time, he stated he would not interfere with the use of bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies if he wins the elections in November. "If you think about it, it's an additional form of currency," Trump said. "[Bitcoin] is widely used, and I'm not sure I'd want to give it up right now," the politician added. However, when asked by the host if he himself invests in cryptocurrency, the former (and potentially future) president answered negatively.

Regarding the current White House occupant, a study conducted by Pierre Rochard, Vice President of Riot, is of interest. He assessed the US budget for 2025, proposed by Joe Biden's team, and concluded that Democrats are expecting BTC to reach $250,000 over a decade – by 2034-2035. This is suggested by the taxes laid out by the White House in the budget. However, the expert clarified that the document, of course, does not contain direct indications of this price. Conclusions are made based on the assessment of potential profit from taxes and regulation of the cryptocurrency market.

Discussing the US economy, former Coinbase CTO and a16z general partner Balaji Srinivasan writes, "We are in the phase of looting the treasury amidst the collapse of an empire. Bitcoin is the only available salvation from inflation and potential asset confiscation in the US, which could occur due to the unsustainable trajectory of government spending." According to Srinivasan's calculations, the US national debt has reached a record $34.5 trillion, increasing by 25% since 2020, and continues to grow by $1 trillion every 90 days. The US government spends $10 billion more daily than it receives. Given this, the former Coinbase CTO did not rule out that as the "financial reckoning" for such behaviour approaches, the "insatiable state" might consider the possibility of confiscating private assets.

"Private property will not be protected by the state in a bankrupt blue [Democratic] America. Any blockchain under Washington's control is vulnerable. Fortunately, we have digital gold. It is independent of the state and cannot be confiscated. Bitcoin maximalism will win. It will save us from state budgeting," believes the former CTO of Coinbase. He declined to specify when the "reckoning" would occur but reminded that Ray Dalio, Elon Musk, Larry Fink, and Stanley Druckenmiller have previously announced the inevitability of such a scenario.

Analysts at Matrixport, sharing Balaji Srinivasan's optimism about the global future of bitcoin, also suggest that a risk-reward analysis indicates that the coin's quotes may soon undergo a correction. "This bull market still has legs," Matrixport believes, "but the divergence between the decreasing RSI and high BTC prices could signal that bitcoin needs to consolidate before it can start rising in price again."

Investor and founder of MN Trading, Michael Van De Poppe, believes a market pullback of 20-30% is quite possible in the near term. He also noted that he has high expectations for altcoins, which have yet to reach record highs.

Raoul Pal, the founder of the investment company Real Vision, predicted the potential performance of bitcoin, ETH, and SOL. He suggested that the target mark for bitcoin in the foreseeable future is $250,000 per coin. The first cryptocurrency may exceed this projected level due to high demand for spot bitcoin ETFs. The upcoming April halving is also expected to increase demand for this cryptocurrency.

Raoul Pal is also bullish on Ethereum. Thanks to the utility of smart contracts, the value of this altcoin could rise to $17,000-$20,000. Currently, ETH is trading around $4,000, but unlike bitcoin, it has not yet surpassed its record – in November 2021, Ethereum reached a level of $4,856. The Real Vision founder believes that the altcoin's growth could be influenced by a strong correlation with bitcoin, anticipation of the launch of spot ETH ETFs, and the Dencun update.

The specialist forecasts that the price of Solana could range from $700 to $1,000, as the high performance of the blockchain will increase demand for this coin. In early November 2021, SOL reached a peak mark of $260, and the coin still has plenty of growth opportunities.

Last week, much attention was also paid to miners, not just individually, but in conjunction with the American economy. Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital, called bitcoin mining one of the reasons for inflation and the fall of the US dollar. "The rise in bitcoin prices leads to an increase in mining and energy consumption, raising the latter's cost and causing inflation and the dollar's decline. This stimulates demand for bitcoin, its mining, and energy consumption. The cycle continues, bitcoin goes into infinity, energy prices skyrocket, the economy collapses," the billionaire described his scenario, adding that this relationship "works both ways."

Taking an opposite viewpoint was another influencer – the aforementioned Pierre Rochard from Riot. He believes that the mining industry could experience exponential 10-fold growth, thanks to the active development of the US market and the country's surplus of electricity. His scenario does not foresee an economic collapse and sky-high energy prices.

Time will tell which of these experts is correct. However, according to analysts at Bernstein, mining company stocks remain the best proxy investments in bitcoin as the cryptocurrency moves towards the target mark of $150,000. In a note to clients, they point out that historically, miners' quotes have almost always outperformed bitcoin in terms of growth rate during a bull market. Since we are in the middle of the current cycle, every "weakness window" for digital gold miners is, in the experts' opinion, an opportunity to buy their stocks.

Bernstein claims that retail investors currently dominate this segment, while institutional investors largely avoid "bitcoin-proxy" investments, as they remain sceptical about cryptocurrencies. However, as the asset grows to new highs, analysts expect this category of investors' interest in miners' stocks to awaken and grow.

At the beginning of spring, bitcoin surpassed the Russian rouble in market capitalization and occupied the 14th position in the overall ranking of the largest currencies. Just a few days later, on 11 March 2024, bitcoin made another leap – rising above $72,000 per coin, it surpassed silver in market capitalization. The first cryptocurrency moved to the eighth spot in the ranking of the largest assets by this measure, crossing the $1.4 trillion mark.

As of the writing of this review, on the evening of Friday, 15 March, after traders took profits, BTC/USD is trading around $68,200. The total market capitalization of the crypto market stands at $2.58 trillion ($2.60 trillion a week ago). The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has risen from 81 to 83 points and is in the Extreme Greed zone. (It's worth noting that the historical maximum for this index was recorded at 95 points during the Bull Rally at the end of 2020).

NordFX Analytical Group


Notice: These materials are not investment recommendations or guidelines for working in financial markets and are intended for informational purposes only. Trading in financial markets is risky and can result in a complete loss of deposited funds.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

CryptoNews of the Week

– Roger Ver, introducing his new book "The Hijacking of Bitcoin: The Hidden Story of BTC," announced that bitcoin has been captured by a group of insiders. According to this experienced investor, this development has altered the project's philosophy. Jeffrey Tucker, an economist, and the founder of the Brownstone Institute, who contributed to the book, lamented that the story it tells is tragic because the opportunity to change the world with bitcoin was stolen. Bitcoin could have liberated society, but it failed to do so.
Previously, Roger Ver had stated that he considers Ethereum more valuable, despite its lower market capitalisation, because the ETH project does much more for the widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies than bitcoin.

– According to Bitcointreasuries, a significant portion of the first cryptocurrency is owned by various organisations, including government and private investment companies, governments, exchange and investment funds. Together, they hold approximately 12% of the total volume of bitcoins. Around 10% is stored on centralized cryptocurrency exchanges, and another 8.09% belongs to accounts that have been inactive for many years.
The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, iShares Bitcoin Trust, and Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund lead the cryptocurrency market in terms of bitcoin volume, holding 380,241 BTC, 230,617 BTC, and 132,571 BTC, respectively.
Among public companies, MicroStrategy has emerged as the largest holder of bitcoins, with 205,000 BTC on its balance sheet. Marathon Digital holds the second position with 15,741 BTC, followed by Tesla and Coinbase Global in third and fourth places with 9,720 BTC and 9,480 BTC, respectively.
In the realm of private companies, according to available information, Block.one leads in ownership levels with 164,000 BTC. Following it is the MTGOX exchange with a balance of 141,686 BTC. Stablecoin issuer Tether owns 66,465 BTC. The fourth position is occupied by the BitMEX exchange with 57,672 BTC.
In the ranking of bitcoin ownership among states, the USA leads with 215,000 BTC, followed by China with 190,000 BTC, the UK with 61,000 BTC, and Germany with 50,000 BTC.
Adding these figures to the share of the asset attributed to bitcoin's founder, Satoshi Nakamoto (4.76%), it can be concluded that about 35% of mined BTC is unavailable to other private investors. This, to some extent, confirms the conclusion made by Roger Ver.

– Around 48% of voters who own digital assets plan to vote for Donald Trump in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, according to a survey by Paradigm. Another 38% prefer the current President, Joe Biden, while 13% are undecided about their candidate choice. Additionally, 69% of respondents are dissatisfied with the current state of the country's financial system. 49% of those surveyed stated they do not trust either of the U.S. parties regarding digital asset issues.
The survey data indicates that 19% of registered American voters own digital assets, 7% of respondents own cryptocurrencies valued at over $1,000, and 1% own more than $10,000 worth of cryptocurrencies.

– A British court has ruled that Craig Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto. The legal proceedings initiated by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) against Wright began in 2021. The organisation filed a lawsuit against the businessman to prevent him from claiming intellectual property rights to bitcoin technology. The court has now delivered its verdict: "Firstly, Dr. Wright is not the author of the bitcoin white paper. Secondly, Wright is not the individual who acted under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto from 2008 to 2011. Thirdly, he is not the person who created the bitcoin system. And fourthly, Wright is not the author of the original versions of the first cryptocurrency's software."
Furthermore, the court has suspended two other cases involving Wright – lawsuits against Coinbase and Block. It is possible that a restraining order will be issued to prevent Wright from ever claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto, though a final decision on this matter has yet to be made.

– India's Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, has taken a firm stance on bitcoin and other crypto-assets, stating that they cannot be considered real money. According to her, cryptocurrencies are primarily used for trading, speculation, and profit-making. They do not function as traditional currencies issued by central banks and thus thrive solely due to market manipulations.
Ms. Sitharaman highlighted that cryptocurrencies are still unregulated in India, and this issue has been raised at the G20 forum. The minister believes it is crucial for G20 member countries to establish a unified international regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, which would help manage their risks.

– The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) of Japan, with assets of approximately $1.5 trillion, will consider portfolio diversification options, including the inclusion of the leading cryptocurrency. This initiative is part of an exploration of innovative investment strategies and is a response to economic and social changes as well as rapid technological developments.
Currently, the GPIF invests in traditional assets such as domestic and foreign stocks and bonds, as well as alternative instruments like real estate.

– Analysts at Standard Chartered have revised their bitcoin price target for the end of 2024 from $100,000 to $150,000, with Ethereum potentially reaching $8,000 by the same date. By the end of 2025, the first and second cryptocurrencies could appreciate to $200,000 and $14,000, respectively.
The change in expectations is driven by the excitement around spot bitcoin ETFs and the sharp increase in the asset's price since January. The analysts justified their forecast based on the dynamics of gold following the approval of ETFs and the optimization of the ratio of the precious metal to its digital counterpart at 80% to 20%.
According to Standard Chartered experts, if inflows into ETFs reach $75 billion, bitcoin could increase in value even more – up to $250,000. Actions by sovereign wealth funds could also accelerate growth rates. "We see a growing likelihood that major reserve managers might announce bitcoin purchases in 2024," the analysts say.

– Dan Tapiero, CEO of the investment company 10T Holdings, has also mentioned a figure of $200,000. "I don't think it's that crazy," he stated. According to the financier's calculations, the potential for a threefold increase from the current price roughly corresponds to the percentage difference between the peaks of 2017 and 2021. Moreover, from the lows of the bear market to the peak of 2021, digital gold increased in value by 20 times. This suggests a $300,000 benchmark as a positive scenario.
"It's hard to set specific points and times in such matters. I think we will reach this [zone] within the next 18-24 months, maybe even sooner," Tapiero believes. "A reduction in supply during a rapid increase in demand for ETFs, along with the halving, indicates a significant growth potential. I think the first cryptocurrency will pull everything else up with it."
The CEO of 10T Holdings also noted "good chances" of approval for exchange-traded funds based on Ethereum. However, he found it difficult to say whether these ETFs would be registered in May or if it would happen later.

– After reaching a new all-time high of $73,743 on March 14th, bitcoin experienced a sharp decline, losing about 13%. Some experts do not rule out further temporary decreases. For instance, Kris Marszalek, CEO of Crypto.com, believes that the current volatility of BTC is actually low compared to previous cycles, mainly due to the options market. Michael Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy Digital, is confident that the bottom line is at $50,000, and the coin's price will never fall below it unless a dramatic event occurs. According to him, bitcoin's growth is mainly supported by investors' insatiable appetite for the token, rather than macroeconomic factors such as the policies of the US Federal Reserve. JPMorgan analysts have more cautious feelings towards BTC, stating that the halving is unlikely to be a bullish catalyst for the coin. According to their forecast, bitcoin could fall by 33% after this event.

– The artificial intelligence of OpenAI's ChatGPT, when asked whether the BTC price could reach $100,000 on the eve of the halving, acknowledged this target as plausible. According to the AI's calculations, the current correction in no way affects the growth prospects and only confirms the inaccuracy of short-term forecasts. ChatGPT estimated the probability of reaching $100,000 at 40%, while the probability of hitting the $85,000 mark was assessed at 60%.

– BeInCrypto's editorial team discovered the origin of rumours claiming Vladimir Putin is Satoshi Nakamoto. It appears that Daniel Peña, also known as the "Trillion Dollar Man," an American businessman and founder of Quantum Leap Advantage, initiated them. His first statements linking the Russian President to cryptocurrency date back to 2019. Since then, the entrepreneur has repeatedly supported his theory. Peña believes that Putin benefits from the creation of bitcoin, as the cryptocurrency could undermine the position of the US dollar in the financial market and destabilize the American economy. Despite the lack of evidence for these claims, this theory has taken root and has become a meme over the years.


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market