Crypto

Amid the cryptocurrency debacle, it’s time to give the dollar its due

Published

2 years ago

May 26, 2022

Amid the cryptocurrency debacle, it’s time to give the dollar its due

The collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin this month is reverberating all through the cryptocurrency world at a time when the market capitalization of Bitcoin and different digital currencies has fallen by about 65 % from a peak of $3 trillion in November.

Whereas heightened volatility is nothing new to the cryptocurrency market, the sudden plunge in Terra carries implications for the monetary system. The rationale: Stablecoins are thought-about integral elements of “DeFi” – decentralized finance – which are designed to guard buyers from the inherent volatility of cryptocurrencies.

Terra was designed to retain a price of $1 always, however it was de-pegged on Could 9, when Luna – a cryptocurrency that backed it – collapsed to almost zero. At its peak, Luna was price $40 billion and supported $18 billion of Terra.

The debacle has induced some commentators to query whether or not stablecoins may pose a menace to the monetary system. At this juncture, this appears unlikely contemplating that they’re solely a small fraction of U.S. monetary belongings.

Others favor elevated regulation of cryptocurrencies and disclosure necessities in order that purchasers could be protected towards fraud. For instance, stablecoins must disclose which belongings again them, the place they’re held and who owns them.

Nonetheless others would ban cryptocurrencies altogether. However as The Economist notes, “a draconian crackdown would put in danger the advantages that crypto ultimately guarantees.” They embody new monetary merchandise that bypass banks, improvements in property rights and the potential for a much less centralized monetary system.

Whereas these points can be debated for years to come back, it is a good time for buyers to overview the expertise of cryptocurrencies for the reason that inception of Bitcoin in 2008 and to glean classes from it.

As Michael del Castillo of Forbes observes, crypto’s historical past has been outlined by 5 resets — in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and at the moment. He finds that “every reset not solely led to price-market will increase, in addition they cleared the way in which for speedy innovation.” Del Castillo believes the present reset could also be crucial take a look at.

One purpose for optimism by crypto fanatics is that Tether – the most important stablecoin that’s hosted on the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains and which claims to have ample greenback reserves – rapidly recovered close to its parity of $1 after briefly dropping to 95 cents. However a Barclays strategist has warned that it could possibly be weak if holders rush to promote it, and that this could have an excellent higher impression than Terra’s collapse.

My very own take is that the most important threat to the cryptocurrency market is aggressive financial tightening by the Federal Reserve. The rationale: The outstanding rise of cryptocurrencies has occurred nearly fully in an surroundings wherein rates of interest have been at or close to zero. The run-up in rates of interest this yr already is dampening demand for cryptocurrencies. The danger, furthermore, is that their costs may fall additional if the Fed raises charges by greater than what’s presently priced into markets.

Take into account, for instance, what would occur if yields on Treasuries have been to rise to 4 % to five % subsequent yr. Why would an investor want to carry a crypto asset that has no backing, yields nothing and is extremely unstable?

Second, the principle attraction of cryptocurrencies is for merchants (or gamblers) who consider they’ll make cash by profiting from their excessive volatility. However many individuals who personal crypto belongings don’t perceive how they’re created or the way to commerce them efficiently.

The problem for funding professionals is that there is no such thing as a strategy to compute the intrinsic worth of crypto belongings. Throughout an annual shareholder assembly, Warren Buffett remarked that he wouldn’t pay $25 for all of the bitcoins on the planet. In brief, cryptocurrencies finally are price what individuals are prepared to pay for them, however their value can change on a dime.

Third, claims that cryptocurrencies are inflation hedge as a result of their portions are constrained are unsubstantiated. They have been asserted throughout a interval of low inflation when there was no strategy to validate them. However since inflation took off within the second half of final yr, cryptocurrencies have all plummeted in worth.

Fourth, claims that cryptocurrencies will supplant the U.S. greenback are additionally far-fetched. Advocates akin to Jack Dorsey consider skeptics don’t perceive what makes cryptocurrencies fascinating. However they seem clueless about why the U.S. greenback has been the world’s premier forex all through the post-World Battle II period.

As I’ve famous in a earlier commentary, the U.S. was broadly seen as a secure haven after the conflict and there was a world scarcity of {dollars} within the Nineteen Fifties. The eurocurrency market took off within the early Nineteen Sixties when he U.S. authorities enacted the Curiosity Equalization Tax (IET) and the greenback more and more was used as a unit of account outdoors the U.S.

The principle problem to the greenback’s standing because the world’s key reserve forex occurred within the Seventies, when U.S. inflation surged and the Bretton Woods system of mounted trade charges gave strategy to versatile trade charges. Thereafter, the greenback weakened towards the important thing currencies, and the difficulty of whether or not the greenback may retain its standing was debated in official circles. The greenback then rebounded within the first half of the Nineteen Eighties when the Federal Reserve beneath Paul Volcker raised rates of interest to report ranges to rein in inflation.

Right now, because the Fed as soon as once more has acknowledged the urgency of bringing inflation beneath management, the U.S. greenback has risen to 20-year highs towards each the Euro and the Japanese yen. It has additionally been the perfect performing funding automobile this yr whereas monetary belongings and digital currencies have suffered steep declines.

In gentle of all that has occurred this yr, it’s time for essentially the most ardent crypto fanatics to lastly give the greenback its due.

Nicholas Sargen, Ph.D., is an financial advisor and is affiliated with Fort Washington Funding Advisors and the College of Virginia’s Darden College of Enterprise. He has authored three books, together with “Investing within the Trump Period: How Financial Insurance policies Affect Monetary Markets.”

Crypto

PayPal Introduces Cryptocurrency Trading for US Merchants – Brave New Coin

Published

5 hours ago

September 27, 2024

Press Room

PayPal Introduces Cryptocurrency Trading for US Merchants – Brave New Coin

Global payments giant PayPal will allow U.S. business account holders to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies directly from their accounts.

Global payments giant PayPal has unveiled new features allowing U.S. business account holders to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies directly from their accounts.

The move comes as more business clients seek access to crypto services available to consumers. PayPal also intends to expand its cryptocurrency features into regular business operations. According to the statement, this feature will be unavailable in New York State.

PayPal’s peer-to-peer payments app Venmo initially allowed clients to manage cryptocurrency in 2020. Since then, they have “continuously made significant steps to increase cryptocurrency utilization,” the statement read.

“Business owners have increasingly expressed a desire for the same cryptocurrency capabilities available to consumers. We’re excited to meet that demand by delivering this new offering, empowering them to engage with digital currencies effortlessly,” said Jose Fernandez da Ponte, senior VP of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and digital currency at PayPal.

According to PayPal’s statement, the new features of crypto services for business accounts aim to boost crypto’s real-world utility. The company’s latest move is a response to business owners who have been asking for access to crypto services since the platform launched its consumer-level digital currency services.

“Since we launched the ability for PayPal and Venmo consumers to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrency in their wallets, we have learned a lot about how they want to use their cryptocurrency,” Fernandez da Ponte added.

PayPal stock has climbed roughly 26% this year, suggesting positive sentiment from investors.

Businesses can Now Transfer Cryptocurrency On-Chain to External Wallets

In addition to the new buying and selling ability, U.S. merchants can now transfer cryptocurrencies to third-party wallets. This new functionality extends the flexibility of digital currency transactions for businesses.

“PayPal business account holders can now send and receive supported cryptocurrency tokens to and from external blockchain addresses,” the company mentioned in its statement.

Last month, Crypto.com teamed up with PayPal to allow US users to make purchases through cryptocurrencies. This alliance expands on earlier joint ventures between the two businesses, which included allowing PayPal to recharge Crypto.com Visa Card. Besides Crypto.com, PayPal’s stablecoin is available within selected exchanges including Coinbase, Bitstamp, and Kraken.

PayPal Cuts Fees by Expanding PYUSD to Solana

In 2023, PayPal launched its own US dollar-denominated stablecoin (PYUSD), in August 2023. PYUSD was issued by a US-regulated entity named Paxos Trust Company. Initially, PYUSD was launched as an ERC-20 token through the Ethereum blockchain.

One limitation of Ethereum-based stablecoins is their high transaction fees. PayPal expanded PYUSD to the Solana network in May 2024 to minimize the cost. This move led to a significant fee reduction (sometimes over 90%). These lower transaction rates on Solana made PYUSD more attractive for regular purchases like coffee or groceries, which boosted the demand for PayPal to introduce crypto services to businesses.

“The Solana network’s speed and scalability make it the ideal blockchain for new payment solutions that are accessible, cost-effective, and instantaneous,” said Sheraz Shere, General Manager of Payments at the Solana Foundation. “Continued adoption from industry participants like PayPal helps realize the next generation of fintech innovation.”

According to BraveNewCoin data, PYUSD’s market capitalization has expanded dramatically since its introduction over a year ago, rising from approximately $45 million in September 2023 to around $700 million at the time of writing.

Crypto

Cryptocurrency exchange network accused of helping Russia hit with sanctions

Published

16 hours ago

September 26, 2024

Press Room

WASHINGTON (AP) — A network of people and virtual currency exchanges associated with harboring Russian cybercrime were hit with sanctions on Thursday, in a government-wide crackdown on cybercrime that could assist Russia ahead of President Joe Biden’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

U.S. Treasury sanctioned alleged Russian hacker Sergey Ivanov and Cryptex — a St. Vincent and Grenadines registered virtual currency exchange operating in Russia. Virtual currency exchanges allow people and businesses to trade cryptocurrencies for other assets, such as conventional dollars or other digital currencies.

Article content

Treasury alleges that Ivanov has laundered hundreds of millions of dollars worth of virtual currency for cyber criminals and darknet marketplace vendors for the last 20 years, including for Timur Shakhmametov, who allegedly created an online marketplace for stolen credit card data and compromised IDs called Joker’s Stash. Ivanov laundered the proceeds from Joker’s Stash, Treasury says.

The State Department is offering a $10 million reward for information that would lead to the arrest and possible conviction of the two men and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Virginia has unsealed an indictment against them.

Biden said in a statement announcing the sanctions Thursday that the U.S. “will continue to raise the costs on Russia for its war in Ukraine and to deprive the Russian defense industrial base of resources.”

He meets with Zelenskyy Thursday to announce a surge in security assistance for Ukraine and other actions meant to assist the war-torn country as Russia continues to invade.

State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said, “We will continue to use all our tools and authorities to deter and expose these money laundering networks and impose cost on the cyber criminals and support networks. We reiterate our call that Russia must take concrete steps to prevent cyber criminals from freely operating in its jurisdiction.”

U.S officials have taken several actions against Russian cybercriminals since the start of the invasion in February 2022.

Earlier this year, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 13 firms — five of which are owned by an already sanctioned person — and two people who have all either helped build or operate blockchain-based services for, or enabled virtual currency payments in, the Russian financial sector, “thus enabling potential sanctions evasion,” according to U.S. Treasury.

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Crypto

Cryptocurrency Prices on September 26: BTC Backtracks To $63K, But WLD Soars 11%

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2024

Press Room

Cryptocurrency Prices on September 26: BTC Backtracks To K, But WLD Soars 11%

The cryptocurrency prices on September 26 have again raised investor concerns globally as Bitcoin and major altcoins plunged into the red territory. Notably, even the global crypto market cap slipped 1.92% to $2.22 trillion today. Further, the total market volume fell 12.5% to $65.06 billion. However, Worldcoin (WLD) emerged among the day’s top gainers, defying the broader market sentiment.

Here’s a brief report on some of the leading cryptocurrencies by market cap and their price movements today, September 26.

Cryptocurrency Prices Today: BTC, ETH, SOL, & XRP In The Red

While BTC waned to the $63K price level today, ETH price marked a slip below $2,600. Simultaneously, SOL, XRP, and DOGE prices slipped slightly over 1% today, whereas SHIB too defied the broader market trend. So, let’s take a closer look at major coins’ price action today.

Bitcoin Price Today

BTC price traded at $63,450 at press time, up nearly 1.4% in the past 24 hours. The coin’s intraday low and high were $62,669.27 and $64,462.94, underscoring a highly volatile movement for the asset. This volatility comes despite $105.84 million inflows spot Bitcoin ETFs as of September 25. Besides, despite BlackRock’s additional BTC buys, the coin’s trade is turbulent.

Bitcoin’s market cap rested at $1.25 trillion today. Simultaneously, the flagship crypto’s dominance saw a 0.02% decline to 56.24%.

Ethereum Price Today

Whilst, ETH price chart illustrated a nearly 1% dip in value to reach $2,604. The coin’s intraday low and high were recorded as $2,557.72 and $2,646.79, underlining a brief slip below $2,600.

Simultaneously, ETH price dropped despite $43.23 million inflows in spot Ethereum ETFs as of September 25, per Soso value data. Ethereum’s market cap rested at $313.19 billion today. Despite today’s turbulence, the ETH funding rate sparked further bullishness recently, hinting that phenomenal gains loom for the token.

Solana Price Today

The crypto SOL fell over 1.5% in the past 24 hours and is currently trading at $149.18. The coin’s intraday low and high were recorded as $146.87 and $152.89, respectively. Solana’s market cap rested at $69.93 billion today.

XRP Price Today

Simultaneously, against the backdrop of colossal Ripple whale transactions, XRP price today slipped nearly 2% to $0.5819. Its intraday low and high were recorded as $0.5769 and $0.5935, respectively. XRP’s market cap rested at $32.87 billion today.

Meme Coins’ Performance

Dogecoin (DOGE) price fell nearly 1.5% over the past day to reach $0.1089. However, Shiba Inu gained nearly 4% from yesterday to reach $0.00001556.

PEPE and FLOKI prices slipped 3%-4% today, whereas WIF price gained nearly 2%.

Top Cryptocurrency Gainers Prices Today

Worldcoin

WLD price surged 11% in the past 24 hours and is currently trading at $2.06. The crypto’s intraday low and high were recorded as $1.80 and $2.17, respectively.

Injective

INJ price pumped over 4% today and is currently trading at $22.06. The token’s intraday low and high were recorded as $21.25 and $22.86, respectively.

UNUS SED LEO

LEO price jumped 3% over the past day to reach $5.95. The coin’s intraday low and high were $5.68 and $6.01, respectively.

Top Cryptocurrency Losers Prices Today

Fantom

FTM price dipped 7% over the past day to $0.6512. The crypto’s 24-hour low and peak were $0.6416 and $0.6886, respectively.

Conflux

CFX price followed, dropping 7% over the past day to reach $0.1572. The coin’s intraday low and high were $0.1522 and $0.1669, respectively.

Stacks

STX price fell 6% over the past day to reach $1.92. The crypto’s 24-hour low and high were $1.85 and $2.04, respectively.

Besides, the hourly charts sparked further investor speculations on the cryptocurrency prices today, as BTC and ETH gained 0.11% and 0.14%, respectively. Market watchers continue to extensively eye the coins for future price action shifts.