Crypto Liquidations Top $1 Billion After Bitcoin Dives Below $50K

Crypto Liquidations Top $1 Billion After Bitcoin Dives Below $50K

The cryptocurrency market experienced a seismic shock in the past 24 hours, with total liquidations surpassing $1.06 billion and affecting 278,480 traders.

This market meltdown, characterized by a stark imbalance between long and short positions, saw long liquidations reaching a staggering $902 million, while short liquidations stood at $160 million, according to CoinGlass data.

The single largest liquidation in the past day has been a $27 million position on Huobi, according to Coinglass.

Bitcoin (BTC), the flagship cryptocurrency, plummeted to a low of $49,647 during early European trading hours before slightly recovering to $52,900, still down 12.5% compared to this time yesterday.

Ethereum (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency, faced an even steeper decline, dropping 19.5% to $2,345 after touching a low of $2,111, according to TradingView data.

The carnage wasn’t limited to the top two cryptocurrencies.

The broader altcoin market experienced significant losses, with Solana (SOL) and BNB (BNB) down 13% and 16% respectively, Dogecoin (DOGE) plunging 18%, and XRP falling 15%.

Global Economic Factors at Play

Anndy Lian, an intergovernmental blockchain expert, attributes this downturn to the increasing interconnectedness between traditional financial markets and cryptocurrencies.

“There is a growing connection between traditional financial markets and cryptocurrency markets, meaning that disruptions in one can lead to instability in the other,” Lian told Decrypt.

He pointed to recent developments in the U.S. economy as a primary catalyst.

“The unemployment rate increased to 4.3% from the previous 4.1%. This unexpected rise has heightened fears of a potential recession, causing investors to worry that the Federal Reserve may be slow to respond with interest rate cuts,” Lian stated.

The ripple effects were felt across various sectors.

The MSCI US Index, a market-capitalization weighted index that tracks large- and mid-cap segments of the U.S. equities market, dropped by 1.8% last Friday, with the consumer discretionary sector performing particularly poorly, falling by 4.3%. This weakness underscores growing concerns about consumer spending and economic growth.

Bleak Outlook for Bitcoin

10x Research provided a grim forecast for the crypto market.

“Although Bitcoin has been in a gradual downtrend, marked by three tops and two bottoms, we anticipate the support line at $55,000 will break, potentially driving prices down to $42,000. In such a scenario, Ethereum could drop below $2,000,” they stated.

The research firm cited economic weakness, ongoing weak market structure, on-chain data, and cycle analysis as factors supporting their bearish outlook.

Meanwhile, Tristan Dickinson, CMO of Bitcoin scaling solution exSat Network, highlighted the impact of global events on the crypto market.

“Bitcoin isn’t immune to global macro events. The 12% plunge in the Nikkei, coupled with dismal performances from the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq, is fuelling global recession fears,” Dickinson told Decrypt.

He also pointed to the “very real threat of global conflict” as an additional factor unsettling investors.

Dickinson added a note of caution regarding the coming months: “August and September are historically weak months, suggesting potential sideways movement and further tests of Bitcoin’s support levels.”

 

Source: https://decrypt.co/243123/crypto-liquidations-top-1-billion-after-bitcoin-dives-below-50k

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

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Karak has ‘good chance’ of becoming next EigenLayer after EIGEN airdrop disappointment

Karak has ‘good chance’ of becoming next EigenLayer after EIGEN airdrop disappointment

Emerging Ethereum restaking protocol Karak’s total value locked (TVL) rose over 25% in the past week to over $440 million, and industry experts believe it could start eating into EigenLayer’s market share.

Following the disappointment around the EigenLayer airdrop, Karak has a “good chance” of become the next big restaking protocol, according to Anndy Lian, intergovernmental blockchain expert and author of NFT: From Zero to Hero. He told Cointelegraph:

“Karak supports a broader range of assets for restaking, including Ether, liquid staking tokens, liquid restaking tokens, stablecoins, liquidity provider tokens and Wrapped Bitcoin. This diversity could attract a wider user base looking for more options beyond ETH.”

At the beginning of April, Karak closed a $48-million Series A funding round, giving it a valuation of over $1 billion, which means more upside potential. By comparison, EigenLayer has a $15.7-billion valuation, making it the largest restaking protocol on Ethereum.

Source: Karak

EigenLayer airdrop disappointment could lead to a drop in TVL

On April 29, EigenLayer released a white paper for its upcoming EIGEN token, which banned several jurisdictions from its upcoming airdrop, including the United States, Canada and several African and Asian countries.

The decision caused widespread criticism in the crypto community. Pseudonymous crypto trader Jay noted that it could be a significant opportunity for Karak in an April 29 X post:

“Think Eigen has handed Karak a golden opportunity.”

EigenLayer’s decision to ban airdrop participants from key crypto jurisdictions could lead to a fall in TVL as stakers look for more lucrative alternatives, according to Lian. He said:

“Farmers and stakers who were eagerly anticipating the EIGEN airdrop might now seek alternative platforms or protocols. Some may choose to reallocate their assets to other DeFi projects that offer more inclusive airdrop opportunities.”

According to crypto analyst and Crypto Banter podcast host Ran Neuner, EigenLayer is a venture capitalist (VC) scam aiming to attract liquidity from unsophisticated retail investors. He wrote in an April 30 X post:

“Early VCs get in early at small valuations — Retail will get in at $15bn+. Low circulation high [fully diluted valuation] at the start — let’s fleece more retail…”

Source: Ran Neuner

Neuner argued that the airdrop ban in key unbanked jurisdictions, along with the decision to keep airdropped EIGEN tokens locked until the team decides, are mainly in favor of early-stage VC investors:

“Any retail investor that buys this in the first 3 years will be punished.”

While Karak could become the next leading restaking protocol, multi-asset restaking could introduce more protocol risks compared to EigenLayer, according to Alon Muroch, CEO of SSV.Labs. Muroch told Cointelegraph:

“With more complexity comes more risk. EigenLayer has put its eggs in the Ethereum basket because Ethereum is the most secure and battle-tested proof-of-stake network and, therefore, a safer foundation for shared security.”

 

Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/karak-good-chance-becoming-next-eigenlayer

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

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What are the possible investment strategies after ETH spot approval?

What are the possible investment strategies after ETH spot approval?

That is a good question. The investment strategy after ETH spot approval may depend on several factors, such as the market reaction, the regulatory environment, the competitive landscape, and the innovation potential of Ethereum.

One possible scenario is that the approval of spot-based ETH ETFs will boost the demand and price of Ethereum, as more investors will have access to the cryptocurrency through a regulated and mainstream investment vehicle.

This could also increase the adoption and development of decentralised applications (DApps) and smart contracts on the Ethereum network, as well as upgrades, which aim to improve the scalability, security, and efficiency of the platform.

In this case, the investment strategy could be to buy and hold spot-based ETH ETFs, such as the Fidelity Ethereum Trust, the WisdomTree Ethereum Trust, or the BlackRock Ethereum Trust, which are some of the applications pending with the SEC. These ETFs would offer a more accurate and transparent representation of the underlying asset, as well as lower fees and risks than futures-based ETH ETFs.

Alternatively, investors could also buy and hold spot ETH directly, either through a crypto exchange or a wallet, if they are comfortable with the volatility, security, and custody issues of holding and storing Ethereum directly.

Another possible scenario is that the approval of spot-based ETH ETFs will trigger a sell-off and price correction of Ethereum, as some investors will take profits after the anticipation and speculation of ETH spot approval.

This could also expose the Ethereum network to more regulatory scrutiny and competition from other blockchain platforms, such as Cardano, Solana, or Polkadot, which claim to offer faster, cheaper, and more scalable solutions than Ethereum.

In this case, the investment strategy could be to sell short spot-based ETH ETFs. These ETFs would track the price of Ethereum by holding the actual cryptocurrency in their reserves rather than futures contracts or other derivatives.

Alternatively, investors could also sell and short spot ETH directly, either through a crypto exchange or a wallet, if they are comfortable with the volatility, security, and custody issues of holding and storing Ethereum directly.

Of course, these are just two hypothetical scenarios, and the actual outcome of the spot ETH ETF approval may differ depending on various factors. Therefore, investors should be prepared for various scenarios and adopt the appropriate strategies according to their risk appetite, time horizon, and market outlook.

Whether one is bullish or bearish on Ethereum, there are multiple ways to invest in the cryptocurrency after the spot ETF approval and potentially profit from the market movements of ETH spot approval.

The market reaction and implication of spot BTC ETF approval and spot ETH ETF approval can be compared and contrasted, as both are major events that could affect the price, liquidity, and adoption of the two largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation. The market reaction and implication of spot BTC ETF approval and spot ETH ETF approval could be similar. You take reference from NewsQuakes™ at Cointelegraph Pro and draw similarities.

The approval of spot ETH ETFs could boost the demand and supply of ETH, as more investors would buy ETH through the ETFs, and more ETH would be locked up in the ETF vaults. This could create a positive feedback loop that drives the price of ETH higher, as well as increase network security and decentralisation.

Moreover, the approval of spot ETH ETFs could enhance the credibility and legitimacy of ETH as a mainstream asset class and attract more innovation and development in the ETH ecosystem, especially in the areas of decentralised finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

We encourage readers to conduct their own due diligence (DYOR) and to avoid being influenced by fear of missing out (FOMO) when investing in cryptocurrencies. Keep in mind cryptocurrencies are highly unstable and regarded as hazardous investments. This article is not intended to provide investment guidance and is only for informational purposes.

You have now till March to do your homework and plan your playbook.

 

Source: https://e27.co/what-are-the-possible-investment-strategies-after-eth-spot-approval-20240223/

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

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