Bitcoin Hits 1 Trillion Market Cap For First Time Since December 2021 As BTC Tops 51000

Bitcoin Hits $1 Trillion Market Cap For First Time Since December 2021 As BTC Tops $51,000

By Brenda Ngari – February 14, 2024

After briefly dropping below $50K yesterday, thanks to a hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation report, Bitcoin has bounced back up. The overall market value of Bitcoin’s circulating supply breached $1 trillion today after the BTC price ticked above the $51,000 milestone.

Bitcoin Reclaims Its $1-Trillion Asset Status

 

Bitcoin has touched the $1 trillion market cap for the first time since December 2021.

At press time, BTC costs $51,681, according to data from CoinGecko. It’s gained 6.2% over the last 24 hours and an eye-watering 20.3% since this time last week.

BTC seemed like it was having a sluggish year after the greenlighting of 10 hotly-anticipated spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in mid-January.

The spot market products secured the regulatory nod from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after a decade of rejections, but the price of Bitcoin slumped. This was because one of the largest fund managers, Grayscale Investments, sold massive amounts of Bitcoin after users wanted to redeem their shares. That selling pressure looks to have subdued in recent days, though, and money is pouring back into the market.

The new spot investment vehicles have now seen over $3 billion worth of net flows — representing a milestone that is not typical within the first four weeks of trading for a newly-listed ETF.

Bitcoin’s notable growth comes as the Crypto Fear and Greed Index had soared to its highest point since late 2021 when Bitcoin attained its current lifetime high of $69,044.77. As per data from Alternative.me, the greed index inched into the “extreme greed” rating of 79 on Feb. 13. Hitting an extreme greed score for the first time in over two years indicates a renewal of optimism among crypto investors. Bitcoin’s market sentiment score now sits at 74.

The top crypto’s concerted attempt to hold its price above the $50,000 zone this year happens as the next Bitcoin halving, a quadrennial event when the reward to miners for securing the Bitcoin blockchain is ha

The original article written by Brenda Ngari and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

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Tim Moseley

Gold declines sharply as higher-than-expected CPI leads to dollar strength

Gold declines sharply as higher-than-expected CPI leads to dollar strength
 

Gold declines sharply as higher-than-expected CPI leads to dollar strength teaser image

Today the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the consumer price index report for January.

“The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.2 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.1 percent before seasonal adjustment”.

The index for shelter increased by 0.6% in January, which contributed the largest spike in inflationary pressures, contributing approximately two-thirds of the monthly all items increase. Food was also troublesome, increasing 0.4% last month. The energy index fell by 0.9% over the month, largely due to a decline in gasoline costs.

The numbers revealed that inflationary pressures last month came in 1/10 of a point more than economists’ expectations. A higher-than-expected rise in inflation last month could easily change the timing of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. More so, it raises a small, but real possibility that the Federal Reserve might raise rates before pivoting to rate cuts. However, for that to happen, inflation would have to come in hotter than expected in February.

Multiple Fed officials, including Chairman Powell have made it clear that they need to see more evidence that inflation is abating before making a final decision on the timing to initiate the Fed’s first rate cut. During his post-FOMC meeting press conference, Chairman Powell was asked if inflation has declined enough to initiate the first rate cut to which he answered, “We will need to see continuing evidence to build confidence that inflation is moving down sustainably toward our goal.”

Powell also remarked that a rate cut in March would be highly unlikely and today’s inflationary numbers reinforce that decision making the most likely first rate cut to possibly occur in May, but more likely in June. According to the CME’s FedWatch tool, there is only an 8.5% probability that the Federal Reserve will cut rates in March, and a 32.3% probability of a rate cut in May. That changes in June with a 52.7% probability that the Fed will have cut rates by ¼%, an 18.9% probability of ½% rate cut, and a 1.3% probability of a ¾% rate cut by the conclusion of the June FOMC meeting.

Following the release of today’s CPI report U.S. Treasury yields rose. The yield on 10-year treasury notes rose by 10 basis points to its current yield of 4.273%. The yield on 30-year bonds rose by seven basis points currently yielding 4.437%.

Higher yields on treasury debt moved the dollar substantially higher. The dollar opened at 104.156 and traded to a high of 105.001, and as of 4:45 PM ET, the dollar index is currently trading at 104.911 after factoring in today’s gain of 0.72%.

Gold sold off sharply based upon bearish market sentiment, resulting in traders actively selling, coupled with dollar strength. Gold futures basis the most active April contract declined by 1.64% taking gold $33.50 lower. While selling pressure resulted in a greater price decline than dollar strength, both were prominent factors in today’s $33 price decline.

Wishing you as always good trading

Kitco Media

Gary Wagner

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Which Crypto Narratives Will Dominate The Next Bull Market? Cryptos To Watch In 2024

Which Crypto Narratives Will Dominate The Next Bull Market? Cryptos To Watch In 2024

The key to achieving success in the cryptocurrency realm is to invest in narratives, not just statistics. During the previous bull market, the most captivating narratives were Decentralized Finance (DeFi), Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and the Metaverse. These narratives propelled certain cryptocurrencies to astronomical heights, with some experiencing growth of over 500 times their original value. The question now is what narratives will dominate the next crypto bull market and when they will experience a similar explosion in growth.

These projections are provided by key figures in the cryptocurrency industry and should be taken as speculative. This article focuses on the key narratives likely to shape the cryptocurrency landscape, their anticipated increase in popularity, and the projects linked to them that are worth keeping an eye on. The ongoing development of crypto regulations will largely influence the sequence in which these narratives gain prominence.

The rise of decentralized finance (DeFi) was a dominant force in the 2020 crypto bull market, with DeFi tokens experiencing remarkable growth, including Yearn Finance's YFI token, which at one point surpassed the value of Bitcoin. However, recent regulatory proposals aimed at DeFi suggest it may not be the dominant narrative in the current market cycle. Instead, other crypto narratives with fewer DeFi elements may gain more traction.

The success of crypto narratives may depend on the regulatory landscape, but some experts suggest that those with minimal DeFi integrations will have an advantage. This is because they will face fewer regulatory obstacles and enjoy greater adoption. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the crypto technology with the least regulatory scrutiny, making it likely that narratives centered around NFTs will dominate.

Crypto Narratives Most Likely To Explode

Decentralized Social Media

The rise of decentralized social media (DESO) is anticipated to gain significant traction thanks to a convergence of factors. Growing censorship on traditional social media platforms, potential failures of popular networks, and challenges with monetization in a high-interest-rate environment have created an opportune landscape for DESO's growth. Governments worldwide have implemented laws to restrict social media content following the impact of the pandemic, as highlighted in this article on online censorship.

The implementation of various regulations, including the Digital Services Act (DSA) of the European Union, is causing a noticeable impact. Consequently, engaging in open and unrestricted conversations on major social media platforms is becoming increasingly challenging. An example of one leading social media platform, such as X, is now prioritizing free speech. Unfortunately, the resistance by these platforms may lead to their eventual downfall. X, for instance, has recently lost advertisers and is expected to incur significant financial losses.

The supposed economic downturn has led to a universal decrease in advertising revenue. In response, Google has taken measures to restrict the use of ad blockers on YouTube and has increased the frequency of advertisements in an effort to boost its ad revenue.

Upon initial consideration, it may appear improbable that the typical individual would transition to utilizing a decentralized social media platform due to concerns regarding censorship and advertisements. Nevertheless, upon further examination, it becomes evident that the adoption of decentralized social media is gaining momentum, with decentralized streaming experiencing remarkably rapid growth, as illustrated in the graph below.


Image source: Coingecko

Put in perspective, Odysee boasts a substantial user base exceeding 5 million individuals monthly, which continues to grow. As a decentralized social media protocol, Odysee outshines its competitors significantly. It is worth noting that Odysee is powered by LBRY, a cryptocurrency initiative that faced legal action from the SEC and was subsequently forced to cease operations. Nevertheless, Odysee remains the most prized possession of LBRY, Inc.

Odysee’s assets were recently sold at auction. According to LBRY’s report, while it’s nearly certain the Odysee assets will be assumed by someone interested in resuming its growth, it’s unclear if Odysee will continue to use the LBRY network in the future, switch to another crypto network, or switch to being a traditional web2 platform. 

If another crypto network acquires Odysee, you can bet that the crypto project will see explosive growth. Additionally, there is growing interest in decentralized platforms that replicate the functionality of traditional social media platforms like Twitter, as shown in the graph. These platforms concentrate on specific aspects of digital media, such as decentralized streaming and microblogging, and are designed to operate vertically. 

One decentralized platform that is not on that list yet encompasses all of the above and more. Markethive and its community are dedicated to building an entire ecosystem for entrepreneurs, including marketing, blogging, curation, email autoresponders, page-making systems, video feed, conference facilities, e-commerce, broadcasting, press releases, social network integration, etc.

Having established a comprehensive financial center for all its users and utilizing the Solana network for its Hivecoin token, Markethive is now preparing to introduce its platform to a global audience. Markethive has also removed itself from the centralized cloud services that continue to stifle platforms at the mercy of third-party APIs serving their interests. Currently, several user interface (UI) and UX components of Markethive's arsenal are being integrated in tandem to provide a sanctuary and empower individuals to regain control of their sovereignty. This year, 2024, is shaping up to be a pivotal time for Markethive, as it aims to reach unparalleled success and give back to the community that has embraced its vision.

GameFi

GameFi, the second prominent crypto narrative, is poised to experience immense growth, with some arguing that it's already underway. A glance at DappRadar reveals that the majority of the most well-liked decentralized applications (dApps) are connected to blockchain-based games. These games have amassed a considerable following, boasting millions of monthly active users. The surging popularity of blockchain games shouldn't come as a surprise, given that the traditional gaming industry grapples with challenges akin to those confronting centralized social media platforms.

To begin with, it seems that older video games are preferred over modern ones. This can be attributed to a variety of factors, such as disappointing visuals, weak storytelling, unnecessary infusion of politics, and overall unsatisfactory gameplay.

In 2022, the video game industry experienced its first year of losses in ten years, resulting in widespread layoffs among major developers. This downturn may be attributed to the pandemic-driven surge turning into a decline or developers ignoring their loyal player base. Regardless of the cause, the gaming industry is struggling financially. Similar to other technology leaders like Google, this situation may motivate game developers to explore alternative revenue streams.

Interestingly, it has been reported that players of Assassin's Creed encountered disruptive pop-up advertisements while playing the game. This occurrence was purportedly a technical glitch, but it shed light on the possibility that the gaming industry is attempting to impose advertisements on players in a similar manner to how YouTube is attempting to do so with its audience. While the typical YouTube viewer might tolerate this, it is highly probable that the average gamer would not welcome having their gameplay disrupted by pop-ups.

The outcome may be that game developers must incorporate GameFi elements to compensate for lost revenue, or players will seek out ad-free alternatives. A mixture of both scenarios will probably occur, which could be why blockchain games have gained significant popularity. If it is indeed the case that game developers are disregarding their primary audiences, then the adoption of blockchain games could even further increase.

This is because crypto technology, such as NFTs, enables gamers to influence the game's design instead of being controlled by ESG-obsessed asset managers like BlackRock. However, there is a limitation: these blockchain games must not involve excessive financialization. If they do, they may attract regulatory scrutiny, similar to what happened to Axi Infiniti in the Philippines.

The likelihood of this scrutiny is likely the reason why there have been limited GameFi integrations. Aside from regulatory hurdles, scalability and speed pose a significant challenge to widespread adoption, as seen in the case of Axi Infinity. Only a few blockchains can effectively accommodate millions of users simultaneously. 

In Axi's situation, they had to develop their specialized layer two solution called Ronan. This implies that you should prioritize the underlying layer one and layer two blockchains that support blockchain games rather than focusing on specific games. Thanks to its subnet architecture, Avalanche is notably gaining popularity as a preferred choice in this area.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a dominant force in the tech industry is a narrative that has gained significant traction recently. While some argue that the AI explosion is already underway, others believe the real breakthrough is yet to come. The current AI hype in crypto and stocks is largely considered just hype, as there have been minimal actual changes thus far. It is widely believed that it will take at least two years for innovative AI companies to release their products and even longer for the general public to embrace and utilize them fully.

The current AI-fueled market frenzy may eventually subside as regulatory measures take effect or other factors come into play. If this bubble does burst, it may create a prime investment opportunity for crypto projects centered around AI technology. These projects will likely perform exceptionally well when the AI narrative regains momentum. Currently, everyday investors like us are unable to capitalize on AI innovation, making these cryptocurrency projects an attractive prospect.

While investing in established companies like Nvidia and Microsoft is possible, their massive valuations limit their potential for significant growth. As a result, private equity remains the most viable option for those seeking substantial returns on AI investments – but this avenue is only accessible to high-net-worth individuals. If this trend persists, investing in AI-related cryptocurrencies might be the only way for everyday investors to generate meaningful profits from the AI sector.

The emergence of new AI companies may be hindered if industry leaders such as Nvidia and Microsoft restrict access to their hardware and software. However, crypto tech's decentralized and open nature could provide an advantage in this scenario. Interestingly, some crypto projects have enabled individuals to access the previously exclusive hardware needed to run AI models, thereby promoting greater accessibility and competition in the field.

Among the projects in this category is the Akash Network. Additionally, numerous cryptocurrency initiatives have been making advancements in the software aspect of artificial intelligence. By merging this open-source progress with decentralized AI hardware, the result is a foundation for robust crypto AIs capable of rivaling those developed by Google and other companies.

In this instance, the main point to note is that if crypto AI were to become popular, the existing players would probably try to influence government regulators in order to prevent the development of decentralized artificial intelligence technology. It is important to note that these incumbents are already campaigning for policies that would hinder their centralized rivals from creating AI technology.

The upside is that AI in the crypto sector is still largely under the radar. This means there aren't many established factors to consider when evaluating its potential. Nobody knows yet whether the crypto industry can support the development of these models. Nevertheless, just as no one anticipated Bitcoin becoming the de facto digital gold, we find ourselves in that very situation. This demonstrates the potential for unexpected developments in the crypto landscape. 

Crypto Infrastructure

Infrastructure in the crypto industry is expected to experience significant growth, particularly in the areas of decentralized storage cryptocurrencies and crypto oracles that provide external data to the blockchain. It is important to note that infrastructure cryptos will play a crucial role in the success of other crypto narratives. For example, decentralized social media will likely demand substantial data storage capacity, while decentralized gaming will rely on extensive data feeds. Additionally, crypto AI will heavily rely on decentralized computing, which differs from decentralized storage regarding technical requirements.

Data storage, data feeds, and computing processes must be decentralized to ensure seamless operation and avoid potential regulatory or technical issues. This is particularly important given that a prominent centralized cloud platform banned crypto in August 2022. Moreover, Meta's use of Arweave for NFT storage demonstrates that decentralized infrastructure can be just as effective as its centralized counterpart. If discriminatory practices persist at the infrastructure level, such as app stores refusing to list certain apps, decentralized alternatives are likely to gain traction

In addition to Arweave, other cryptocurrencies worth keeping an eye on include cutting-edge oracle systems like Pyth, which may have a role in the gaming sector (GameFi); video encoding protocols such as Livepeer, which could have a role in decentralized social networks (DeSo); and data indexing protocols like The Graph, which could have a role in artificial intelligence (AI) development. It's important to note that this list is not exhaustive, and there may be other promising cryptocurrencies beyond these examples.

The level of adoption of the three previous narratives will influence the demand for these cryptocurrencies and their competitors. If there is significant adoption, there will be ample demand for these cryptos, potentially leading to an increase in price. However, it is essential to conduct thorough research on the tokenomics of these cryptocurrencies before investing, as this will determine whether the demand translates into a price surge.


Image source: Techopedia

Two More Narratives with Potential

Concluding the discussion, two additional crypto narratives may grow significantly. These narratives can potentially surpass the combined impact of the previous four. The first is the concept of crypto payments, while the second is the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), which has recently generated much hype. These two narratives are presented together as the final topics in this article due to the numerous regulatory challenges they face, specifically in the case of RWAs for crypto payments.

One of the main challenges involves the regulations surrounding stablecoins, which remain uncertain in numerous jurisdictions, especially in the United States. Congress is currently considering a proposed bill that could facilitate the use of stablecoins for payments, but its passage is unlikely until after the upcoming election due to the political divisions within the legislative body.

In the European Union, the Markets In Crypto Assets (MiCa) regulation technically allows stablecoins to be used for payments. However, the use of stablecoins will be restricted to Euro-backed stablecoins, which some argue are not all that popular. Despite this, regulatory clarity could lead to the adoption of crypto payments, positively impacting high-performance blockchains primed for payments, such as Solana and layer two solutions on Ethereum.

This relates to the regulations around RWAs, which are much further away. Some would say that this is debatable, given that stablecoins are technically RWAs; there are already tokenized fiat currencies and commodities. However, some argue that these differ from the RWAs on which the narrative truly focuses. The RWAs that most people have in mind involve tokenizing assets such as real estate, stocks, and bonds. If this is the situation, then tokenizing these assets on public blockchains is a distant prospect.

Significantly, major organizations and wealthy individuals would likely feel uneasy about revealing their RWA assets on transparent blockchains accessible to the public. As a result, they would opt for private and permissioned blockchains or public blockchains that ensure compliant privacy. When considering this, the transparency of cryptocurrency blockchains could pose a major challenge for narratives centered around institutional interests such as RWAs, which is why we're seeing growing interest in crypto privacy solutions. However, this particular market segment may not experience significant growth until the next cycle; it's an area that holds promise for the future.

This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

 

 

Editor and Chief Markethive: Deb Williams. (Australia) I thrive on progress and champion freedom of speech.  I embrace "Change" with a passion, and my purpose in life is to enlighten people to accept and move forward with enthusiasm. Find me at my Markethive Profile Page | My Twitter Account | and my LinkedIn Profile.

 

 

 

 

Tim Moseley

Solana Bulls Bounce Back from Network Outage Mounts Vigor For New SOL High

Solana Bulls Bounce Back from Network Outage, Mounts Vigor For New SOL High

By Newton Gitonga – February 13, 2024

Solana has demonstrated remarkable resilience following the recent network outage, with SOL reclaiming its position above the $100 mark and surpassing Bitcoin in performance this week.

The recovery comes after a minor dip to $92.91 on Tuesday during a major network disruption lasting approximately 4 hours and 46 minutes, marking the first outage since early 2023.

According to a report from Solana Status, block production on Solana’s mainnet beta resumed at 14:57 UTC on Wednesday, following a successful upgrade to version 1.17.20 and a restart of the cluster by validator operators.

In a detailed blog by the WU Blockchain team, journalist Colin Wu highlighted the challenges faced by Solana, particularly its periodic crashes due to transaction volume overload.

“Looking back at historical network events, we will find that the emergence of a large number of transactions is the main reason for the historical network disruption, which may be related to Solana’s mechanism,” wrote Wu, quoting Hu Zhiwei, president of the Boundary Intelligence Research Institute.

Wu further recommended several key areas to enhance Solana’s resilience, including improving infrastructure, optimizing the consensus mechanism, enhancing software robustness, and refining validator incentivization.

Notably, this outage adds to a series of historical network failures experienced by Solana, including incidents in May 2021, September 2021, January 2022, and February 2023, among others.

Nevertheless, despite these setbacks, sentiment surrounding Solana remains positive, with some viewing the recent outage as a potential blessing in disguise. On Thursday, popular on-chain analytics platform Santiment emphasized how Solana has outperformed Bitcoin this week, with its price surging above $110 and experiencing a 21.5% increase against Bitcoin’s 16.91 in the past 36 hours.

The firm further noted that the outage that initially caused concern among traders “ended up being a local bottom, with the FUD fueling this price rebound.”

Furthermore, the firm highlighted how development activity on the Solana platform has been on the rise, indicating ongoing efforts to address network scalability and stability issues.

That said, SOL is projected to keep soaring, with the price recently having bounced off yearly support around $80. Presently, price faces a minor resistance at $120. Should the price breach and hold above this ceiling, the next target is the December 2023 high of $125 and then $150.

At press time, SOL was trading at $113.95, up 21.10% in 24 hours, with trading volume surging by 91.53% to $2.8 billion. Notably, between October 15 and December 25, 2023, SOL gained about 460%, making it one of the largest gainers among the top ten cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

DISCLAIMER: None Of The Information You Read On ZyCrypto Should Be Regarded As Investment Advice. Cryptocurrencies Are Highly Volatile, Conduct Your Own Research Before Making Any Investment Decisions.

The original article written by Newton Gitonga and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

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Tim Moseley

Thirteen Methods To Boost Your Click Throughs

Thirteen Methods To Boost Your Click Throughs

Thirteen Methods To Boost Your Click Throughs

The subsequent thirteen strategies will increase the number of click-throughs that your advertisements and communications receive:

  1. Request that you select. Request that the reader “click here to proceed” or “click here for further information.”
  2. Present a complimentary item on the opposing party. They are more likely to engage on a sales letter if they are assured of receiving valuable information without any monetary pressure. (Of course, you can include valuable information directly in your sales letter.)
  3. Facilitate the process of visualizing the outcome. A novice patron entering a restaurant for the very first time might feel apprehensive because they have no idea what to anticipate. However, those who have been there before feel considerably more at ease because they are already familiar with the surroundings, sights, and general atmosphere of the location.

Emails and advertisements serve as gateways to your restaurant, or in this instance, the landing page you desire your customers to visit. The greater your ability to assist individuals in envisioning and anticipating the experience that lies beyond the door, the greater the probability that they will click on your link.

METHODS TO BOOST YOUR CLICK THROUGHS

  1. Define the content that appears after the click. “Blind clicks” (advertises that fail to provide any indication of the content that follows the click) perform less effectively than advertisements and emails that explicitly inform the reader of what to anticipate on the following page.1
  2. Present an image illustrating the advantage of selecting. Be prepared to reveal the key to producing dinner plate-sized roses? Present them with an image depicting precisely that.
  3. In the event that you are providing a complimentary item in exchange for subscribing to your list (e.g., an ebook), ensure that the title of the freebie is captivating and conveys genuine value. “Free Dating eBook” is insufficient; “22 Surprisingly Easy Ways to Get Dates With Gorgeous Women” is a more suitable alternative.
  4. Implement a ‘coupon’ within the email, if applicable and in HTML format. Alternatively, add a coupon border to the advertisement. By attracting attention and suggesting savings, these dashed lines elicit a response.
  5. Discuss the benefits and value of the content that follows the purchase.
  6. Convey a benefit in the subject line of your email or advertisement. “A solution to the problem of low conversion rates.”
  7. Pose an incendiary inquiry, such as “Are you weary of engaging in arguments with your partner?”
  8. Request informational in nature. Inquire of individuals what approach you take to restore the affection in your marital relationship; for instance, “How do you accomplish this?”
  9. Be straightforward. If you have an exceptional offer for them, come right out of the chute with it without any delay. “12 miniature roses are available for $32, including shipping.”
  10. Provide valuable information to them. As an illustration, the subject line could read “Seven Methods for Eliminating Mold.” Seventh link provides access to your product and is included in the email containing the first six. The link is appended to a list of seven if it is an advertisement, with the seventh one directing to your product.

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Tim Moseley

Gold pressured by bearish outside markets Monday

Gold pressured by bearish outside markets Monday

Gold prices are lower and silver prices modestly up in midday U.S. trading Monday. Gold is feeling the pressure from bearish daily outside markets that include a firmer U.S. dollar index and a slight up-tick in U.S. Treasury yields. The U.S. stock indexes today hit record highs again, which is also a negative for the safe-haven gold and silver markets. April gold was last down $12.20 at $2,026.40. March silver was last up $0.136 at $22.735.

Asian and European stock markets were mixed in quieter overnight trading. China is celebrating its Lunar New Year holiday this week. Many China markets are closed much of this week for the annual holiday. In China it is the year of the Dragon. Broker SP Angel reports in a morning email dispatch that jewelers in China are reported to have stocked up on dragon-themed gold jewelry, with gold jewelry sales expected to rise 30% this year. “The ‘dragon baby’ rush could drive gold prices to new highs if the nation decided to invest in this direction,” said the broker. “ Government officials are hoping the influence of year of the dragon, which is revered for its power, strength, good luck and wisdom, will encourage couples to raise the birth rate. The last year of the dragon in China saw a 38% rise in new births.”

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index slightly firmer. Nymex crude oil prices are a bit weaker and trading around $76.50 a barrel. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note is presently fetching 4.195%.

Traders are awaiting Tuesday’s report on the U.S. consumer price index report for January, seen coming in at up 2.9%, year-on-year, compared to a rise of 3.4% in the December report.

Technically, April gold futures prices hit a two-week low today. The bulls have lost their slight overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a nine-week-old downtrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at $2,100.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $2,000.00. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $2,041.80 and then at $2,050.00. First support is seen at the January low of $2,023.30 and then at the December low of $2,007.60. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.0.

March silver futures bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. A nine-week-old downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $24.00. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the October low of $21.17. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $23.15 and then at $23.445. Next

 

support is seen at today’s low of $22.575 and then at last week’s low of $22.195. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.5.

March N.Y. copper closed up 190 points at 370.05 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session high today and saw short covering after hitting a seven-week low Friday. The copper bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 390.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the October low of 355.75 cents. First resistance is seen at 376.30 cents and then at 380.00 cents. First support is seen at last week’s low of 365.50 cents and then at 362.60 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0.

Kitco Media

Jim Wyckoff

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Gold Price News: Gold Edges Lower Finds Support at 2020 An Ounce

Gold Price News: Gold Edges Lower, Finds Support at $2,020 An Ounce

gold edges lower finding support at 2020 per once

Gold prices edged slightly lower overall on Thursday in largely lacklustre trading, with prices recovering later in the session from earlier lows

Prices dipped as low as $2,020 an ounce in the early afternoon session but picked up again to trade at around $2,032 an ounce later in the afternoon. That compares with a high of $2,043 on Wednesday.

gold price kinesis exchange kau dollar

Kinesis gold (KAU) price – $/g – from Kinesis Exchange

US Initial Jobless Claims figures came out on Thursday showing that the number of people claiming unemployment benefits in the US fell by 9,000 to 218,000 in the most recent week, a slightly lower number than the market’s expected 220,000.

Overall, gold has shown a slight downward bias through the week as a whole, albeit with prices finding solid support below the $2,020 an ounce mark.

The jobless figures were not enough to provide any convincing price momentum in either direction, with eyes on further upcoming data to gauge the chances of any changes in interest rate policy by the US Fed.

Lower interest rates eventually are likely to provide a tailwind for gold prices, although recent economic data has been too strong to allow the US Fed to cut rates in the short-term, according to a report released Wednesday by the World Gold Council: Gold Market Commentary: Inflation risks seep back in | World Gold Council.

Moreover, Red Sea tensions have started to impact freight costs, which could lead to more general supply chain pressures that have contributed to higher inflation in the past, it said. Persistent high inflation maintains pressure on central banks to keep interest rates higher, in turn putting downward pressure on precious metals prices.

Frank Wilson

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Charles Hoskinson Forecasts Cardano’s Triumph Over Ethereum with Upcoming Developments

Charles Hoskinson Forecasts Cardano’s Triumph Over Ethereum with Upcoming Developments

By Newton Gitonga – February 10, 2022

Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, has expressed confidence in the future of the network, underscoring its potential to surpass Ethereum in the realm of decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain innovation.

Speaking during a recent interview with Dan Gambardello, host of the Crypto Capital Venture YouTube channel, Hoskinson noted the remarkable growth of the Cardano ecosystem, especially in the face of challenging market conditions. He emphasized the community’s dedication and collaborative efforts in propelling Cardano forward.

Despite initial scepticism labelling Cardano as a “ghost chain,” he stressed how the project had defied expectations, boasting over half a billion dollars in total value locked (TVL) during a bear market.

“We’ve had overwhelming participation and constant growth and innovation,” said Hoskinson, highlighting the vibrant activity within the Cardano ecosystem, with numerous projects and transactions fueling its expansion.

Addressing criticisms and comparisons to Ethereum, Hoskinson underscored Cardano’s steady progress and its distinct approach to scalability, governance, and innovation. He pointed out the misconceptions surrounding benchmarks like TVL and ADA price, emphasizing the significance of Cardano’s comprehensive roadmap and its focus on building a robust infrastructure.

“We know how to scale, we know how to get fast finality, we know how to get partner chains in, we know how to get rollups in,” Hoskinson asserted, outlining Cardano’s strategic initiatives to address scalability and network efficiency.

According to the pundit, a pivotal aspect of Cardano’s future success lies in its governance model and the utilization of its treasury funds. With nearly $750 million worth of ADA in the Cardano treasury, Hoskinson highlighted the community’s governance over these resources, enabling strategic investments in ecosystem growth and development.

Moreover, Hoskinson emphasized Cardano’s collaborative approach and burgeoning partnerships with other blockchain projects. He also highlighted the interoperability and synergies fostered by Cardano’s Partner Chains framework, enabling seamless integration with other blockchain ecosystems.

Hoskinson expressed confidence in Cardano’s potential to become the dominant governance system in the crypto space, toppling networks such as Ethereum.

“We’re getting recursion and rollups and that means all this stuff that’s happening in Ethereum not only works on Cardano works best on Cardano…so we will be probably one of the dominant zero knowledge layers thanks to all the work,” he added.

In light of recent developments like the intersect platform and advancements in scalability solutions, Hoskinson asserted that Cardano is poised for exponential growth. He encouraged a shift away from tribalism and adversarial dynamics within the crypto space, emphasizing the collective benefits of collaboration and innovation.

DISCLAIMER: None Of The Information You Read On ZyCrypto Should Be Regarded As Investment Advice. Cryptocurrencies Are Highly Volatile, Conduct Your Own Research Before Making Any Investment Decisions.

The original article written by Newton Gitonga and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

** Get secure funding for business projects in the USA and around the world. Learn more about USA & International Financing at Commercial Funding International. **

Tim Moseley

BlackRock Considers Increasing Bitcoin Holdings Foreseeing Massive BTC Price Upside

BlackRock Considers Increasing Bitcoin Holdings, Foreseeing Massive BTC Price Upside

By Newton Gitonga – February 9, 2024

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, is mulling over expanding its Bitcoin investment portfolios, foreseeing a substantial uptake potential for the cryptocurrency.

Speaking recently to The Wall Street Journal, Rick Rieder, BlackRock’s Chief Investment Officer of global fixed income, acknowledged the firm’s modest exposure to Bitcoin. He further noted that as investor confidence in Bitcoin grows, BlackRock may consider allocating Bitcoin a more prominent role within its investment portfolios.

“Time will tell whether it’s going to be a big part of the asset allocation framework,” Rieder said, adding, “I think over time, people become more and more comfortable with it.”

Rieder further emphasized the importance of providing investors with accessible avenues to engage with Bitcoin, whether it be through ownership, trading, or liquidation. He also stressed that as more individual and institutional investors embrace Bitcoin as a legitimate asset, its potential for significant growth will become increasingly evident.

“As you get more and more people that adopt it as an asset, we think the upside potential is real.” He added.

That said, BlackRock’s contemplation of bolstering its Bitcoin holdings coincides with a broader trend of rising interest in cryptocurrency investment vehicles. Notably, BlackRock has already taken proactive steps in this direction after launching a spot Bitcoin ETF Fund that currently manages over $3 billion worth of the digital currency. Since the bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were approved last month, BlackRock and Fidelity have surged into the top ten largest US ETFs by asset inflows, collectively attracting $6.39 billion in Bitcoin.

Meanwhile, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF (GBTC) has continued to experience large outflows, totalling just over $6.8 billion since the spot ETF approvals.

It shall be recalled that Bitcoin experienced a significant rally in late December, fueled by speculation surrounding the potential approval of a spot ETF from BlackRock. Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, attributed this surge to a discernible shift in investor behavior stating, “I believe the surge is linked to investors seeking refuge in ‘quality’ assets amid the ongoing Israeli conflict and global terrorism concerns.”

Moreover, Fink expressed optimism regarding the expanding adoption of Bitcoin, emphasizing that BlackRock’s foray into the cryptocurrency market aligns with the company’s mission to provide straightforward and accessible investment options for clients.

“We believe we have a responsibility to democratize investing. We’ve undertaken significant efforts, and the global role ETF plays in transforming investments is just the beginning.” Fink stated.

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed in the article are wholly those of the author and do not represent those of, nor should they be attributed to, ZyCrypto. This article is not meant to give financial advice. Please carry out your own research before investing in any of the various cryptocurrencies available.

The original article written by Newton Gitonga and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

** Loans, secure funding for business projects in the USA and around the world. Learn more about USA & International Financing at Commercial Funding International. **

Tim Moseley

The Artist that came out of the Winter