Bitcoin a step closer to its all-time high  

Bitcoin surged to start the week, moving even closer to its all-time high. According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin was up 8% at $67.3K last time. It reached its highest level since November 2021, the last time it set a record, at one point, rising to $68.8K.  

 

Ether increased by over 5% to $3.7K. The market paused the major crypto assets’ rally over the weekend as it processed two days of sharp outflows from the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), which were offset by inflows into other “newborn” bitcoin exchange-traded funds. The major crypto assets are coming off their best week in nearly a year. Bitcoin gained roughly 21%, and ether gained 16%. 

Meme coins in particular were boosted by Bitcoin. Shiba Inu coin shot up 95% while Dogecoin increased 32%.  Analysts cite them as proof that regular investors, who have been out of the market for the majority of the recent cryptocurrency upswing, are beginning to enter the market again. Crypto data provider Kaiko claims that last week saw a spike in the weekly trade volume of meme tokens to its highest level since late 2021. 

Coinbase and Microstrategy, rode the bitcoin wave as they increased 11% and 24% respectively. The short-term impact of the impending halving in April, when mining companies’ revenue will be slashed, weighed on investors, however, and miners sat out the rally, giving up earlier gains. Iris Energy and Marathon Digital both saw declines of about 5%, CleanSpark and Cipher Mining both saw declines of more than 7%, and Riot Platforms saw a decline of nearly 7%. 

The short-term price movement of bitcoin indicated that it would continue to rise, but that it might cool over the next few weeks as unrealized profit margins get closer to extremely high levels. Approximately $42,700 is the current realized price of Bitcoin, according to CryptoQuant. 

Long-term investors, however, remain optimistic that the combination of rising demand for bitcoin brought about by the new U.S. exchange-traded funds and the anticipated reduction in supply following the April halving event will propel the price of bitcoin to yet another record high. 

XRP Lifts Off, Adds 19% As Traders Aim For $0.72

The crypto tide is rising, lifting XRP prices in early March 2024. After a period of hesitation, the coin is breaking above last week’s high, expanding as Bitcoin (BTC) registers fresh 2024 highs.

Coin trackers reveal that XRP is up 4% in the past 24 hours, adding 19% in the previous week of trading. Even though the uptrend remains, it is no longer in the top five, as in the past. Instead, other top altcoins like Solana (SOL) and BNB have flipped XRP, cementing their positions in fourth and fifth, respectively.

XRP price chart for March 4

Nevertheless, XRP is changing hands at $0.65, commanding a market cap of over $35.6 billion, and widening its gap from the next altcoin, Cardano (ADA). It is not clear whether the upside will continue at the same pace as Bitcoin’s. However, the crypto community is watching key regulatory pronouncements in the United States that could reshape XRP’s trajectory.

On March 4, the following are key events that impacted XRP:

A United States Judge ruled that altcoins traded in the secondary markets, that is, exchanges, qualify as securities. A resounding win for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the ruling means that most altcoins, as interpreted from the case pitting the regulator against a former Coinbase employee, are investment contracts. It is not clear how this will influence  prices in the future.

The United States SEC is yet to endorse XRP, like it did to Bitcoin, as a commodity. Their officials maintain that a big percentage of altcoins are trading illegally as unregistered securities. There is an ongoing case seeking to clarify whether the token is a commodity or security.

XRP Price Analysis

The path of least resistance for XRP is upward.

There are hints of rejection of lower lows in the last two bars—as seen from the long lower wicks.

Based on the [[XRP/USD]] candlestick arrangement in the short-term, XRP has support at around $0.60.

Following today’s break out, buyers can search for long entries, targeting November 2023 highs of around $0.72.

Overall, the coin remains in a bullish formation. Since prices are inside the July 13 bull bar, there is a chance XRP will float towards $0.82 in the coming sessions.

Ethereum Surging, Is The Rally To $4,000 Inevitable?

Ethereum is rallying when writing. The coin has broken above $3,500, with buyers not giving up on the gas pedal. In a bullish breakout formation, the uptrend remains and traders can look for entries to double down on dips.

Coin trackers show that ETH is up 3% in the last trading day, and roughly 15% in the past week of trading. At this pace, ETH has cemented its position as the second most valuable coin by market cap, trailing Bitcoin.

Ethereum price chart for March 4

So far, ETH has a market cap of over $422 billion. However, it is likely that this will increase considering upcoming fundamental events in the next couple of weeks.

Going by market cap share, Ethereum commands 17.3%, ceding ground to Bitcoin that has been on a tear in recent days.

For optimistic ETH traders, they should watch the following:

Influx of capital into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs): Presently, institutional investors have bought hundreds of thousands of BTC. Considering the direct correlation between BTC and ETH, and fact that ETH is the largest altcoin, capital will also likely flow the coin, lifting it in tandem. Data shows that institutions are not slowing down on spot Bitcoin ETFs, a net bullish for ETH.

The state of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and total value locked (TVL): Ethereum hosts some of the top protocols, including Uniswap and Aave. As their TVL rises, the demand for ETH, as a settlement coin, will also balloon. Accordingly, ETH will benefit, powering the coin higher.

Ethereum Price Analysis

The path of least resistance remains to be upwards, looking at events in the daily chart.

ETH bulls are not slowing down, explaining the divergence in the Bollinger Bands (BB).

As ETH bull bars band along the upper BB, it shows that momentum is high. Surging upside momentum also sparks volatility, a benefit for day and swing traders.

Based on [[ETH/USD]] price action, $3,500 is an important psychological support level.  The uptrend will remain if this level is sustained as bulls reject lower lows.

If $3,500 is broken, ETH might fall to $3,000, especially if the rejection is with high trading volume. If not, sustained gains above $3,500 may lift the coin to $4,000.

Bitcoin Exploding, Will BTC Bulls Break $70,000?

Bitcoin remains in a bullish path, building on gains from last week. To illustrate, the coin is trading at fresh highs, extending February gains. BTC is now changing hands above $65,000, looking at events in the daily chart.

According to coin trackers, [[BTC/USD]] is up by 5% in the last 24 hours, and roughly 30% in the previous week of trading. At the current valuation, Bitcoin commands a $1.27 trillion market cap, and continues to swell as prices edge higher, at the back of sharp trading volume.

With the Bitcoin rally in progress, surpassing expectations, the coin has extended is crypto market cap share, rising to 52.7% when writing. This is noteworthy because the total crypto market cap is also up by over 4% in the past trading day, pushing the industry’s valuation to over $2.43 trillion.

Bitcoin price chart for March 4

Looking at fundamental events, the rally will likely continue because of multiple reasons. As it is, traders and prospective investors should closely monitor these events:

The pace at which spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuers are buying coins: Presently, BlackRock has amassed the most coins with Fidelity closely following behind. Since the approval of the complex derivatives product in mid-January 2024, billions have been sunk. The number continues to rise, further propelling the coin to new multi-month highs.

Monetary policy expectations in the United States: The community, though bullish on the coin, are closely watching the Federal Reserve (Fed). Their pronouncement on interest rates will shape the market profoundly going forward. The Fed will decide on interest rates in March, an event that’s being closely monitored.

Bitcoin Price Analysis

Bitcoin is bullish at spot rates.

As mentioned earlier, the coin is up 5%.

The immediate resistance level is at $69,900, marking 2021 highs.

So far, bulls are firmly in control, banding along the upper BB, evident in the daily chart.

With the uptrend defined, and the momentum favoring buyers, every dip above $60,000 may offer entries for aggressive bulls targeting $70,000.

Any sharp pull back below $60,000 may invalidate the uptrend, setting the base for possible losses towards $53,000.

Conversely, a breakout above $70,000 at the back rising volumes will propel BTC to new territories.

Forex Signals Brief March 4: US Employment and ECB Meeting Highlighting the Week

We started last week with everyone’s attention on the US PCE inflation report, which in the end wasn’t a game changer. It did move markets for a while, sending the USD 100 pips higher across the board as January’s numbers came above expectations, but that move was erased, so everything ended up unchanged at the end of the day. Continue reading “Forex Signals Brief March 4: US Employment and ECB Meeting Highlighting the Week”

Forex Signals Brief March 1: Eurozone Inflation to Fall to 2.5%

 

Eurozone CPI YoY is expected to fall to 2.5% in January from 2.8% in December
Eurozone CPI YoY is expected to fall to 2.5% in January from 2.8% in December

Today’s Market Expectations

Today started with the services and manufacturing PMI reports from China, as well as the Caixin manufacturing. Services and Caixin manufacturing have come out of contraction, although the activity is not so hot, remaining close to stagnation.

Soon the Eurozone Consumer Price Index (CPI) report will be released and the annualized YoY number is forecasted to fall 2.5%, showing a decrease from 2.8% the previous year. Meanwhile, the Core CPI YoY is expected to stand at 2.9%, down from 3.3% the previous year. Despite the Core 3-month and 6-month annualized rates already being below the European Central Bank’s (ECB) 2% target, the ECB remains resolute in its stance. Some members, including President Lagarde, have expressed the need to assess Q1 2024 wage data before contemplating a rate reduction. The market has fully priced in a 25 basis point rate cut in June. However, if economic data falls short of expectations, the market is likely to anticipate a rate cut as early as April, despite the ECB’s communicated message.

The ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) in the United States is expected to rise to 49.5 from 49.1 previously. This forecast reflects a slightly positive outlook, especially considering the recent increase in the S&P Global Manufacturing PMI to 51.5 from 50.7 the previous month. The upward trend in manufacturing activity suggests a recovery in the sector following the recession of the previous two years. Overall, sentiment remains cautiously optimistic regarding the performance of the manufacturing industry.

Forex Signals Update

Yesterday the volatility in the cryptocurrency market slowed, while in forex the situation was quiet until the release of the US PCE inflation report, which sent Gold surging and the USD lower initially. Then the USD reversal came and it surged 60 pips higher across the board. We opened several trading signals, but only two closed during the day.

The Jump in Gold Stops at $2,050 

Gold prices have experienced a rebound above $2,000 after a recent drop earlier in the month. Last week, there were multiple attempts by buyers to push the price above the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) line (yellow), but these attempts were unsuccessful initially. However, on Friday, there was a notable surge in gold prices, resulting in the price breaking above the 50 SMA line convincingly. Despite this breakout, the price of gold has since dipped back below the 50 SMA line this week and is currently trading within a range above the $2,030 mark. This suggests some indecision or resistance in the market, as traders assess the next potential direction for Gold prices.

XAU/USD – H1 chart

USD/CHF Breaks Above the Range

The release of the US core and headline PCE data meeting expectations has relieved the market, resulting in a weakening of the Swiss Franc against the US Dollar (CHF/USD). The Swiss Franc appears to be particularly affected by the inflation numbers, as evidenced by its decline of approximately 60 pips thus far. Currently, the Swiss Franc is displaying notable strength and continues to push higher against the US Dollar and it closed the day at the top.

USD/CHF – H4 chart

Cryptocurrency Update

The 50 SMA Holds As Support for Bitcoin

Bitcoin is spearheading a rally in the cryptocurrency market, surpassing significant milestones and approaching its all-time high below $69,000. Following its breakthrough above the $50,000 mark, Bitcoin has maintained its upward momentum, surpassing $55,000 earlier this month. Yesterday, it surged above $60,000, reaching a peak of approximately $63,800. We initiated a buy signal for Bitcoin when its price was below $60,000, but subsequently closed it as Bitcoin retraced following the surge. Yesterday the price dipped to the 50 SMA (yellow) where it found support, however the 20 SMA is turning into resistance now.

BTC/USD – 60 minute chart

Ethereum retreating Below MAs

Ethereum has likewise experienced a notable surge in value recently, mirroring the upward trajectory of Bitcoin. However, the bullish momentum seems to be somewhat tempered in comparison. This is reflected in the behavior of the 50-period simple moving average (SMA) line, depicted in yellow on the hourly (H1) chart, which has been acting as a support level. On Wednesday, ETH/USD reached close to $3,500 before experiencing a decline of $400. yesterday the 50 SMA was broken after holding as support several times.

  • ETH Buy Signal
  • Entry Price: $2,290
  • Stop Loss: $2,590
  • Take Profit: $1,750

Forex Signals Brief Feb 29: Focusing on US PCE Inflation, Canada GDP

Yesterday the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) experienced significant movement following the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged but adopt a dovish bias. This decision came as a surprise to some analysts who had anticipated a rate hike or at least a hawkish stance from the central bank. However, the RBNZ described its policy as restrictive, slightly lowered its rate projections for 2024 and 2025, and expressed expectations for a slowdown in growth and inflation. Continue reading “Forex Signals Brief Feb 29: Focusing on US PCE Inflation, Canada GDP”

Forex Signals Brief Feb 27: in Anticipation of US Durable Goods Orders

Yesterday’s trading saw relatively constrained trading ranges, with the low to high ranges starting the week on a subdued note. Despite this, the euro (EUR) emerged as the strongest major currency by the end of the day as the ECB tried to push back on rate cut expectations. Continue reading “Forex Signals Brief Feb 27: in Anticipation of US Durable Goods Orders”

Bitcoin and Ethereum Prices Make Another Leap Higher Today

After consolidating around the $52,000 level for two weeks, it seems like Bitcoin is resuming the uptrend again, as the BTC price has climbed to $53,500, breaking above the range. BTC/USD experienced some decent bullish momentum today, reaching its highest levels in more than two years. After a month-long upward trajectory, it temporarily paused on February 15, forming a narrow trading range between $50,000 and $53,000. However, it has since broken out to the upside, driven by renewed interest following Microstrategy’s substantial $150 million bitcoin purchase. Continue reading “Bitcoin and Ethereum Prices Make Another Leap Higher Today”

Forex Signals Brief Feb 26: PCE and CPI Inflation Highlighting the Week

Last week’s economic calendar was notably quiet, and while the FX market appeared relatively stable at closing, there were underlying movements that hinted at activity. There was noticeable selling pressure on the USD  and the JPY, while risk currencies such as the Euro and the NZD found some decent bids. Continue reading “Forex Signals Brief Feb 26: PCE and CPI Inflation Highlighting the Week”