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☆ Grayscale moves to expand ETF business as legal fight over spot bitcoin fund continues
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The expansion comes as Grayscale is embroiled in a lawsuit with the Securities and Exchange Commission over the company's attempt to convert its $17 billion Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) into a spot bitcoin ETF. The SEC has repeatedly declined to approve spot bitcoin products, citing concerns about manipulation in the underlying crypto market. One of the new ETFs that Grayscale filed for on Tuesday could be seen as something of a substitute for a spot bitcoin fund. The Grayscale Global Bitcoin Composite ETF, which would have the ticker "BTC" upon launch, would invest in spot bitcoin products outside the U.S. as well as the equities of bitcoin mining companies. The other prospective funds are the Grayscale Ethereum Futures ETF (ETHG) and the Grayscale Privacy ETF (PRVC).

☆ Bitcoin slides after network congestion leads Binance to briefly halt withdrawals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Monday's drop came after Binance tweeted Sunday that the Bitcoin network was "experiencing a congestion issue" and that it was temporarily closing bitcoin withdrawals as a result until the network stabilized. Some market participants have argued that the Bitcoin network is stable and Binance should have prepared for a high-fee environment on Bitcoin. Our team has also been working on enabling BTC Lightning Network withdrawals, which will help in such situations." "There is an increasing demand for BRC-20 tokens which include transferring digital collectibles on Bitcoin network," said Oppenheimer analyst Owen Lau. On May 1, about 50% of bitcoin transactions were BRC-20 mints, Thorn highlighted in a note Friday.

☆ Bitcoin could rally 30% in the next month after sleepy start to May trading, says Canaccord Genuity chart analyst
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Crypto prices were a little sleepy to kick off the first week of May, but investors remain confident in its long-term up trend, and charts show there could be another short-term crypto rally underway, according to Canaccord Genuity. Bitcoin is on pace to end the week up less than 1%, according to Coin Metrics. Meanwhile, ether is looking to notch a 4% gain on the week, thanks in part to its meme-driven rally Friday . Bitcoin and ether ended April higher by 3.3% and 4.3%, respectively. However, there could be a two- to four-week rally underway in both bitcoin and ether , with upside potential of about 32% and 12% from current levels, respectively, Canaccord chart analyst Javed Mirza said in a note Thursday.

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☆ Buy the bitcoin pullback as crypto will have more time to shine later this year, Bernstein says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

"Bitcoin and the crypto financial system were made exactly for times like today," he said in a note Monday, highlighting the "breakdown of traditional financial systems" and "first principle questions on the fractional reserve business model of banks." "As the narrative towards a weaker dollar picks up, we believe bitcoin will emerge again as a faster horse than gold," Chhugani said. "Further, we believe it will also unleash a new crypto cycle, bringing about a new wave of innovation in crypto-based decentralized financial systems. Furthermore, the regulatory argument against crypto in the U.S. is weakening, according to the analyst, as Europe and Hong Kong take more progressive approaches. BTC.CM= YTD mountain Bitcoin (BTC) this year Bitcoin fell about 4% Monday, according to Coin Metrics, after closing out its fourth positive month in a row with a 3% gain.

[1/2] Zsolt Hernadi, Executive Chairman of Hungarian oil and gas group MOL poses during an interview with Reuters in Budapest, Hungary, April 27, 2023. Hernadi said MOL was fighting to prevent a hike in oil transit fees in Ukraine and also in Croatia. The BTC pipeline transports crude oil from offshore oil fields in the Caspian Sea to the Turkish coast. He said MOL would pay Ukraine's pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta directly for the transit of Russian oil but there was still a dispute over a Ukrainian hike in fees. "There are still disputes, discussions ongoing about the transit fee, as a multi-fold increase has been flagged (by Ukraine)."

☆ Bitcoin keeps wavering between a store of value and a high-risk asset. How investors square that with their traditional investments.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"If you make an investment into bitcoin, you understand that this is par for the course, it just is," he told CNBC. "Because bitcoin takes on a lot of asset profiles – risk asset, store of value, VC-like nascent asset class – investing in it is actually really attractive," said Greg King, CEO of investment company Osprey Funds. A very early technology play Looking at the price path on short timeframes, bitcoin will and often does mimic high-risk assets. Ross had a nuanced view, arguing that bitcoin remains a highly volatile asset. New crypto investors often overlook the Bitcoin technology, focusing instead on bitcoin the crypto asset.

☆ Bitcoin surges 9% toward key level of $30,000 as crypto market rallies amid fresh banking sector fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The rally comes as First Republic Bank stokes fresh fears over weakness in the banking sector. Investors are also adding risk as they anticipate a Fed pivot, a crypto exec told Insider. First Republic Bank stock nosedived almost 50% on Tuesday and lost another 20% Wednesday, hitting a record low, after reporting higher-than-expected customer deposit withdrawals. Bitcoin rallied through the turmoil in March as Silicon Valley Bank failed, and industry observers said a similar situation is playing out for the world's largest crypto amid the latest bout of uncertainty. Another crypto exec echoed similar sentiments, adding that the slew of bank failures like Silicon Valley Bank last month made investors question the stability of traditional financial services.

☆ Bitcoin volatility is back to pre-banking crisis lows, but crypto futures show investor optimism is building
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

This means traders expect bitcoin prices will increase and may be willing to pay a premium for longer-dated futures contracts in anticipation of those higher prices. The banking crisis opened many investors' eyes to the range of bitcoin's nonspeculative use cases, specifically its potential as an alternative banking system. As worries about U.S. banks have waned and inflation has eased, some are concerned the fallout from the U.S. banking crisis could tilt the economy into recession this year. The drop in bitcoin volatility also comes as the stock market's "fear index," the Cboe Volatility Index , has fallen to about 17 from 26 at the height of the banking crisis. New catalysts for volatility While the banking crisis briefly put some life back into the crypto market , tension between the crypto industry and U.S. regulators remains as a dark cloud over it.

☆ Crypto winter is over — and bitcoin could hit $100,000 by the end of 2024, Standard Chartered says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bitcoin's value could jump to as much as $100,000 by the end of 2024, Standard Chartered said in a note published Monday. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and other mid-tier U.S. lenders has solidified the case for bitcoin as a "decentralised, trustless and scarce digital asset," Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick said in the note. "We see potential for Bitcoin (BTC) to reach the USD 100,000 level by end-2024, as we believe the much-touted 'crypto winter' is finally over," Kendrick said in the report, titled "Bitcoin — Pathway to the USD 100,000 level." "Given these advantages, we think BTC's share of total digital assets market cap could move into the 50-60% range in the next few months (from around 45% currently)." The woes of Circle's USD Coin and other so-called stablecoins, which aim to achieve a 1-to-1 peg to the U.S. dollar, has also benefited bitcoin, Kendrick said.

☆ Crypto trading could take a breather after ‘Shanghai’ rally, as investors refocus on banks and economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

While ether climbed throughout the week, bitcoin – the outperformer this year – was trading more choppily. Or will it be an event where people are losing money broadly and economic concerns spill over into the crypto space." "I think it could go either way, but so far what we see in the crypto space is encouraging," he added. "Investors could continue to be picky and look for perceived quality, even in the crypto space," she said. "That's helped bitcoin this year since it's seen as a risk asset outside of crypto, but a store of value within crypto.

☆ Ether is poised to climb higher with the uncertainty of 'Shanghai' behind investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Market participants say that with all the uncertainty out of the way, ether may finally catch up with bitcoin. After Shanghai Investors can now withdraw staked ether from the network for the first time ever: This is one of the biggest attractions of the Shanghai upgrade. This Merge ultimately made more liquidity available to ether investors and stakers. "Dominance" measures how a crypto asset like bitcoin is performing relative to its peers in the crypto market. That correlation has declined, however, in part because market participants have favored bitcoin over ether ahead of the Shanghai upgrade.

☆ A new wave of robocallers are trying to scam crypto users — here's how the scam works and how to stop it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Robocallers are beginning to target cryptocurrency investors, spoofing calls from Coinbase. These scams are particularly risky for crypto investors, as reclaiming lost assets is difficult. Doug Shadel, the managing director of Fraud Prevention Strategies who works alongside Nomorobo, told Insider he's noticed several different types of scams from robocallers trying to bilk crypto investors. He said cryptocurrency scams have often become like a new-age version of gift card scams. Staying secureInsider spoke to representatives from both hardware wallet Ledger and cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase whose users were targeted by robocallers.

What is the bitcoin halving? The event cuts the rewards to bitcoin miners — volunteers running specialized equipment to validate transactions on the network and mint new tokens — by 50%. Currently, bitcoin miners receive 6.25 bitcoin for each block they successfully mine. Once the next bitcoin halving occurs, this reward will be reduced to 3.125 bitcoin. This would correlate with the next expected Bitcoin halving date, which is another 378 days ahead."

☆ Where bitcoin goes next after hitting $30,000, according to chart analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Bitcoin climbed above $30,000 Monday night for the first time since June – and sustained that level throughout trading on Tuesday. This week's price rally has added to the optimism around bitcoin's recent strength and resilience and interest from new investors – and chart analysts agree the cryptocurrency is in a solid uptrend trend – after posting a 63% loss for 2022. "Specially, following its March breakout above key resistance, price had consolidated sideways for a number of weeks," he said. BTC.CM= ETH.CM= 1Y line Bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) over the past year Fairlead Strategies' Katie Stockton echoed that, saying bitcoin "pushed out of its consolidation phase, following a base breakout in March." The recent breakout level near $1,850 should hold in coming days to keep the momentum going.

☆ Bernstein says if you like gold, you should like bitcoin even more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

It's "irrational" to like gold and dislike bitcoin at this point in the macro cycle, according to Bernstein. At the same time, the flagship cryptocurrency's correlation with gold has been climbing, while its correlation with stocks has declined, Bernstein found. "If you like gold here, you should like bitcoin even more … Gold and bitcoin correlation increases during the periods of crisis. And when there is a massive monetary debasement event, while both bitcoin and gold rally, bitcoin outperforms gold." "Liking gold, but not liking bitcoin, is like hating on a faster horse," they said.

☆ Bitcoin outlook: Crypto may be in a bull market now, but investors should still tread carefully
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The case for a new crypto bull market has been slowly growing since the beginning of the year and gained more strength still in March. For Orsini, the new bull market in crypto began on Jan. 13, when bitcoin broke through its 200-day moving average. "But an enduring secular bull market will have clarity and regulation underpinning it." "When that framework gets introduced you're going to be closer to the beginning of a secular bull market." Less liquidity, bigger swings Bull market or not, investors agree it'll be no straight line up over the next few months.

☆ Bitcoin’s March rally may be petering out. Here's where investors see it going from here
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Bitcoin held on to its new highs this week and saw the biggest exchange inflows of the year, but the rally could be dwindling, investors say. Bitcoin's exchange net inflows were the largest of the year and 8.2x larger than the prior week's, suggesting this month's rally was led by retail investors, Citi analyst Alkesh Shah, noted in a separate report Friday. This past month's banking crisis, however, brought a moment of awareness to bitcoin investors that has partly driven the recent rally. "While bitcoin's rally is somewhat extended, the now 40% bounce off the 200-day moving average highlights strength of trend," he said. What the charts say This week, bitcoin briefly dropped to the $26,000 level, almost returning to the key level of $25,200 chart analysts have been monitoring.

☆ How this 26-year-old went from running bitcoin trading desks in Taco Bells to creating the largest crypto exchange in Africa
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +28 min

Yellow Card CEO Chris Maurice just before meeting with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Accra, Ghana. Chris MauriceFrom there, Yellow Card users can send or receive digital cash in eligible markets. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Yellow Card CEO Chris Maurice in Accra, Ghana loading cash onto his Mobile Money account, MoMo. Yellow Card has facilitated $1.75 billion in transactions since launching in 2019 and has about 220 employees – mostly in Africa. A resident checks his phone outside a mobile money kiosk in the Kibera district of Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022.

☆ Bitcoin at $100,000? Insiders say the cryptocurrency could test new highs this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this article BTC.BS=-USSBTC.CB=BTC.CM= Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTCryptocurrency industry insiders predict bitcoin could hit a new all-time high in 2023 and possibly reach $100,000. Bitcoin previously hit its all-time high of $68,990.90 in November 2021. related investing news How crypto prices may react to the latest Fed decision Marshall Beard, chief strategy officer at U.S.-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, said $100,000 could be a possibility for bitcoin. "I think bitcoin probably breaks all-time highs this year," Beard said, adding that the $100,000 price figure is an "interesting number." Paolo Ardoino, chief technology officer at stablecoin issuer Tether, said bitcoin could "retest" its all-time high near $69,000.

☆ How crypto prices may react to the latest Fed decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Fed is due to conclude its two-day meeting and unveil its latest policy decision at 2 p.m. Still, inflation and Fed rate hikes remain the biggest catalysts for bitcoin. Here are three scenarios Chhugani and Agrawal are watching, and what investors how investors could expect to see prices react. "Crypto markets may rally on the immediate risk-on impulse, and it may vindicate some who have been saying the Fed reversed course, after breaking the banks," they said. "But any near term crypto rally would find it hard to sustain growth if crypto simply pivots to a risk on trade."

☆ Bitcoin is up 60% so far this year as investors rediscover appeal as alternative banking system
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Cryptocurrencies stood out this week as bank shares tumbled and the global liquidity crisis rocked the stock market. Bitcoin versus the banks The price of bitcoin twice rose above the key $25,200 level to more than $26,000, according to Coin Metrics. BTC.CM= 1Y mountain Bitcoin, 1-year Bitcoin's outperformance amid a crisis in the traditional banking system had some wondering if the price rallied on a potential narrative shift. Though bitcoin was initially designed to be digital cash and an alternative financial system, it spent much of last year trading like a speculative asset. "In practice, bitcoin isn't isolated from the traditional banking system.

☆ Bank of America says the stock market's lows will be tested
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( John Melloy | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A notable Bank of America strategist said investors should fade any rebound in stocks off the government's efforts to backstop the banking system this week, as the S & P 500 's lows from last October will likely be revisited. "Stock lows to be tested one last time (in the) coming months," wrote Michael Hartnett, chief investment strategist at Bank of America. After tumbling into a bear market, the S & P 500 is up 12% from its low last October. The emerging bank crisis this month stemming from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has put investors on edge before a key Federal Reserve decision on interest rates next week. .SPX 6M mountain S & P 500, 6 months "Banking crises are followed by tighter lending standards and lower risk appetite," wrote Hartnett.

☆ Bitcoin is already up 50% this year — beating stocks and gold
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this article BTC.CM= Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTBitcoin is up 50% so far in 2023, beating major commodities and stock indexes. Filip Radwanski | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesBitcoin is up 50% this year despite the collapse of major crypto-focused banks, beating major stock indexes and commodities. Interest rate outlookThe bank collapses came after a year of interest rate hikes from the U.S. Federal Reserve. But it sold those assets at a hefty loss because interest rate rises had pushed the price of Treasurys lower. Bitcoin vs. stocks

☆ Bitcoin jumps 10% with crypto market topping $1 trillion as U.S. creates backstop for SVB depositors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In this article SBNYBTC.CM=ETH.CM= Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTJakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesCryptocurrencies rallied on Monday as the U.S. government moved to protect depositors of the collapsed Silicon Valley Bank and HSBC bought the lender's U.K. arm. Bitcoin was up nearly 10% at 3 a.m ET at $22,560.20, its highest level in 10 days, according to CoinDesk data. It has been a rollercoaster ride for crypto markets after the collapse last week of Silvergate Capital, a major lender to the crytpo industry. Then came the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday in what was the biggest banking failure since the 2008 financial crisis. That was followed on Sunday by the closure of Signature Bank , a major lender in the crypto industry, by U.S. regulators to stem any contagion to the broader banking sector.

☆ What the failures of Signature, SVB and Silvergate mean for the crypto sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this article BTC.CM= Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTA man entering Signature Bank in New York City on March 12, 2023. ReutersA lot of crypto's problems in the last year originated in the stablecoin sector, beginning with TerraUSD's collapse last May. Now that it is clear that SVB depositors will be made whole, Carter tells CNBC that he expects USDC to trade at par. The Silvergate Exchange Network (SEN) and Signature's Signet were real-time payment platforms that crypto customers considered core offerings. Meanwhile, Circle has already publicly said that it is shifting is assets to BNY Mellon now that Signature bank is closing.

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