Cryptocurrency
7 Signals Bitcoin Is Rocking Outside The United States
The markets are rallying exuberantly for BTC for a couple of reasons this March.
Institutional investors bought deep after the SEC opened up Wall Street access to Bitcoin price exposure through custodial spot ETFs. That only adds to the scarcity shock with the supply halving coming up next month.
However, many blockchain crypto trading strategists think it is hard to overstate the importance of the ETF approvals by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The new paradigm does not merely allow regulated investors to do so.
It caps off a year of incredibly welcoming and accommodating policies for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in United States courtrooms and legislatures. The risk of the U.S. passing onerous regulations has long been an important headwind for Bitcoin prices in the market.
As a result of the SEC approving Bitcoin ETFs, that threat is vastly diminished. Instead, you can now buy some of the base layer blockchain cryptocurrency on Wall Street from the same place you can buy a company share of Coca-Cola or Chevrolet.
But it’s not just a party in the USA for Bitcoin this year. Here are seven signals that Bitcoin is still rocking the world outside the United States in 2024.
1. Kimchi Premium Tops 2-Yr High
The kimchi premium, the amount that Koreans pay above the global average prices for Bitcoin at exchange, rose to a 27-month high of 10.32% on Mar. 6, signaling a surge in demand for BTC from South Koreans.
Crypto traders and saver-investors in South Korea pay higher prices for Bitcoin than most of the world because strict local capital controls create an ongoing shortage of BTC in the East Asian peninsula nation. It’s named the kimchi premium after the signature Korean spicy cabbage dish.
2. El Salvador Holdings Up 50%
The Latin American nation of El Salvador has profited from its government’s investment in Bitcoin to hold in its national treasury. The Central American nation purchased its 2,380 Bitcoins at an average price of $44,300. Meanwhile, the total investment of $105 million is up over 50% and is worth some $166 million today.
The nation of El Salvador overwhelmingly reelected President Nayib Bukele for another term based on the popularity of his crime-reduction policies and forward-thinking about the world. Bukele took the initiative starting in 2021 to officially adopt Bitcoin as a government-approved legal tender.
3. Nigerians and Venezuelans Save in Bitcoin
The Atlanta, Georgia non-profit Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) recently reported that Nigeria is following Venezuela’s trend of over-indexing on Bitcoin adoption to use the secure, inflation-resistant cryptocurrency as a shelter for their savings from catastrophic hyper-inflation in the Nigerian Naira and Venezeulan Bolívar.
Both nations have economies that rely heavily on crude oil exports. Combined with severe mismanagement of the financial system by the governments in both countries for decades, periods of high inflation in U.S. dollars stoke hyperinflation in these vassals of the global petro-dollar economy. Bitcoin has given people who live there a way to keep their savings from turning into mice and pumpkins after the central banks have a ball with the printing press.
Right-wingers like President Bukele enthusiastically support Bitcoin because it could out-compete the currencies of several left-wing nations like Venezuela and Nigeria. But left-wingers may one day begin to adopt Bitcoin with the moral fervor of their counterparts in order to help people in developing economies find a way to save their money.
4. Japan Investment Funds to Hodl
It looks like Japan is clearing the way to allow private venture capital firms to hold Bitcoin. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration agreed in February to submit a bill to the government with the changes added to an earlier version his cabinet had approved.
The text of the bill says that “measures will be taken to add cryptoassets to the list of assets that can be acquired and held by investment limited partnerships.” Kishida’s economic agenda to grow Japan’s GDP includes embracing Web 3.0 technologies and easing some of the nation’s restrictions on cryptocurrencies.
5. German Regulated Spot Platform Launches
Germany is the largest economy in Europe in terms of gross domestic product. It just got a new regulated spot crypto platform launched by a domestic capital market firm. German bank Deutsche Boerse announced on Mar. 5 that it had launched a government-regulated cryptocurrency exchange for crypto investors.
The German capital market company announced plans for the exchange last year. It received licenses in February from local regulators. German banking giant DZ Bank announced in February that it will launch a crypto trading service in 2024.
A survey in July 2023 found that 50% of Germans view cryptocurrency favorably as a long-term investment. Meanwhile, 22% suspect it could make them rich overnight.
6. Coinbase Moves to France
While Germans celebrate a new exchange with a schnitzel and a Fanta, the French will soon be able to log in to Coinbase to trade crypto. The San Francisco cryptocurrency exchange started off the year with approval from local regulators to operate in France. Like Japan’s Kishida, French President Emmanuel Macron plans to make his country a major crossroads for AI and crypto.
Furthermore, he has promised billions of euros in government subsidies to help fund French projects. According to French data firm Toluna, 10% of French adults own crypto, and 24% say they plan to buy, sell, or trade such assets in the next year.
7. VanEck Spot Bitcoin ETF in Australia
U.S. exchange-traded fund (ETF) manager VanEck is moving toward launching a spot Bitcoin ETF for the Australian market. Van Eck Australia chief executive Arian Neiron recently said that his company has received a “significant uptick” in demand for a Bitcoin ETF listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).
Neiron said in a statement that the company still needs approval from the financial regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
“There are still a number of hurdles from a regulatory and exchange framework perspective that must be worked through, as well as approval from ASIC before we will see a bitcoin ETF on ASX,” he stated.
Binance Free $100 (Exclusive): Use this link to register and receive $100 free and 10% off fees on Binance Futures first month (terms).
Cryptocurrency
US Entities’ Bitcoin Holdings Reach Massive Record: Details
The US entities’ share of global Bitcoin reserves has reached an all-time high amidst increasing confidence in the asset class. The figure is now 65% higher than non-US entities, according to CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju.
This milestone is based on an analysis of Bitcoin holdings by identifiable US entities – including miners, MicroStrategy (MSTR), ETFs, exchanges, and government accounts – compared to known offshore counterparts.
Institutional Demand Pushes US Bitcoin Reserve Ratio to ATH
As per the infographic shared by the exec, the ratio of US to non-US Bitcoin reserves has seen a sharp increase as it rose from 1.24 in September 2024 to 1.66 by December 16 and maintained a level of 1.65 as of January 6, 2025. This shift follows a period in 2023 when offshore holdings predominated while Bitcoin traded under $30,000.
U.S. entities’ #Bitcoin reserve share hit ATH, now 65% higher than non-U.S. entities. pic.twitter.com/SSgotY6RL8
— Ki Young Ju (@ki_young_ju) January 9, 2025
The recent surge in US-based Bitcoin reserves aligns with key events. This includes pro-crypto Donald Trump’s re-election and his proposal to establish a national strategic Bitcoin reserve, which coincided with the leading crypto asset’s surge to an all-time high above $108,000.
Institutional interest has also surged, as evidenced by spot Bitcoin ETFs experiencing record inflows and trading volumes alongside MicroStrategy’s ongoing accumulation.
The latter currently holds 447,470 BTC after its latest purchase of 1,070 BTC. The company also announced plans to raise $42 billion over three years to expand its Bitcoin portfolio.
Several companies have followed MicroStrategy’s footsteps. Despite the minor slump in the market, small entities in the country remained committed to Bitcoin. For instance, this week, Thumzup Media Corporation, known for its expertise in social media branding and marketing, purchased 9.783 BTC for approximately $1 million.
The company entered the Bitcoin market for the first time in November 2024, shortly after Trump’s election win. During the same period, Solidion Technology, specializing in battery materials, revealed its intention to invest a portion of its cash reserves in Bitcoin. Genius Group quickly followed, rolling out a Bitcoin-focused initiative and committing $120 million to the digital asset.
Global Governments and Corporations Ramp Up Interest
These developments have sparked interest among non-US entities and governments in building their own strategic Bitcoin reserves. The most prominent example of this is the Japanese venture capital fund Metaplanet, which has set a target of 10,000 BTC as part of its 2025 vision.
Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich recently even predicted a global rush for BTC reserves if Trump establishes a US strategic Bitcoin reserve. The exec said that Japan and other Asian countries would likely follow the US lead, viewing Bitcoin as a strategic national asset.
He highlighted growing corporate and governmental interest in BTC and added that such trends with principles in “The Bitcoin Standard.” Gerovich also noted that Trump’s reserve strategy could also inspire third-world countries to adopt Bitcoin to stabilize their currencies.
Governments around the world are already considering Bitcoin as a reserve asset. Czech National Bank Governor Aleš Michl, for one, proposed acquiring Bitcoin for diversification in a bid to join the likes of Switzerland, Germany, and Hong Kong in exploring crypto reserves.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
Cryptocurrency
These Altcoins Bleed Out as Bitcoin (BTC) Slips Below $93K (Market Watch)
Bitcoin just doesn’t seem to be able to catch a break, as the asset slipped below $93,000 on a couple of occasions in the past 12 hours or so.
Many altcoins are also in dire situations, with notable price losses from the likes of DOGE, ADA, AVAX, LINK, and others.
BTC’s Troubles Keep Mounting
It was just about 48 hours ago when the primary cryptocurrency was charting new yearly peaks. Recall that the asset had climbed above $102,000 after a relatively quiet weekend amid growing ETF inflows, but then the landscape changed after the US announced the latest jobs report.
In a matter of minutes, the cryptocurrency plunged from six-digit territory to under $97,000 on Tuesday afternoon. The situation worsened on Wednesday as the bears kept pushing BTC south, which culminated in a price drop to $92,500 (on Bitstamp). After that weekly low, bitcoin bounced off and touched $95,000, but that was short-lived as the ETF flows turned negative, with nearly $600 million in the red.
As the Thursday Asian trading session progressed, BTC dropped once again to under $93,000. Although it sits just above that line now, the asset has lost nearly ten grand since Tuesday morning.
Its market cap has plummeted below $1.850 trillion but its dominance over the alts stands tall above 54% on CG.
ADA Down 8.5%
The altcoins are in no better shape, especially Cardano’s native token. ADA has plunged by more than 8% in the past 24 hours and has lost the $1 mark. DOGE, AVAX, LINK, and XLM are the other massive losers within the same time frame, with declines of up to 7%.
Nevertheless, the biggest and most painful decreases are evident from AI16Z and WIF. Both assets have tumbled by double digits (19% and $14%, respectively) to $1.47 and $1.62.
The cumulative market cap of all crypto assets has lost over $350 billion in two days and is down to $3.4 trillion on CG.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
Disclaimer: Information found on CryptoPotato is those of writers quoted. It does not represent the opinions of CryptoPotato on whether to buy, sell, or hold any investments. You are advised to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Use provided information at your own risk. See Disclaimer for more information.
Cryptocurrency charts by TradingView.
Cryptocurrency
Top Cardano (ADA) Price Forecasts: Further Decline or a Rise to a New ATH?
TL;DR
- Analysts highlight a potential breakout for ADA, supported by bullish chart patterns and upcoming developments for Cardano.
- However, recent whale sales of millions of tokens could negatively affect the price.
The Bullish Scenario
Despite the solid start to the year, the past few days have not been kind to the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin’s (BTC) price has plummeted by around 9% on a 48-hour scale, while numerous altcoins have suffered even more substantial declines.
Cardano’s ADA is one of those, with its valuation dumping by 20% since January 7. Currently, it trades at around $0.91 (per CoinGecko’s data), while its market capitalization fell well below $35 billion.
The popular X user Dan Gambardello, though, remains an optimist. Recently, he claimed that ADA has “one of the most bullish weekly pattern setups in crypto,” which represents an “inverse head and shoulders with upward sloping neckline.” Gambradello assumed that a breakout to the upside could result in a price rally to as high as $7.
Altcoin Daily chipped in, too. At the start of the year, they outlined bullish predictions about multiple cryptocurrencies, envisioning ADA’s valuation to hit $6.45 sometime in 2025. It is worth mentioning that the analyst said this target should not be taken for granted, suggesting that “any altcoin can theoretically go to zero at any time.“ They also warned people to invest only as much as they are ready to lose.
Meanwhile, Cardano is set to undergo some essential developments in the next 12 months that could trigger upward pressure on the price of the native token. Those willing to check what’s on the agenda can take a look at our dedicated video below:
How About a Further Pullback?
Contrary to the aforementioned bullish predictions, some factors signal that ADA could continue plunging in the near future. Earlier this week, the X user Ali Martinez revealed that whales have sold over 70 million tokens in the span of 48 hours.
Such actions from large investors increase the circulating supply of ADA and could be followed by a price decline (assuming demand doesn’t catch up with the pace). Additionally, the move may discourage smaller players and trigger a more substantial selling spree.
Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).
LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!
- Forex2 years ago
Forex Today: the dollar is gaining strength amid gloomy sentiment at the start of the Fed’s week
- Forex2 years ago
How is the Australian dollar doing today?
- Forex2 years ago
Unbiased review of Pocket Option broker
- Forex2 years ago
Dollar to pound sterling exchange rate today: Pound plummeted to its lowest since 1985
- Cryptocurrency2 years ago
What happened in the crypto market – current events today
- World2 years ago
Why are modern video games an art form?
- Commodities2 years ago
Copper continues to fall in price on expectations of lower demand in China
- Forex2 years ago
The dollar is down again against major world currencies