Skip to main content

MLB Team Washington Nationals Partners With Terra Blockchain Community, Ballpark Plans to Accept UST

On February 9, the American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C., the Washington Nationals, announced the team has partnered with Terra, the open-source blockchain platform and decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). The Washington Nationals detail that the team is a “leading innovator” and is “consistently introducing new technologies to enhance the fan experience.” Washington Nationals Ink Long-Term Deal With Terra Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Washington Nationals has partnered with the blockchain platform and DAO Terra, according to an announcement published by the team on Wednesday. The deal with Terra follows a slew of sports-related deals with crypto firms, but the MLB team will be the first to partner with an open-source blockchain project. In addition to the partnership, the algorithmic stablecoin UST that’s issued on the Terra blockchain will be “accepted as a payment method at Nationals Park as early as next season.” “The Nationals continue t...

Is a new rally brewing as Bitcoin reclaims $38K and stablecoins 'flooding' exchanges?

Stablecoin inflows into exchanges spiked right as the price of Bitcoin recovered above $38,000, on-chain data shows.

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) has extended its recovery on Jan. 14, reclaiming the $38,000 level. What's more, the weekly candle has now turned green for the fifth consecutive week despite the 28% crash earlier this week. 

BTC/USD Weekly candle chart (Bitstamp). Source: Tradingview

Meanwhile, stablecoin deposits are flooding into cryptocurrency exchanges, according to data from CryptoQuant. This inflow may act as a short-term catalyst for Bitcoin as it suggests that sidelined capital is moving back into BTC.

Stablecoins inflow on exchanges. Source: CryptoQuant

Why are stablecoins indicative of strong buyer demand for Bitcoin?

In the cryptocurrency market, many traders sell crypto assets, like Bitcoin, to stablecoins rather than cash.

Stablecoins, such as Tether (USDT), is pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar and are tradable across exchanges.

Most exchanges require a complicated Know Your Customer (KYC) verification process for bank transfers, and cash deposits into exchanges could take a long time.

As such, if a whale or a high-net-worth investor wants to buy and sell millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin, stablecoins can be far more convenient than cash.

The high demand for stablecoins from traders has led the valuation of Tether to increase in recent months. Last month, the market cap of Tether surpassed $20 billion. A month later, this number is already above $24 billion, indicating a rise in sidelined capital within the cryptocurrency market.

Dry powder moving to exchanges

Meanwhile, stablecoin deposits into exchanges have increased substantially over the past 24 hours. CryptoQuant tracks the wallets of exchanges and observes stablecoin deposits and outflows.

Exchanges' stablecoin reserve. Source: CryptoQuant

Across major exchanges, stablecoin deposits spiked noticeably on Jan. 13, right as the price of Bitcoin began to recover.

On Jan. 13, the price of Bitcoin dropped to as low as $32,500 after nearly $1 billion worth of futures contracts were liquidated.

Investors were actively buying the dip, as shown by the increase in stablecoin deposits and the increasing open interest of the Bitcoin futures market. As a result, Bitcoin saw a quick turnaround, rallying by more than 10% overnight.

Bitcoin futures open interest. Source: Bybt.com

So what comes next?

Alex Saunders, a cryptocurrency analyst, said that stablecoins are “flooding exchanges,” which is often indicative of a bullish trend.

Prior to the recovery, Michael van de Poppe, a full-time trader at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, said an all-time high is likely for Bitcoin if it surpasses $38,000 again.

Overnight, the price of Bitcoin pierced through the $38,000 resistance area, which Van de Poppe pinpointed. Hence, in the short term, BTC is on track to retest its record-high. He said:

“Bitcoin didn't change much. It flipped the $33,000 level for support and therefore is eager to test the $37,000-38,000 level. That one needs to flip. If it does, we'll be eager for new all-time highs. If not, more consolidation likely.”

Bitcoin’s rally also coincides with the opening of Grayscale’s products on Jan. 13. If the value of Bitcoin continues to rise, it could propel more institutional and accredited investors to obtain exposure to BTC through the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC).

There is also a strong argument to be made that the reopening of GBTC kickstarted the rally, to begin with, signifying that the uptrend is led by institutions, not by retail investors.

https://ift.tt/3snerR6

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bitcoin Legal Tender in 3 Days but Survey Shows 7 Out of 10 Salvadorans Want Bitcoin Law Repealed

Bitcoin is becoming legal tender in El Salvador in three days. However, a nationwide survey conducted by the University Institute of Public Opinion (Iudop) shows that seven out of 10 Salvadorans want the government to repeal the Bitcoin Law. El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law Goes Into Effect in 3 Days The University Institute of Public Opinion (Iudop) in El Salvador conducted a study between Aug. 13 and Aug. 20 of how the public views the country’s upcoming Bitcoin Law. The institute is a research center of the José Simeón Cañas Central American University (UCA). El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law is set to go into effect on Sept. 7 , when BTC will be legal tender in the country alongside the U.S. dollar. A total of 1,281 respondents ages 18 and over participated in this national survey that “represents the entire adult population residing in the country,” according to the institute. Out of all the respondents, 62.4% said they were aware of the approval of the Bitcoin Law by the deputies of the ...

Bitcoin breaking new highs in Q4 will ‘temporarily turn alts to dust’ — Analyst

Things will get exciting in quarter four, but not before a convincing floor is put in across crypto, analysts say this week. Bitcoin ( BTC ) was busy losing its overnight gains on Sept. 27 as resistance continued to prove too much for bulls.  BTC/USD 1-hour candle chart (Bitstamp). Source: TradingView Analyst on Bitcoin: “Right now, we’re stuck” Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView  showed BTC/USD dropping to around $1,000 below overnight highs of $44,400 on Bitstamp on Sept. 27.  The move constitutes a rejection at a “critical” zone to break, Cointelegraph contributor Michaël van de Poppe explained, with $42,000 now the key level to hold for a higher low. Bitcoin is acting in an increasingly narrow range, he summarized in his latest YouTube update. “Right now, we’re stuck,” he said, pointing to $47,000 as next should the $44,600 zone be reclaimed. On the downside, the zone between $38,000 and $40,000 remains valid for a bounce, while a co...

Blockchain Software Firm Consensys Acquires Mycrypto Ethereum Wallet

On February 1, the blockchain infrastructure firm Consensys has revealed it has acquired the Ethereum-based wallet Mycrypto and plans to merge the wallet into Metamask. The price Consensys paid for Mycrypto was not disclosed but the announcement notes that the acquisition will “further improve the security of all the products.” Consensys Obtains Mycrypto Ethereum Wallet, Plans to Merge With Metamask in the Future Consensys has acquired the Ethereum-based wallet Mycrypto for an undisclosed sum according to an announcement released on Tuesday. The deal aims to strengthen the company’s Ethereum wallet Metamask and “enhance Web3 experiences.” The eventual merger between the two Ethereum interfaces will “provide users with a heightened experience that is even more extensive and secure,” according to Consensys. Consensys is an Ethereum software company led by one of the Ethereum co-founders Joseph Lubin. The Web3 wallet Metamask, with 21 million monthly active users (MAUs) is owned by C...