Author: Max Bauer
The Federal Reserve is poised for a potentially turbulent 2025 as new voting members join the rate-setting committee amid renewed concerns about inflation. The changing composition of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) adds another layer of complexity to the central bank’s already challenging task of navigating the economy. Earlier this month, the Fed lowered its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point, signaling only two such reductions for 2025. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell emphasized a more cautious approach, indicating that future rate cuts will be gradual and data-dependent, particularly regarding inflation’s trajectory back towards the 2% target.…
CNBC’s Jim Cramer, in his daily “Stop Trading” segment, addressed the recent decline in Bitcoin, suggesting it might present a buying opportunity for those still on the sidelines. Noting three consecutive days of declines and $330 million pulled from BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, Cramer acknowledged the atypical nature of the downturn. Despite the dip, Cramer reiterated his positive outlook on Bitcoin, advising viewers to watch it closely. He suggested a potential entry point around $90,000, viewing Bitcoin as a valuable hedge, particularly in light of what he described as a $36 trillion market opportunity for the cryptocurrency. Cramer linked Bitcoin’s price…
Two contrasting proposals to significantly integrate Bitcoin into the United States’ financial reserves have ignited a debate about the potential benefits and risks of such a move. Both proposals, unveiled at the Bitcoin 2024 conference, suggest holding Bitcoin as a strategic asset, mirroring the nation’s gold reserves. However, they differ significantly in scope and financing mechanisms. The first proposal, championed by former President Trump, advocates retaining the approximately 198,000 Bitcoins, currently valued at around $19 billion, seized by the U.S. Marshals Service from criminal activities. This approach would effectively halt the current practice of selling confiscated Bitcoin, creating a substantial…
After a record-breaking year in 2024, Bitcoin’s price has cooled off in recent weeks. However, experts predict a potential re-ignition in 2025, fueled by growing decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and anticipated regulatory clarity under the Trump administration. Bitcoin’s surge past $100,000 in 2024 was largely attributed to President-elect Trump’s victory, alongside the introduction of Bitcoin ETFs and the Federal Reserve’s easing policies. Joe McCann, founder, CEO, and CIO of Asymmetric, a venture capital fund investing in Bitcoin-based startups, believes the market is anticipating another price run-up around Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, based on options market activity. He cautions, however,…
Bitcoin’s price could surge to around $150,000 this summer, according to Carol Alexander, a finance professor at the University of Sussex. However, she cautions that significant price swings will likely persist due to high leverage trading on cryptocurrency exchanges. Alexander, who previously accurately predicted Bitcoin reaching $100,000 in 2024, shared her latest forecast with CNBC, expressing increased bullishness for the cryptocurrency’s prospects in 2025. While suggesting a potential price target of $200,000 for the year, Alexander emphasized the continuing volatility in the Bitcoin market. She anticipates Bitcoin trading within a wide range of $100,000 to $200,000 by the summer. This…
Bitcoin could reach a price between $180,000 and $200,000 by the end of 2025, according to Sid Powell, co-founder and CEO of decentralized finance platform Maple Finance. Powell shared his bullish prediction on CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe,” citing the anticipated growth of Bitcoin ETFs and the potential establishment of a U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve as key drivers. Powell compared the expected trajectory of Bitcoin ETFs to the historical performance of gold ETFs, noting significant increases in inflows in the years following their introduction. He believes a similar pattern will emerge with Bitcoin ETFs as institutional asset managers increasingly incorporate the…
The USD0 stablecoin, issued by the Usual Protocol, experienced a brief de-pegging event earlier today following a large sell-off by a single whale on the secondary market. The event, which began around 07:00 AM UTC, saw the price of USD0 dip to $0.99 before quickly recovering to near its $1 peg within seconds. While some minor price fluctuations persisted for a few hours due to continued selling pressure, the stablecoin has since fully regained its peg. In a statement released following the incident, Usual Protocol acknowledged the large sell-off, characterizing it as a significant stress test of the USD0 peg.…
Do Kwon, the co-founder of Terraform Labs, has been extradited to the United States from Montenegro, marking a significant development in the legal saga surrounding the collapse of the TerraUSD and Luna cryptocurrencies. Montenegrin news outlet Vijesti reported the extradition on Tuesday, citing a statement from the Ministry of Justice. According to the report, Kwon, a South Korean citizen, was handed over to US law enforcement officials and FBI agents at Podgorica Airport. The extradition follows a protracted legal battle involving competing requests from both the US and South Korea, where Kwon also faces charges. Kwon’s arrest in Montenegro in…
Cryptocurrency analysis firm QCP Capital has released its latest market watch, observing Bitcoin’s consolidation near the bottom of its one-month range following a predictable post-quarter-end volatility sell-off. Despite this recent dip, QCP notes Bitcoin’s impressive Q4 performance, with a 48% gain, alongside Ethereum’s 30% rise. QCP highlights MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor’s recently published Bitcoin purchase tracker as a potential catalyst for another round of buying, which could further support prices. However, the firm cautions against expecting significant price movements in the near term, particularly given the current healthy funding rates. Citing historical data, QCP points out that January’s average Bitcoin…
Analyst Paul Barron is bullish on XRP, citing surging activity on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as a sign of a “perfect storm” brewing. Barron points to a confluence of factors, including a sharp rise in trustlines, exploding decentralized exchange (DEX) volume, and a continued increase in active addresses. Barron highlighted the surge in XRPL trustlines, which began in December. Trustlines represent connections between users on the XRPL, enabling direct transfers of value and facilitating various functionalities within the network. Barron attributes this increase to growing awareness and understanding of the XRP Ledger’s capabilities. He noted an initial spike in trustlines…