Bitcoin & crypto trading blog : cex.i


  • Le jeton Trump a représenté plus de 8% du volume de trading du marché de la cryptographie lors de l'inauguration de Donald Trump.
  • Malgré le battage médiatique refroidi, les memecoins basés sur Solana continuent de dominer l'activité de trading de Memecoin, potentiellement remettant en question les modèles de longue date.
  • Les jetons Politi ont atteint 5% de la capitalisation boursière Memecoin et 21% de son volume commercial, le Trump Memecoin représentant 90% du secteur.

Selon le tracker narratif de DeFillama, Polifi Tokens et Solana (Sol) ont été les plus grands gagnants en janvier, menant dans la performance des catégories. Les principaux catalyseurs derrière cette vague ont été l'inauguration de Donald Trump et le lancement du jeton Trump officiel sur Solana. À son apogée, Trump a temporairement expliqué Plus de 8% du volume de trading du marché de la cryptographiepoussant brièvement la capitalisation boursière totale de Memecoin au-dessus de 115 milliards de dollars.

Le temps de recharge post-Trump

Cependant, malgré la création continue de plus de 60 000 nouveaux mecoins quotidiennement sur Pump.fun, le secteur s'est largement refroidi après la frénésie de Trump. Depuis l'inauguration de Trump le 20 janvier, la capitalisation boursière de Memecoin a diminué de 12%tandis que le volume de trading a chuté 80%.

Memecoins représente désormais moins que 3% du total de la capitalisation boursière de la cryptographie – en dessous des niveaux post-électoraux. Pendant ce temps, le volume de négociation sur Solana Dexes, qui étaient les principaux moteurs de la dernière vague de Memecoin, est revenu aux niveaux de lancement pré-Trump.

Bitcoin & crypto trading blog : cex.i

L'impact de Trump sur la distribution du volume Memecoin

Alors que le battage médiatique du milieu du janvier a peut-être disparu, il a remodelé le paysage Memecoin. Dans les cycles précédents, les memecoins de haut niveau en volume et à la capitalisation boursière ont été dominés par Dogecoin et divers jetons à base d'Ethereum. En 2024, cependant, le boom de Memecoin s'est étendu à d'autres réseaux, Solana menant occasionnellement le secteur en volume de trading pendant les frénées locales. Historiquement, cependant, après ces pointes axées sur le battage médiatique, les jetons basés sur Dogecoin et Ethereum ont généralement récupéré la dominance alors que le volume de trading tournait vers des mecoins plus établis.

Cependant, le jeton Trump a peut-être perturbé ce modèle. Pendant l'inauguration de Trump, Trump et Melania Ensemble, 67,8% du volume total de trading memecoinentraînant considérablement l'activité MEMECOIN à base de Solana. Notamment, Cette augmentation de la part de volume a été en partie alimentée par la rotation des capitaux à partir d'autres memecoinscomme plusieurs jetons, dont Doge, Shib et Pepe, ont connu des baisses à deux chiffres au milieu du lancement du jeton Trump.

Depuis lors, le volume de négociation a progressivement tourné vers Memecoins comme Doge et Pepe, suggérant que les dirigeants précédents reprennent leurs meilleurs places. Pourtant, au 1er février, Solana domine toujours le volume de trading de Memecoin, avec Trump conservant la position supérieure, représente 20% du volume total de Memecoin et 42% de l'activité MEMECOIN de Solana.

Cela soulève deux possibilités: Soit Trump change la donne, solidifiant la position de Solana en tant que réseau principal pour le commerce de Memecoin cette année, ou le volume de Trump a toujours de la place pour refuser, entraînant potentiellement toute la catégorie de Memecoins basée à Solana en raison de son poids .

L'influence de Trump sur le secteur politi

Le jeton Trump a également transformé le secteur politi, devenant instantanément son atout dominant. Il représente maintenant 89% à la fois de la capitalisation boursière totale de Politi et du volume commercial.

Graphique: Répartition de la capitalisation boursière dans le secteur Politifi

Avec Trump dans le mélange, les Memecoins politiques ont considérablement augmenté leur influence au sein du secteur, représentant désormais 5% de la capitalisation boursière Memecoin et 21% de son volume commercial. Cela marque une augmentation de 14x et 24x de la capitalisation boursière et du volume, respectivement, au cours des deux derniers mois. Cependant, les pics antérieurs de la domination politifites ont été de courte durée, ce qui suggère que le secteur pourrait perdre son élan aussi rapidement qu'il l'a gagné.

Conclusion

Le lancement du jeton Trump a eu un impact profond sur le marché de Memecoin, remodelant la dynamique du secteur et contestant la domination de longue date de Dogecoin et des Memecoins basés à Ethereum. Alors que le battage médiatique initial s'est apaisé, le jeton Trump a considérablement influencé le rôle croissant de Solana dans le commerce de Memecoin et la croissance du secteur politi. Cela n'indique pas nécessairement le changement complet des tendances du marché, car ils sont historiquement de courte durée, mais peuvent mieux positionner Solana dans d'autres frénétiques potentielles de Memecoin.

Bitcoin & crypto trading blog – cex.i


Generally, you can think of a crypto ETF as a vehicle or tool that aims to bridge/connect the worlds of traditional finance and crypto. It achieves this goal by creating a channel for limited exposure to crypto, making it similar to traditional financial market products. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to solve the mystery behind crypto ETFs, with a look at current market dynamics.

But before we get technical, here’s how you can try to understand this often complex and abstract offering.

What are crypto ETFs? The ELI 5 approach

Imagine you own a piece of land you’d like to farm. Unless you’re very experienced, you’ll likely face numerous challenges.

For instance, you’ll need to think about what to plant, when to do so, how much, etc. Additionally, you’ll need specialized farming equipment, such as a tractor, a combine harvester, and the like. Ensuring adequate storage for the seeds and saplings is another consideration.

And then there’s every farmer’s worst nightmare: unpredictable weather. If you were to go it alone, there is a chance you’d do well. However, in farming — just like with anything in life (including crypto) — there are no guarantees.

The best you can do is attempt to minimize risk, and improve the chances of your crops succeeding. With that in mind, you consider an alternative: what if, instead of facing all of these challenges by yourself, you hire a more experienced farmer to work your land for you? While there’s no way to predict weather conditions, several other benefits to this alternative are obvious: for example, your new hire will likely already have the know-how and experience to do the job. You can rely on them to give you timely information while proactively and reactively working the land.

This enables you to minimize involvement in the process, while retaining ultimate control over the farm and crops. Come harvest time, you could potentially sell excess crops to a merchant. Either way, you’ve minimized your input in the process (including the risk of it failing), while improving the chances of having a successful harvest.

What does farming have to do with crypto ETFs, you ask? Think of owning farmland as funds you’d like to put in crypto. Then, hiring a farm hand while you watch from a distance is like putting your funds in a crypto ETF. The best part is, farming your land by yourself, and/or doing so with a more experienced farmer are not mutually-exclusive choices.

The same idea applies to owning/holding cryptocurrencies in a wallet, while placing other funds in a crypto ETF. Now that that’s out of the way…

What is an ETF?

ETF stands for Exchange-Traded Fund, meaning that it’s publicly traded (like stocks) on traditional exchanges. An ETF may hold just one or multiple assets, such as stocks, commodities, or in the case of crypto ETFs — cryptocurrencies.

The primary goal of an ETF is to mirror the performance of the asset(s) it holds. For most individuals, ETFs facilitate exposure to a collection of assets, instead of buying each one individually. In other words, they are designed to provide participants with a way to create a diversified portfolio of assets, including commodities, bonds, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and other securities.

In traditional financial markets, you’ll encounter various ETF types: Index ETFs, Fixed Income ETFs, Commodity ETFs, Foreign market ETFs, Alternative investment ETFs, and more. However, today’s topic is a specific type of these funds, crypto ETFs. Let’s see what they’re all about.

Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs

Now that you have a general understanding of what an ETF is, let’s dig deeper and explain what some crypto enthusiasts struggle to comprehend: BTC and ETH ETFs. For the most part, you can think of a crypto ETF as a unique spin on traditional ETFs (explained above). For instance, a Bitcoin ETF tracks the value of BTC.

As such, it provides an opportunity to gain exposure to this cryptocurrency through traditional stock market exchanges. Similarly, Ethereum ETFs facilitate access to the price movements of ETH, or a basket (collection) of cryptocurrencies that includes Ethereum. Generally, both BTC and ETH ETFs are largely structured like traditional ones, meaning individuals can buy and sell shares on stock exchanges throughout the trading day.

Note that the most significant aspect of crypto ETFs is that owning shares of these funds does not mean directly owning the underlying cryptocurrencies. A big difference for crypto enthusiasts. We’ll elaborate on this a bit later, including the current legislative conditions surrounding crypto ETFs.

How do Bitcoin ETFs work?

As their name implies, Bitcoin ETFs hold BTC as the primary asset, providing individuals with exposure to Bitcoin’s price movements without them having to own the cryptocurrency directly. Like stocks, individuals can buy and sell units or shares of a BTC ETF on traditional stock exchanges. Licensed financial institutions issue Bitcoin ETFs.

When doing so, they must purchase and hold actual Bitcoin to back the funds. A Bitcoin ETF does not assign a random value to its shares. Therefore, when an individual purchases shares of a Bitcoin ETF, the ETF purchases the corresponding amount of BTC.

In the process, the ETF’s price closely follows Bitcoin’s actual market price. Custodians are responsible for securely keeping the purchased bitcoins. Additionally, and similar to how a stablecoin’s pegging works, the issuer of the Bitcoin ETF ensures that they are on par with the BTC stored with the custodian, on a 1:1 basis.

What Bitcoin ETFs exist today?

Due to differing regulatory landscapes, global BTC ETF adoption varies between jurisdictions. For instance, the top BTC ETFs available in Europe include:

The first Bitcoin ETF in the U.S.

was ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF, approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in October 2021.

Other popular ETFs in this part of the world are:

When it comes to Asia, the first Bitcoin asset ETF in this region was CSOP Bitcoin, introduced by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEC).

Differences and similarities between BTC and BTC ETFs

We’ll start with the differences, which include regulation, trading, and the nature of ownership.

The differences

  • Regulation.

    In some jurisdictions, engagement with Bitcoin varies greatly. There may or may not be established legal and regulatory frameworks. In regions where they’re available, Bitcoin ETFs are subject to strict regulatory oversight
  • Trading.

    Buying and selling BTC is possible any time, anywhere — directly from another BTC owner, or through a cryptocurrency exchange (like CEX.IO). Conversely, BTC ETF shares can only be bought and sold during official trading hours on traditional stock exchanges
  • Nature of ownership.

    If you purchase BTC, you own this digital asset directly. Managing and accessing your BTC holdings requires private keys, which you control. However, if you buy shares of a BTC ETF, you do not own Bitcoin — you merely hold shares in a fund that owns Bitcoin.

    Managing the BTC falls under the authority of the fund’s custodian

The similarities

Similarities between cryptocurrency and the exchange-traded fund include the nature of involvement, digital form, and BTC price exposure.

  • Nature of involvement. In one way, purchasing shares of a BTC ETF is similar to purchasing BTC on a crypto exchange.

    The risks and potential benefits associated with price changes still exist. The difference is that, through a BTC ETF, you don’t own the actual BTC.

  • Digital nature.

    You can’t hold either product physically. Both BTC ETFs and Bitcoin exist only in digital form
  • BTC price exposure. With Bitcoin and Bitcoin ETFs, the pattern of BTC price changes dictates whether you potentially gain or lose your holdings

Pros and cons of crypto ETFs

Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs inherently feature upsides and drawbacks.

Considering both is critical when looking to make the most informed decision.

Pros

  • Liquidity. As a result of typically high volume, partaking in crypto ETFs can usually be done straightforwardly, when the market is open.

  • Tax/accounting. Dealing with potential tax issues surrounding cryptocurrency transactions may pose a significant challenge for both individual and institutional crypto enthusiasts. Due to their traditional financial market origins, ETFs are often accommodated in existing securities accounting and taxation frameworks
  • Diversification.

    Some crypto ETFs provide exposure to not only Bitcoin, but other blockchain-related assets or companies as well. Those looking to diversify their holdings may use ETFs to gain exposure to a larger number of assets within the sector
  • Regulation. ETFs are usually overseen by regulatory authorities, adding a degree of psychological legitimacy and safety in the minds of some market participants
  • Technical expertise.

    Admittedly, the process of buying cryptocurrency on a centralized or decentralized exchange can, at times, be very technical — especially for completely inexperienced individuals. Knowing how to use a cryptocurrency exchange, set up and utilize a crypto wallet, protecting private keys – all of these aspects are often more straightforward through a BTC ETF

Cons

  • Associated fees. An ETF typically features management fees, as users are paying for the perceived expertise and convenience of fund managers.

    While generally modest, these fees can add up over time. This aspect is mostly non-existent when it comes to holding BTC and other cryptocurrencies outright.

  • Rehypothecation risk.

    Buying into a BTC ETF translates to purchasing shares/units of a fund that owns Bitcoin on your behalf. However, the fund may engage in rehypothecation: a practice of lending these assets out to other parties, which could add another risk level to your holdings. Currently, the U.

    S. SEC does not allow U.S.

    spot BTC ETFs to engage in rehypothecation.

  • Custody. Ultimately, one of the cornerstones of blockchain technology, aside from decentralization, is self-custody.

    Holding BTC and other crypto assets directly means you have complete control over them. Buying into a BTC ETF essentially means relinquishing self-custody, as the fund manager holds the Bitcoin.

  • Volatility.

    Buying units/shares of a BTC ETF does not eliminate the inherent risks associated with cryptocurrency price volatility. As always, it is critical to make your decision according to ample research, and your unique risk appetite

What’s the difference between BTC Spot and Futures ETFs?

The short answer is: the way that each tracks the price of Bitcoin and other underlying assets they may hold. Here’s everything you need to know about both types of exchange-traded funds.

Spot BTC ETFs

Sometimes referred to as physical ETFs, the goal of spot ETFs is to track Bitcoin’s price by holding the actual cryptocurrency. Theoretically, they purchase Bitcoin, and then issue shares to users based on the actual value of the Bitcoin they hold. Therefore, these ETFs are designed to ensure users have unobstructed access to Bitcoin’s price movements.

On the one hand, these exchange-traded funds provide users with a straightforward way to buy, sell, and trade BTC without having to deal with the complexities of buying and storing bitcoins directly. Additionally, since spot BTC ETFs are regulated, they usually provide a level of oversight and transparency. On the other hand, there’s always the potential for loss or theft of the Bitcoin held by the fund.

Since the underlying BTC is held in a cryptocurrency wallet, security breaches are always a possibility, not to mention the inherent price fluctuations of Bitcoin.

Futures BTC ETFs

These ETFs are also sometimes called derivatives-based ETFs. Unlike the previous type, futures BTC ETFs don’t hold the actual cryptocurrency.

Instead, these funds track Bitcoin’s price through futures contracts, which are agreements to buy or sell an asset at a specific time in the future. In doing so, crypto enthusiasts can try to anticipate the future price of an asset without actually owning it. But, how do futures contracts work exactly? Here’s a real-life example of a futures contract, in line with the farming analogy from the beginning of this article.

Imagine a farmer knows in June that they will harvest a certain amount of corn in September. They plan on selling the harvested crops to a merchant. Therefore, the farmer and the merchant agree on a future contract: the farmer agrees to deliver a predetermined amount of corn to the merchant in September, and the merchant pays the farmer an agreed-upon price in June.

By implementing such a futures-type contract, both the merchant and the farmer can mitigate the risk of future price changes. Following this logic, futures BTC ETFs enter into contracts to buy or sell BTC at a predetermined price and date, based on the price movements of BTC futures contracts. Advantages of futures BTC ETFs include their inherent usability potential in volatile markets, especially when traders may anticipate a decline in the price of Bitcoin.

These funds can simultaneously provide traders with a more efficient way to gain exposure to this cryptocurrency. On the downside, futures BTC ETFs carry the risk of rollover and contract expiry. Since futures contracts have expiration dates, the ETF must sell the expiring contract and buy a new one, as each contract approaches its expiration date.

Known as rollover, this process may lead to potential tracking errors and increased costs. To simplify the similarities and differences between spot and futures BTC ETFs, here’s a graphic overview: Spot Bitcoin ETFFutures Bitcoin ETFUnderlying assetActual BitcoinBitcoin futures contractsPrice trackingDirect (Bitcoin price)Indirect (futures market price)Asset custodyRequires secure Bitcoin storageNo direct custody of BitcoinSimplicityConsidered less complex, due to direct exposure to the underlying assetConsidered more complex, because of additional futures market layersTransparencyThought higher, because each ETF share corresponds to a specific number of Bitcoin held; reserves can be verified Thought lower, because futures contract value is influenced by various market factors, not just the underlying assetFeesTypically lower, due to reduced need for active trading and managementTypically higher, due to active management of futures contracts (i.e.

rollover)

Brief overview of the current crypto ETF market in the U.S.

More than a decade since the first filing, all 11 applications for U.

S. spot Bitcoin ETFs were simultaneously approved by the U.S.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in January 2024. In the week preceding the approval, ETF issuers were engaged in a “fee war” to attract the first clients. The SEC granted “accelerated approval,” which meant that these ETFs could become available for trading the following business day.

ETF issuers and respective exchanges were eager to open, so spot Bitcoin ETFs began trading on January 11, 2024. Currently, both BTC and ETH futures ETFs are already on the market. However, on May 23, 2024, the SEC officially approved eight spot ETH ETFs to be listed on their respective exchanges.

But, as often happens in financial markets, bureaucracy caused a snag. The regulator greenlighted only 19b-4 filings, while applicants also need S-1 registration statements to be approved to begin ETF trading. Therefore, ETFs are approved (19b-4), but also delayed (S-1).

Additionally, some crypto enthusiasts point out that there are still chances of potential denial of ETFs. U.S.

spot Bitcoin ETFs account for over 85% of the entire accumulated value (1 million BTC) among global spot BTC ETFs. Additionally, spot BTC ETFs have by far the largest amount of assets under management among crypto ETFs. As of this writing, more than 600 firms have revealed some form of involvement in U.

S. spot Bitcoin ETFs. However, retail investors currently account for most inflows to them.

Final thoughts

Uncharted territory. This term would be the most adequate to describe the current crypto market situation, bolstered by the unpredictability of the regulatory landscape. The conversation thus far has primarily been focused on spot ETFs, but, in theory, their approval could potentially result in increased stability and liquidity, including mainstream adoption to the cryptocurrency market.

As always, CEX.IO will keep a watchful eye on the crypto tides, and ensure you have the latest and most accurate information to make the most informed decisions. May the markets trend in your favor (and may the weather be favorable for your harvest) ! The web content provided by CEX.

IO is for educational purposes only. The information and tools provided neither are, nor should be construed as, an offer, or a solicitation of an offer, or a recommendation, to buy, sell or hold any digital asset or to open a particular account or engage in any specific investment strategy. Digital asset markets are highly volatile and can lead to loss of funds.

The availability of the products, features, and services on the CEX.IO platform is subject to jurisdictional limitations. To understand what products and services are available in your region, please see our list of supported countries and territories.

This page includes additional links to information about individual products, and their accessibility.

Bitcoin & crypto trading blog – cex.i


In this week’s crypto highlights, we explore the price movements of BTC, ETH, TRB, and ARB. Additionally, this recap includes other notable industry news items that occurred over the last seven days. Without further ado, let’s dive into the latest market developments.

Market spotlight: the SEC approved all 11 spot Bitcoin ETF applications

After more than a decade since the first filing, U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). And not just one, but all 11 applications simultaneously.

The hype was so big that the link to the approval document occasionally didn’t work, showing an error message. Some even thought that it was another fake, but it wasn’t.

In a statement released on January 10, SEC Chair Gary Gensler confirmed the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs, but not without some barbs. He said “while we approve the listing and trading of certain spot Bitcoin ETP shares today, we did not approve or endorse Bitcoin,” highlighting that the asset is “also used in illicit activity” (cash is as well, and on a larger scale, but whatever).

Notably, the approval happened with a tiny margin. It turned out that Gary Gensler, Hester Peirce, and Mark Uyeda were the commissioners (out of five) who ultimately voted “yes” to spot Bitcoin ETFs. That means Gensler might have been the ultimate decider. Caroline Crenshaw, one of the commissioners who voted “no,” stated she was “deeply concerned” about this decision. Considering Gensler’s tone of voice in the approval statement, some suggested he was “forced” to vote “yes” due to significant market pressure and expectations.

Fee war

In the week preceding approval, ETF issuers were fighting a “fee war” to attract the first clients. The approval of so many similar ETFs at the same time is not common in the TradFi world. The closest event of this kind was the approval of futures Ethereum ETFs in October 2023. As a result, applicants were trying to stand out somehow.

When fee schedules were released, some experts immediately called them “lower than expected.” But most applicants cut proposed fees even lower, after other asset managers shared their schedules (some even cut fees multiple times in a few days). In addition, many of them will completely waive their fees for a certain period of time, or until a certain threshold. Considering the proposed fees, these ETFs may even attract institutional market participants, who already use crypto-native custody services.

Some other interesting takes:

  • BlackRock reportedly seeded $10 million for its ETF, but there are rumors that it has $2 billion in capital lined up from existing Bitcoin holders who want to rotate to its ETF within the first week
  • VanEck and Bitwise pledged to donate 5% and 10%, respectively of their potential profits from spot Bitcoin ETFs, to fund open-source Bitcoin development
  • Grayscale dropped its fees from 2% to 1.5%, meaning it will offer the most expensive product among its competitors. Grayscale has $27 billion of assets under management (AUM) in its Bitcoin trust, and it might see large outflows with the launch of alternative products

So ETFs were approved and…

The SEC granted “accelerated approval,” meaning that these ETFs could become available for trading the following business day. ETF issuers and respective exchanges were eager to open, so spot Bitcoin ETFs began trading on January 11, 2024.

The first days of trading are considered very important, as they show initial demand for the product, and whether or not it was overhyped. However, first inflows are typically lined up by asset managers in advance. After that, the adoption among financial advisors, pension funds, and other market participants could become crucial for ETFs.

According to Edelman’s research in 2023, 47% of financial advisors possess Bitcoin in their personal portfolios. However, only 12% actively advocate for its inclusion in their clients’ investments. Edelman also highlighted that 77% of advisors expressed their intention to recommend a spot Bitcoin ETF to their clients.

Nevertheless, don’t forget that ETF approval was not the only factor driving recent BTC prices. There are less than 100 days until the next Bitcoin halving, which is expected to occur in mid-April.

Other noteworthy market events

The SEC’s X account was reportedly “hacked,” posting fake spot Bitcoin ETF approval

It seems that the securities regulator has security issues. Ba dum tss !

On January 9, the SEC’s X (formerly Twitter) account posted a now-removed tweet, claiming that the regulator had approved spot Bitcoin ETFs. Approximately 15 minutes later, SEC Chair Gary Gensler said the regulator’s account was compromised, and the commission hadn’t yet approved the listing and trading of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products.

Some didn’t believe it, and assumed that it was an “intern’s fat fingers,” remembering Cointelegraph’s mistake. Others thought that a “hacker” posted a scheduled message earlier than expected, but the SEC said the unauthorized tweet “was not made by the SEC or its staff.” There was also speculation the SEC could use this event as a reason to decline or delay ETF approval, because leaving the post would be less damaging to its reputation if in fact that SEC still planned to approve it (some 3D chess moves it seems).

Shortly afterward, X’s safety team said that SEC did not have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, and it was a SIM swap attack. Of course, the crypto community reminded Gary Gensler of his own recommendations that enabling 2FA is a must.

In general, the crypto community predominantly responded to this event with memes. The “compromised” SEC tweet was even inscribed onto the Bitcoin blockchain to immortalize this… incident. However, certain U.S. senators raised concerns about the SEC’s internal cybersecurity procedures, demanding clarification.

Ethereum developers shared an updated project roadmap, specified testnets upgrade schedule

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin shared the Ethereum roadmap for 2024, outlining the project’s continued focus on six main components: the Merge, the Surge, the Scourge, the Verge, the Purge, and the Splurge. If you think this sounds like some kind of “Wunschpunsch mega magic,” you’re not alone.

In layman’s terms, these Ethereum components mean:

  • The Merge — a move toward the decentralized proof of stake (PoS) network
  • The Surge — a boost of transaction throughput by making layer 2 (L2) faster and cheaper
  • The Scourge — mitigation of centralization concerns related to liquid staking and other practices within the network
  • The Verge — improving transaction verification to make data structure more efficient
  • The Purge — cleaning old network data and history. It’s not just a teenager’s move (with web browsers). This could significantly help optimize the Ethereum blockchain size, which is already near 1 TB
  • The Splurge — making hot fixes along the way

In addition, Ethereum developers confirmed the testnet upgrade timelines for the next hardfork called Dencun, which is focused on turbocharging L2s. The Dencun upgrade will begin testing on:

  • Goerli — January 17
  • Sepolia — January 30
  • Holesky — February 7.
  • Mainnet — TBD

IRS now requires reporting data about crypto transactions worth at least $10,000

According to a new rule that went into effect on January 1, 2024, U.S. businesses and professional traders who receive over $10,000 worth of cryptocurrencies will need to report their transactions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), within 15 days.

This includes the name, address, and Social Security number (SSN) of the sender, as well as the amount, date, and nature of the transaction. Those who fail to file a report within 15 days of a transaction could be charged with a felony offense.

Currently, the IRS has not issued any official guidance regarding the reporting methods of this change. There is also uncertainty surrounding whether the ruling applies solely to crypto exchanges, or extends to those who receive cash payments from crypto transactions.

Forbes reported that this rule specifically addresses payments received from other U.S. individuals or entities. Shehan Chandrasekera, CoinTracker’s Head of Tax Strategy, mentioned that the rule applies to those engaged in activities in a business-like manner. He clarified that if you are “a simple crypto investor without a trade or business,” you are not impacted by this rule.

One sentence news

  • A team of former Citigroup executives plans to offer Bitcoin-backed securities, similar to American depositary receipts (ADRs), that reportedly don’t need to be approved by the SEC
  • South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) proposed an amendment that would effectively prohibit local citizens from purchasing cryptocurrencies using credit cards.
  • The proposal of a Bitcoin Core developer, Luke Dashjr, to filter out Ordinals transactions was shut down, after causing acrimonious debate among Bitcoin developers and the community.
  • Visa announced the launch of a new loyalty service that will allow brands to create digital wallets for customers to store reward points
  • A special economic zone in Honduras formally acknowledged Bitcoin as a unit of account, permitting its use for assessing the market value of goods and services
  • Binance, KuCoin, Huobi, Kraken, Gate.io, Bittrex, Bitstamp, MEXC Global, and Bitfinex were sent “show cause” notices by the Indian government, and their apps were removed from the local Apple App store

Notable price performances

BTC price volatility before ETF approval, and sideways movement after that

Over the last week, it seems that fake news and loud statements brought more volatility to Bitcoin markets than real events. On January 3, Bitcoin suffered a flash crash below $41,000, amid speculative reports that spot ETF applications would be denied. This drop was accompanied by almost $700 million in daily crypto liquidations.

When ETF issuers made “final” amendments to their filings, and released their fee schedules, the Bitcoin price jumped to $47,000. The “compromised” SEC tweet caused another wave of fluctuations, first pushing the price to $48,000, then back to $45,000. After the real SEC approval, Bitcoin was predominantly moving sideways. It seems BTC just wanted to chill a bit, after recent wild rides. The initial ETF demand could help define whether or not BTC approval was priced in, as well as further BTC price direction.

Bitcoin ended last year with a four-month green streak that we highlighted as possible ever since the asset’s positive performance in September. However, the last time this happened, Bitcoin followed with a red January.

The BTC price approached the upper border of a downside Ichimoku cloud (green), which acted as a price resistance for pre-halving rallies. In addition, the weekly RSI started showing signs of bearish divergence. Almost 90% of Bitcoin is currently held in profit, which could potentially incentivize bearish pressure. As a result, this could limit Bitcoin’s upside potential in the short term.

ETH price took advantage of spot Bitcoin ETF approval

Ethereum was one of the major winners on spot Bitcoin ETF approval day. While the BTC price remained almost flat, ETH saw double-digit gains, moving above $2,600 for the first time since May 2022.

The potential catalyst could be anticipation of spot Ethereum ETFs, which may have a “straight shot for approval,” after the SEC greenlighted Bitcoin products. Bloomberg’s ETF analyst Eric Balchunas estimated a 70% chance that spot ETH ETFs will be approved by May 2024.

For Bitcoin, it’s like it bought a dress for its big day, invited friends, and did its makeup extra “wow,” only to find out that many are already looking in other directions.

In addition, January has historically been quite beneficial for Ethereum in general, as it predominantly outperforms Bitcoin during the month. The ETH/BTC chart also reached a long-term support line (white line), and formed a bullish divergence (cyan lines) nearby. This suggests that ETH may steal the spotlight in the coming weeks, or months, and potentially continue to outperform Bitcoin.

TRB evaporated almost 70% of its value in a few hours

On New Year’s Eve, while most people were waiting for 12 p.m., TRB holders decided to draw 12 o’clock on a chart. The TRB price jumped from $250 to around $600, and then dropped to $130. According to Kaiko, there were significant price dislocations across exchanges, showing the TRB price from $500 to $700, at the rally peak.

The on-chain analytical platform Lookonchain reported that the Tellor team deposited 4,211 TRB tokens, valued at $2.4 million, into Coinbase. Interestingly, this deposit occurred almost simultaneously with TRB reaching its peak, and subsequently experiencing a rapid decline of approximately 70% within a few hours.

According to IntoTheBlock, just 14 addresses control over 70% of the token supply, meaning that the asset could be the subject of pump-and-dump events. Following this rapid drop, the asset predominantly moved downwards, reaching the 0.786 Fibonacci point.

ARB price more than doubled in a month

Over the last three months, the ARB price saw parabolic growth, from $0.76 to $2.26. As a result, ARB turned into one of the best-performing assets in the L2 sector.

According to DefiLlama, Arbitrum’s total value locked (TVL) reached an all-time high, moving above $2.52 billion. In terms of trading volume, ARB reached fourth place, excluding stablecoins. Arbitrum also became the first L2 to cross $1 billion in daily volume on Uniswap.

The potential catalyst behind this rally could be anticipation of the upcoming Ethereum Dencun upgrade, focused on reducing rollup transaction costs. This is expected to reduce gas fees paid per transaction, and improve network capacity.

Currently, ARB is inside the overbought zone, with RSI on weekly and lower timeframes. This suggests that the market could be overheated, and price correction might follow. Throughout the recent rally, the middle of the Bollinger channel on a daily chart acted as dynamic support for the price.

Tune in next week, and every week, for the latest CEX.IO crypto highlights. For more information, head over to the Exchange to check current prices, or stop by CEX.IO University to continue expanding your crypto knowledge.

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Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Not investment or financial advice. Seek professional advice. Digital assets involve risk. Do your own research.

Bitcoin & crypto trading blog – cex.i


The time of year between autumn and winter is unpredictable. Despite entering the month on a hot streak, and it being our 10th anniversary of providing award-winning crypto solutions, November can be fickle. And yet, taking stock of the company’s performance in the eleventh month revealed the busiest PR traffic of 2023 for CEX.IO. For participants who also share a birthday with the holiday season, you know how easy it can be to get lost in the festivities. Thankfully, the positive recognition, high-profile coverage, generative thought leadership, and improved rankings were a helpful reminder of our place in the spotlight.

The action started early with Business Insider again naming CEX.IO among the “Best Crypto Currency Exchanges” of November 2023. Having lost count of the outlet’s positive mentions, it continues to be a well-spring of inspiration to keep our community satisfied and our 4.45/5 ranking, hopefully, on the rise. This news was accompanied by the company also rising three positions in CCData’s latest Exchange Benchmark Report. Netting perfect marks for KYC/Transaction Risk, Asset Quality, and an overall score of 75, we’re pleased to have also received another “A” rating from the respected outlet. Not a bad start, especially considering we brought some fireworks of our own.

To kickoff our birthday celebration, we issued a press release that was immediately picked up by Yahoo ! Finance. Our Founder and CEO, Oleksandr Lutskevych, was amplified by the flagship news engine, who reiterated our core commitments to the global crypto community, and our ongoing efforts to expand crypto adoption. A week later, CEX.IO’s Global MLRO and Head of Financial Crime, Mark Taylor, was also quoted by the outlet ahead of his appearance at the 2023 Future Identity Festival. That same day, Alex made his first trip to the Cointelegraph Innovation Circle to discuss merging agricultural business with blockchain technology. These major acknowledgements and headline attention helped set the tone for what amounted to be a memorable month of coverage.

Alex returned to the Innovation Circle just days later to weigh in on how Web3 builders could set themselves apart from their Web2 predecessors. Citing crypto’s early exploratory phase, Alex encouraged future visionaries to tap into the sense of wonder that accompanied that period of collaboration and sandbox-style discovery. Reaching back to the industry’s genesis point was also the subject of CEX.IO’s Head of Communications, Becky Sarwate’s recent publication on HackerNoon. To Achieve Global Adoption, Crypto Should Remember Its Roots worked to resuscitate the communal atmosphere of the ecosystem’s infancy, and made a case for better supporting fellow participants. This was quickly followed by HackerNoon publishing a “Meet the Writer” feature on Becky, highlighting her process, and the persona behind the pen.

Later that day, and in response to our announcement that XRP would once again be available platform-wide, CoinMarketCap elevated our relisting to their readership. After a prolonged pause, and a perceived legal victory in the courts, having this popular asset back was yet another cause for celebration. Shortly thereafter, Alex made his third Innovation Circle appearance to caution Web3 builders from indulging in fantasies of overnight success. Having witnessed countless projects succumb to becoming crash test dummies, Alex championed staying the course and keeping a level head as means to avoiding calamity.

CEX.IO’s Director of Lithuania, Head of Corporate Payment Solutions, Arina Dudko, also had the opportunity to speak with Cointelegraph about the EU’s proposed Data Act. Noted for adding a “kill switch” requirement to smart contracts operating in its jurisdiction, concerns of its passing has sparked considerable hubbub among crypto enthusiasts and hardliners alike. However, Arina offered insight into how these new regulations would better protect industry participants, and could serve to thaw skeptics on transacting in the crypto space. The company was again mentioned by Cointelegraph days later when the outlet reported on BTC and ETH availability for U.K.-based participants. This reiterated our prior announcement to halt onboarding for new users in that region, alongside other companies seeking to chart the right course through changing regulatory waters. All in all, it was a significant month for company recognition and generative thought-leadership.

Explore our November media highlights via the links below.

Business Insider renewed its assessment of CEX.IO, and named it among the “Best Cryptocurrency Exchanges” for another consecutive month. The company Maintained its 4.45/5 rating, and received praises for offering user-centric solutions, low fees, and best-in-class customer satisfaction.

Read the review in full here.

CEX.IO rose three positions versus March 2023, to #8 in the latest Exchange Benchmark Report from CCData. With perfect marks for KYC/Transaction Risk, Quality/Diversity of Assets, and Team/Exchange, the reputable outlet awarded an overall score of 75, and renewed our “A” rating.

Explore our full ranking here.

Rounding out a busy start to the month, November 1 also saw our Founder and CEO, Oleksandr Lutskevych, quoted by Yahoo ! Finance in recognition of CEX.IO’s 10-year anniversary. A rare accomplishment in the crypto space, Alex used the moment to thank employees at every level for their hard work and commitment to building a tenured, recognized company. After a decade of innovation and leadership in a growing industry, Alex made it clear CEX.IO continues to have big plans for the future.

“‘Since day one, we’ve endeavored to bridge the gap between traditional and decentralized finance, and achieving this milestone is a testament to that commitment,’ Lutskevych said. ‘By developing proprietary technologies, and building out critical infrastructure, CEX.IO has been at the forefront during key periods of growth within the crypto space. And after a decade of measured leadership, we’re just getting started.’”

On November 7, CEX.IO officially announced that its Global MLRO and Head of Financial Crime, Mark Taylor, would be speaking on a panel at the 2023 Future Identity Festival in London. Mark was quoted by Yahoo ! Finance following the release, where he spoke about the urgent duty he feels to keep the value and information of market participants safe from bad actors seeking to exploit weak points in the digital economy.

“‘After two decades in law enforcement, I feel duty-bound to help ensure emerging developments are situated toward their most efficient application,’ Taylor said. ‘With our combined talent and expertise on display, I’m confident we’ll get to the heart of the current uptick of bad actors, and establish an understanding of next steps. Fraud prevention requires an incredible level of synchronicity between disparate partners, so it’s paramount that we work together.’”

Also on November 7, our CEO Alex made his first visit of the month to the Cointelegraph Innovation Circle, this time to discuss integrating agricultural businesses with blockchain technology. While the crypto ecosystem is still under development, Alex cautioned that real-world crops and livestock must align with their on-chain representations. That way, foodways can remain operational, and face minimal interruptions.

“Many pixels have been exhausted theorizing how blockchain technology could liberate industries and supply chains. However, ensuring digital assets actually account for the livestock or crops they represent is paramount to mitigating the dire impact subversion could have on at-risk populations. Therefore, those aiming to disrupt agricultural industries must ensure our foodways remain intact.”

On November 9, Alex made his second trip to the Cointelegraph Innovation Circle, this time to discuss how Web3 developers can set themselves apart from their Web2 ancestors. Noting the consolidation of internet providers that partially defines Web2, Alex suggested drawing inspiration from first-wave builders who pioneered early, user-run online communities. After liberating our digital space from the control of centralized entities, he argued that returning power to users will reinvigorate the internet’s initial wonder, and catalyze innovation.

“Each iteration of the Web has signaled a dramatic shift from its predecessor in how content is produced and accessed. Web3 companies should embrace a return to the user-centric, community-focused amenities that inspired first-wave builders. By breaking with the centralized consolidation that occurred under Web2, leaders stand to reinvigorate the sense of wonder that once thrived in our online spaces.”

On November 12, CEX.IO’s Head of Communications, Becky Sarwate, had her second piece published on HackerNoon, this time examining how crypto’s history could have lessons for the future. By making a case for greater community investment from wealthier participants, Becky drew comparisons between educational funding in the U.S., and what crypto can learn from returning to its roots.

“To achieve global adoption, crypto companies need to start conceiving of the ecosystem as a single organism whose success requires collaborative effort and investment. Whether this demands the development of new or better networks, true progress must be measured by our collective will to achieve financial freedom. No longer a zero-sum game, this is an opportunity for the best and brightest to determine which stars are within reach.”

On November 15, and after a long hiatus, CEX.IO announced that XRP would once again be available platform-wide. The news caused quite a stir, as multiple outlets ran stories echoing the relisting. A post on CoinMarketCap was the first to share the news, and highlighted the company’s hardwon reputation, and signaled the event as a turning point for the XRP community following the recent court ruling.

“CEX.IO, a prominent digital asset exchange, announced the relisting of Ripple-affiliated XRP token for its U.S.-based users earlier this Wednesday. This move allows U.S. users to buy, sell, convert, deposit, and withdraw XRP across CEX.IO’s product ecosystem.”

That same day, Becky kept the momentum of her new piece rolling with a “Meet the Writer” feature on HackerNoon. After finding herself well-established on the platform, readers were given a glimpse into the person behind the posts, and her approach to publication. Where writing and thinking about crypto remains a professional passion, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“I usually write in three phases. During the first, I sit for two to three hours and just produce a raw draft. I kind of come with a mental outline in my head, and the data points I need to find to support my arguments. Then I just bang it out. In Phase 2, I come back after some rest (for me and the piece I’m writing) for a critical content review. The focus here is not necessarily mechanics. But did I accomplish what I intended? If not, time to edit. And in the last and final creative phase, I am usually nitpicking at my grammar and punctuation while trying my best not to let perfect become the enemy of good.”

On November 21, Alex made his third visit of the month to the Cointelegraph Innovation Circle, this time to caution Web3 builders from expecting overnight success. After acknowledging the meteoric rises in technology and crypto circles, Alex noted how the majority of projects face tough challenges that require perseverance and dedication to overcome.

“Despite the quick pace of the crypto ecosystem, it’s rare for success to arrive overnight. While we’ve certainly seen projects exceed anyone’s wildest dreams, the majority face the uphill challenges of a crowded field and shifting public sentiment. For true believers, this is common knowledge often won through sober experience. Therefore, it’s wise to temper your expectations and plan for rainy days.”

On November 24, CEX.IO’s Director of Lithuania and Head of Corporate Payment Solutions, Arina Dudko, spoke with Cointelegraph to discuss how the EU’s proposed Data Act is a necessary advancement to ensure user safety. Controversially, the legislation would require “kill switch” for smart contracts operating in its jurisdiction, which continues to divide leaders on the impact it will have on future innovation. By evoking laws that established much-needed building codes, Arina argued smart contract guardrails provide essential participant protections, while challenging builders to continue delivering top-tier products.

“Dudko said that much like ‘emergency exits and fire codes, these accommodations are critical to ensuring the environments and products we share are safe for all.’ Crypto market participants, she said, need a way to escape if they ‘get locked into a nefarious or misguided commitment. While this could discourage hardliners from engaging with these resources, introducing basic user protections could serve to welcome skeptics and crypto-curious participants to make their first transaction.’”

On November 26, CEX.IO’s announcement of halting new customer onboarding in the U.K. again circulated, this time in the outlet’s coverage of BTC and ETH availability in the region. The article notes the company’s prudence in navigating the evolving regulatory landscape around crypto marketing, while still providing top-tier access to existing users. As the situation continues to evolve, CEX.IO remains committed to working closely with officials to stay within permitted guidelines to achieve peak participant protection.

“In response to updated regulatory guidelines from the FCA and the expanded parameters of the Regime of Financial Promotions, CEX.IO and Binance announced in 2023 that they had suspended onboarding new U.K.-based consumers. Therefore, verifying an exchange’s availability in the U.K. and compliance with regulatory changes is essential for informed decision-making.”

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