The Elon Effect – Companies Now Racing for a Piece of the Bitcoin Pie

Since its creation in 2009, Bitcoin has taken the investing community on a wild ride. Weve experienced both the euphoria of bull runs and the despair of bear markets. Although it has certainly been a wild ride to get where we are now, it finally feels like Bitcoin is getting the attention and recognition it deserves.  At times, there is criticism of Bitcoin for being too volatile, which often results in inexperienced investors losing money as they buy the top of a cycle and then capitulate after not being able to withstand a market correction. Volatility is also one of the major reasons why the SEC has yet to approve a Bitcoin ETF. However, it‘s important to remember that we are still in the very early days of this new asset class. A great way to analyze Bitcoin’s growth trajectory is by trying to figure out where it might fit within the technology adoption life cycle.  The technology adoption life cycle is a sociological model that describes the adoption or acceptance of a new product or innovation. Visually, you can think of the cycle as a normal distribution that begins with innovators, followed by early adopters, then the early majority, before finally

2021-03-02Deep Dive

A Beginner’s Guide to Bitcoin

Since its inception in 2009, Bitcoin has seen both tremendous growth and periods of disillusionment. From a valuation of $0.08 per coin in 2010, Bitcoin is now a successful institutional investment asset held by Tesla, Square, and Microstrategy, as well as a global currency accepted by fintech giants such as PayPal and Mastercard. 2020 was an important year for Bitcoin, as it reached more mass adoption and broke its all time highs set in 2017 prior to a historic crash that wiped out nearly 80% of its value.  Image Credit: Grayscale Bitcoin 2020 Year in Review  Critics of Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies) point to its volatile prices to label it as a speculative asset at best, and a conduit for criminal activity (e.g. money laundering) at its worst. On the other hand, Bitcoin investors cite Bitcoins impressive performance and resilience during the pandemic along with growing adoption figures to frame Bitcoin as digital gold and an inevitable change in how we view money.  Regardless of your views on Bitcoin, there is no denying the heightened interest and the shift in narrative amid the unprecedented era of global fiscal policies and the acceleration of digital transformation forced by the pandemic worldwide. Bitcoin still has

2021-03-02Deep Dive

DOGE is now supported at 1,800 ATMs in 45 US states

Famous meme crypto Dogecoin (DOGE) can now be accessed through 1,800 ATMs across the United States.  Leading Bitcoin ATM provider Coinflip announced the support for Dogecoin on Mar. 1, with the company‘s CEO and co-founder, Daniel Polotsky, attributing the move to DOGE’s recent “popularity and recent mass adoption.”  On Feb. 4th, the cryptocurrencys price rose 25% within minutes after Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk posted a rocket going to the moon and adding “Doge” in the comments.  Two days later, the world‘s second-richest man continued his Doge shill, posting a survey that asked if Dogecoin will be the earth’s future currency — to which 71.3% of the 2.4 million respondents said yes.  NBA Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban joined the conversation on Feb. 8, telling Forbes that the attention the meme coin is receiving is “not a bad look” for the industry.  “[DOGE] gives you a better chance of winning than a lottery ticket all while teaching the economics of supply and demand and introducing people to crypto asserts,” said Cuban. “I truly love it as the lowest cost economics teaching tool available that entertains at the same time.”  Within the first two weeks of February, the cryptocurrencys price rose almost 200% from $0.03 to

2021-03-02Deep Dive

BTC Balance Sheets: 42 Companies Hold 1.3 Million Bitcoin Worth More Than $65 Billion

Since the company Microstrategy shifted a lot of its treasury reserves into bitcoin, a great number of companies have followed the firms lead. According to the web portal, bitcointreasuries.org, data shows that 42 companies are now represented on the list and the businesses hold more than $65 billion worth of bitcoin.   The Corporate Bitcoin Stash- 6.43% out of the 21 Million Capped Supply  It has become a trend to add bitcoin (BTC) to a company‘s balance sheet and the company Microstrategy invoked the trend when the business purchased $250 million worth of BTC. Since then, a great number of companies have followed suit and BTC’s value has skyrocketed as well.  For instance, at the end of 2020, 29 firms held around 1.1 million bitcoin worth more than $30 Billion using exchange rates on December 28. Moreover, at the time, the 29 companies owned 5.48% of the entire 21 million BTC supply.  Today, according to bitcointreasuries.org statistics the numbers have changed a great deal. Theres now 42 companies listed on the web portal showcasing firms from all around the world that hold BTC treasuries.  According to the data on March 1, 2021, the companies own $65 billion in aggregated value using BTC/USD exchange values on

2021-03-02Deep Dive

Crypto Analyst Austin Arnold: These 5 Altcoins Could ’10x Your Wealth in 2021′

In a recent video, crypto analyst Austin Arnold, Co-Founder and host of the “Altcoin Daily” YouTube channel, named five “higher cap” cryptoassets that he said could help to “10x your wealth in 2021.”   Synthetix (SNX)  “Decentrized trading platform Synthetix has raised $12 million from venture capitalist firms Coinbase Ventures, Paradigm, and iOSG, and this raise looks to be a rare occurrence of VCs investing through the purchase of a platforms native token directly from the treasury rather than wiring funds to its founders; so this speaks to, number one, how decentralized Synthetix is — it is run by the people, by the DAO — and number two, how much potential the Synthetix token has for the future.”   Cardano (ADA)  “Cardano is now 80% decentralized with an ETA of 100% decentralization on March 31st. That is 50 days away, moving right along.”   Litecoin (LTC)  In a video published to his channel on January 24, Arnold said that Litecoins price could go as high as $2,740 in 2021.   Uniswap (UNI)  “We‘re seeing the people choose decentralized exchanges, and… retail is just starting to enter… six months from now, it’s not going be a question should I choose a centralized exchange where I would have to give

2021-03-02Deep Dive

Investing in Cryptocurrencies Is ‘Not Prudent,’ Says New York Attorney General

New York Attorney General Letitia James issued an alert to cryptocurrency investors and a strongly worded warning to industry participants.  Warning of the “extreme risks” of cryptocurrencies, New York State Attorney General Letitia James published a statement Monday saying investing in digital assets is “not prudent.”  James tweet comes after her office released an “alert to investors” of the risks involved in cryptocurrency markets. The memo includes risks such as “underlying value is highly subjective and unpredictable,” “increased risk of market manipulation,” and potential difficulties in cashing out of investments.  The warning to investors comes amid strong interest from retail investors who are contributing significantly to bitcoin (BTC, +5.38%)s ongoing rally and are matched with increasing demand from institutional and corporate buyers, per CoinDesk previous reporting.  The Attorney General had a message for industry participants, too. After suing investment application Coinseed and settling an inquiry with Tether and Bitfinex, James said Monday, “Were sending a clear message to the entire industry that you either play by the rules or we will shut you down.”  A spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.

2021-03-02Deep Dive

Bitcoin could soon be adopted for international exchange – CitiBank Analyst

TD:LR Breakdown  Bitcoin may eventually be used for international exchange, Citibank analyst.  This will, in turn, increase the global adoption of Bitcoin.  Bitcoin adoption about to get bigger  An initial report from Citibank, a financial service provider, stated that Bitcoin might later be used as a means of exchange for international trade. The company believes that Bitcoin is at a “tipping point” and would either suffer “speculative implosion” or be adopted in international trades.  Investments like that of Tesla and Microstrategy in BTC have also helped it gain a wider mainstream acceptance. Recently, Mastercard announced that it will soon allow its customers to carry out crypto transactions. Moves like this have added more credence to Bitcoin.  With the increasing interest in crypto, many countries are looking to create a stable framework for the ecosystem. The report from Citibank stated further that if central banks should launch their digital cash and stablecoins, Bitcoin might be used in international trades.  As a result, the global adoption and cross-border payments using Bitcoin may increase greatly. Even though there might be some challenges, this could be a great leap in the mainstream acceptance of Bitcoin.  Institutional investors drive Bitcoin price higher  The past week has been chaotic for Bitcoin as the selling pressure

2021-03-02Deep Dive

Goldman Sachs Plans to Relaunch Its Cryptocurrency Trading Desk

Goldman Sachs is planning to reopen its cryptocurrency desk as the industry marches forward at accelerated rates.  Reports on Reuters today revealed that American multinational investment bank, Goldman Sachs, will offer bitcoin futures and non-deliverable forwards on behalf of its clients starting next week.  According to sources familiar with the matter, the move is part of the banks effort to take advantage of the fast-growing crypto space, which is gradually becoming an investment of choice for institutional players.  Notably, the bank is also considering developing a Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) soon as part of its commitment to fully venture into the industry.  Based on this regard, the unnamed source noted that Goldman Sachs had already “issued a request for information to explore digital asset custody.”   Goldmans First Shot At Crypto  In late 2017, Goldman Sachs became the first Wall Street biggest firm to ever consider offering crypto-related products, as the bank was planning to open a cryptocurrency desk.  At the time, the Wall Street financial institution was working on how to address security challenges associated with the business, as well as how it would custody the assets.  Plans were on the way for the launch slated for late 2018 when reports emerged in September that same year

2021-03-02Deep Dive

Twitter to Pull a MicroStrategy and Buy Bitcoin? The Firm Plans a $1.25 Billion Convertible Notes Of

Speculations run wild if Twitter would be the next giant to put BTC on its balance sheet following plans to raise $1.25 billion via a convertible senior notes offering.  The giant social media platform Twitter has announced plans to raise $1.25 billion through a convertible senior notes offering. Although the company breached “corporate purposes” as the main reason, cryptocurrency proponents speculated if the firm could pull a MicroStrategy and allocate the funds in BTC.  Twitter to Raise $1.25B  According to a press release from earlier today, Twitter will offer a $1.25 billion aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due in 2026. The endeavor will take place in a private placement to qualified institutional buyers.  The statement described the notes as “unsecured, senior obligations of Twitter,” whose interest will be “payable semi-annually in arrears.” The company will be able to convert the notes into cash, shares of its common stock, or a combination of the two options. Upon the pricing of the offering, the firm will determine the interest rate, initial conversion rate, and “other terms of the notes.”  The company said that it would use this considerable amount for “general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures, working capital, and potential acquisitions.”  Maybe Bitcoin?  Although Twitter hasnt revealed

2021-03-02Deep Dive

Top Ten Aspiring Crypto Coins For March

IN BRIEF  ADAs hard fork will be implemented on March 1.  NEM & CRO will launch their new mainnets in March.  NEAR, ENJ & ICX will be conducting AMAs in March.  This article will take a look at ten cryptocurrencies which have interesting developments lined up for the month of March, which could also have a positive effect on their price.  1. Cardano (ADA)  Current Price: $1.29  Market Cap: $41 billion  Market Cap Rank: #3  On March 1, the “Mary” hard fork for ADA is expected to be launched, making it one of the most important events for this month. The upgrade is expected to bring Cardano closer to realizing its potential in regards to NFTs, DeFi and stablecoin use, by providing users with the opportunity to issue and distribute tokens on the Cardano blockchain.  Mary is only the second out of three hard forks that pave the way for the Goguen era, which would fully integrate smart contracts and add the ability to build decentralized applications (dApps) on the Cardano platform.  The creator, Charles Hoskinson, stated that everything is going to schedule and the hard fork is expected to be implemented on March 1 as announced. He also stated that users will be required to upgrade their nodes by downloading

2021-03-02Deep Dive
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