Our experts told about the prerequisites for Bitcoin price growth. And assessed the prospects for further price movement of the first cryptocurrency

On April 11 Bitcoin rate exceeded $30.3 thousand for the first time since June 1, 2022. Within a day, the first cryptocurrency rose in price by $2 thousand. And its value increased by 7%.

Leading altcoins also rose in price, though not as much as the first cryptocurrency. Ethereum (ETH) price went up by 3.5%, to $1.91, BNB (BNB) – by 4.6%, to $327, Polygon (MATIC) – by 3.2%, to $1.13. Cardano (ADA) gained 4.7% to $0.4 and Ripple (XRP) rose 2.7% to $0.51.

The first goal for Bictoin is to fix it at $30,000

Bitcoin for the first time in 10 months broke through the key level of $30 thousand. The main trigger for the price increase was the investors’ confidence in the near completion of the US Federal Reserve’s tight monetary policy phase. In fact, the strengthening of BTC could happen a few days earlier. But most investors were absent in trading because of Good Friday and Easter in Catholic world.

On Monday traders returned to work and reacted to Friday’s set of statistics about employment market in the USA. And quite naturally – with a rise in prices. NFP employment data showed that employers feel confident and leave hiring rates high.

BTC has gained 6.74% since the beginning of April versus a 23% appreciation in March. The important thing now is to get a foothold above $30k. And the next ambitious goal is $35k, but it will take time to reach it.

Bitcoin price prospects

Bitcoin moved to the growth after a long period of consolidation between $27 thousand and $28.5 thousand. BTC accumulated momentum and was able to overcome the resistance level around $28.5 thousand. And then on a wave of “bullish” sentiment took a new top – the long-awaited mark of $30 th.

It is hard to say whether there will be correction, because the market is waiting for the publication of data on consumer price growth in the USA (CPI). Which will be unveiled on April 12. This index always influences the situation on the cryptocurrency market. Here we should understand that it can both push up. And it can also push down and stop the growth of Bitcoin. And the continuation of high inflation can have both effects. That is, if inflation is still quite high and fails to meet expectations for a decline. BTC rate may react with both decrease and growth in the short term.

In the long term high inflation will most likely help Bitcoin to grow. Because BTC is seen by some investors as an instrument to hedge against inflation risks. The collapse of the banking system, which is not expected to fully manifest itself yet, also contributes to the growth of bitcoin. Part of the deposits that have been withdrawn from U.S. bank accounts. It eventually settles on the crypto market, as retail investors in a panic are looking for tools to preserve value. And they’re also afraid of a repeat of the 2008-2009 crisis.

Our experts answering a possible question whether investors will have an opportunity to buy Bitcoin “cheaply” for $15 thousand. Our experts remind that between $15k and $25k Bitcoin was trading for 275 days. That means investors had almost a year to decide to buy this asset. If they didn’t do that, now they’ll have to buy bitcoin at $30k. In short and medium term the price of BTC will hardly go lower than $20k.

Expect inflation data

Bitcoin for quite a long time was in the “sideways position”, accumulating strength for a breakthrough to the level of $30 thousand. This happens today the coin has overcome this mark.

Now the US inflation data is expected to be released in March. A slowdown in price growth will be positive for the stock market. And BTC usually follows it. A decline in inflation gives the odds that the Fed will move to easing monetary policy. And this will also push indices and cryptocurrencies up.

Also amid forecasts of a global recession, more and more investors are moving into crypto as a way to protect funds. This explains the influx of capital into the crypto market. Now everything depends on inflation data. Because its decline will give a chance for Bitcoin to rise to $32,000-34,000. And the increase in prices will be negative – then we can expect a fall to $27-28 thousand. By the end of the week, these trends will manifest themselves in full force.

The number of BTC “hodlers” is increasing as fast as it did in the spring of 2021. When the asset first reached $64,000.

The number of long-term Bitcoin holders earlier this year is growing at its fastest pace since spring 2021. When the BTC exchange rate first rose to $64,000. The growth in the number of “hodlers” may be due to the fact that more and more traders stop operations and decide to just keep the asset.

Since the beginning of this year, Bitcoin’s exchange rate has increased by 71%. The asset was trading at $16.5 thousand on January 31, while on April 10, its price was around $28.3 thousand. The maximum value for this period was $29.1 thousand, which BTC crossed on March 30 for the first time since June 2022.

During the 2021 Bitcoin rally, the number of BTC holders rose from about 34 million to 39 million. The growth rate then slowed. And by early 2023, that number had risen to about 44 million. But then the number of “hodlers” started growing faster again. And by April, it exceeded 46.1 million.

Our experts note that over the past 24 hours, BTC rose in price  by 6%, to $30 thousand. Following the first cryptocurrency, prices for other digital assets are increasing.

Regulators in Dubai intend to bring local companies and major exchanges into the legal sphere. At the same time securing the region from illegal cryptocurrency transactions

After the FTX exchange went bankrupt last November, regulators in Dubai are tightening their grip on the crypto business. This followed the closure of a number of illegal cryptocurrency exchanges, and now officials at the Dubai Virtual Asset Regulation Authority (VARA) have started sending out requests for information to cryptoservices operating in Dubai.

What are the Dubai authorities doing and what are the consequences for crypto business

The authorities in Dubai have to find a balance between encouraging innovation. And the need for proper oversight of the crypto industry. One of the experts interviewed, who advises fintech companies on expansion in the Gulf region. Says the regulator intends to turn Dubai into the capital of the digital economy. And while retaining business ties with Western jurisdictions and not causing complaints from them.

The Middle East, represented by the UAE, is trying to strike a balance between remaining an attractive region for investment. And not to become a “global laundry”. Given the recent trend and the claims to the region by the international community.

The United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part, has already cracked down on dozens of cryptocurrency exchangers that opened there without licenses. Our experts point out that this was part of a broader program to remove the UAE from the FATF’s gray list.

This trend is related to the authorities’ growing concern about the risks associated with the use of cryptocurrencies. Such as fraud, money laundering and terrorist financing. As a result, authorities are seeking to tighten regulation and oversight of companies. That deal with cryptocurrency transactions.

What controls the Dubai authorities plan to launch

Among the specific measures Dubai authorities could take. Our experts call for stricter licensing requirements for crypto-businesses. Such as more thorough verification of financial statements and strengthened compliance procedures. In addition, it is possible to increase fines and other sanctions for companies that violate the rules related to operations with cryptocurrencies. And in particular with ICOs. In general, these measures are aimed at increasing the transparency and reliability of operations with cryptocurrencies. And also to reduce the risks associated with these transactions.

The UAE has already received questions from the FATF in the context of the possibility of the country to be blacklisted. This was due to insufficient compliance with anti-money laundering measures, according to the regulator. The agency published evidence that the country directly and indirectly helps oligarchs evade Western sanctions. And this includes through cryptocurrency transactions. The country is currently on a gray list. Therefore, they do not need to be regulated, our experts believe.

Binance and other major exchanges are under supervision of the authorities

The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has also faced inquiries from VARA. Its head, Changpeng Zhao, himself lives in Dubai and is working to make it the center of brand expansion in the Middle East.

The Dubai regulator is requesting more data from Binance than from other market participants. The agency is reviewing information on ownership structure, audit reports and governance procedures at the global group level. The process is complicated by the fact that Binance does not have a single headquarters. And instead of a board of directors, the usual form is a global board of experts. In addition, the exchange has a complex corporate structure, including several holding companies. And many legal entities in different regions. Representatives of Binance said that they had submitted to VARA a full set of data on requests. That included the results of an audit of the local unit.

In addition to Binance, the public registry of virtual asset service providers at VARA lists four other companies with licenses: Komainu, Hex Trust, GC Exchange and Crypto.com exchange. The latter, like Binance, has provisional minimum viable product (MVP) approvals. This means they cannot yet offer cryptocurrency-related services in Dubai. Which are officially regulated by local law.

All issued licenses are temporary, our experts explain. Obtaining higher level licenses will only be possible after the necessary changes in the legislation are adopted.

BTG Dol stablecoin token is available for buy from 100 Brazilian reals ($20) on the investment platform of BTG Pactual bank and in the cryptocurrency app Mynt

Brazilian investment bank BTG Pactual announced the launch of stablecoin BTG Dol. Which will be related to the U.S. dollar exchange rate. The token will be based on the Polygon blockchain, the bank told DeCrypt.

BTG Pactual noted that this is the world’s first ” dollar” stablecoin issued by the bank. Also according to André Portillo, head of digital assets at BTG Pactual.  This asset will allow its owners to transfer some of their capital into dollars in a simple, efficient and safe way.

Additionally, BTG Pactual will hold and manage reserves of stablecoin. It will also be responsible for regulatory compliance.

Also BTG Dol is available for purchase from 100 Brazilian reais (about $20). It can be purchased on the BTG Pactual investment platform and in the Mynt app. Which was launched by the bank in 2021 and currently supports 22 cryptocurrencies.

Also Polygon is a Layer 2 solution for Ethereum, one of several blockchain platforms. Which allows to optimize the processing of transactions on network. This blockchain is used by Mastercard, Adidas, Disney, Starbucks, Adobe and many others.

Our experts note that the Polygon token (MATIC) is ranked tenth by market capitalization among all cryptocurrencies with an index of $10.4 billion.

The capital of crypto billionaires for 12 months decreased by $ 110 billion. Review of Crypto Upvotes experts

The richest people in the cryptocurrency industry lost more than 75% of their capital in 2022. Forbes estimates that the combined fortune of crypto-billionaires has decreased by about $110 billion in 12 months.

Last year, the magazine counted 19 billionaires among cryptocurrency owners. At the same time, the total assets were estimated at about $140 billion. Lawsuits, bankruptcies and falling asset values during the “crypto winter” caused serious damage to the industry. Therefore, by March 10, 2023, the total capital of crypto billionaires decreased to $30 billion. And the title of a billionaire itself was retained by only nine people.

Rating of crypto billionaires

• The head of the largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance, Changpeng Zhao, still occupies the first place in the ranking. His fortune last year was estimated at $65 billion. But now it is only $10.5 billion.
• In second place is the co-founder of blockchain projects Stellar and Ripple. As well as the creator of one of the first crypto-exchanges MtGox Jed McCaleb with a capital of $2.4 billion ($2.5 billion a year earlier).
• The third place ($2.2 billion) is shared by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Ripple chairman Chris Larsen. The former’s fortune last year was estimated at $6.6 billion, the latter at $4.3 billion.
• Next up are the founders of Web3 infrastructure developer Alchemy, Nikhil Viswanathan and Joseph Lau. And they each have a fortune of $1.8 billion ($2.4 billion a year earlier).
• The seventh and eighth places are held by the founders of the Gemini exchange, brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. Each of them owns $1.2 billion. A year earlier, the state of each of them was $4 billion.
• The list of billionaires closes the cryptoinvestor Matthew Roszak with a capital of $1.1 billion. In March 2022, his fortune was estimated at $1.4 billion.

List of who is no longer a crypto billionaire

Out of the list of billionaires are Upbit exchange founder Son Chee Hyun, Paradigm and Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam. As well as MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor (now valued at $760 million), venture capital investor Tim Draper. Also out are Devin Finzer and Alex Atalla, who founded the NFT marketplace OpenSea. And Barry Silbert, head of Digital Currency Group (his fortune dropped from $3.2 billion to $320 million).

Our experts note that Sam Bankman-Fried and Gary Wang of FTX were the hardest hit. Bankman-Fried last year ranked second with a capital of $ 24 billion. And now his fortune Forbes estimates less than $ 10 million. Experts estimate the state Wang the same amount, a year earlier it was $ 5.9 billion.

A group of plaintiffs in a case to lift sanctions imposed by U.S. authorities on cryptomixer Tornado Cash has filed a motion for summary judgment

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has upheld a lawsuit against the Tornado Cash cryptomixer ban. On April 5, a group of individuals filed a motion for summary judgment in the case against the U.S. Treasury Department to lift sanctions on the cryptocurrency protocol.

On August 8, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against Tornado Cash. The agency’s OFAC division put the cryptocurrency protocol and related digital wallet addresses on the sanctions list (SDN). According to U.S. authorities, more than $7 billion in illicit cryptocurrency proceeds have been laundered through this mixing service since its inception in 2019.

In September, 6 people, including Coinbase exchange representatives Tyler Almeida and Nate Welch, appealed OFAC decision. In their view, the agency exceeded its authority. And its actions violate the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution on freedom of speech. The defendants in the suit are the U.S. Treasury Department, its head Janet Yellen, OFAC and its head Andrea Gaki.

Coinbase General Counsel Paul Grewal wrote that the plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment in part. In which they asked the court to “open Tornado Cash to all.” If the motion is granted, the judge will rule on some of the factual issues, leaving others for trial.

Grewal noted that the citizens who appealed “are among the thousands of law-abiding Americans Who want to protect their privacy but cannot do so because of government sanctions.”

A Coinbase lawyer recalled the plaintiffs’ arguments. They argue that the government cannot sanction Tornado Cash. That’s because it’s not a forehttps://crypto-upvotes.com/coinbase-upheld-…-cryptomixer-ban/ign national or legal entity, it’s software. He also noted that the government can only legally sanction property, which the Tornado Cash code is not.

Our experts note that the rate of the token Tronado Cash (TORN) rose 14% after the news of the petition. The cryptocurrency’s value rose from $6.95 to $7.95

The growth of traders’ activity on DEX platforms in March is one and a half times higher than in February. This comes after the bankruptcy of U.S. banks and regulatory pressure on centralized cryptocurrency exchanges.

Trading volume on decentralized exchanges (DEX) reached a ten-month high. For the first time since May 2022, according to DeFiLlama, the figure rose to $133.3 billion in March, up 53% from $86.9 billion in February.

Trading volumes on decentralized exchanges topped $145 billion in May 2022, following the collapse of TerraUSD (UST) and Luna tokens. And then declined to $65 billion in October. The bankruptcy of the FTX exchange again caused an increase in trading volume on DEX – in November it was $113 billion. And then again for three months did not rise above $87 billion.

A surge in cryptocurrency trading on DEX platforms began in March after Silvergate Bank announced it was shutting down operations. For example, in the week following the news of the bank’s problems alone, trading volume on DEX was $50.2 billion, which was also the highest since the Terraform Labs token crash.

This was followed by the collapse of Signature Bank as well as a warning from the SEC to Coinbase. And the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) lawsuit against Binance. At the end of a difficult month for the cryptocurrency industry, trading volume on DEX exceeded $133 billion.

Our experts note that Curve ($4.78 billion), Uniswap ($4.06 billion) and PancakeSwap ($2.33 billion) are leaders among decentralized exchanges in terms of total value locked (TVL).

Stablecoins supporting precious metal parity rise in price as gold price nears record highs

The market capitalization of stablecoins, which are linked to the price of gold, has surpassed $1 billion. The price of tokens is rising along with the value of the underlying asset.

May gold futures rose 1.91% to $2029.4 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange (COMEX) on Tuesday, April 4. This is the highest since March 2022. On Wednesday, April 5, the price of gold continued to rise. In the moment, its price on COMEX increased by 0.12%, to $2032 per ounce.

Gold reached historical highs of $2088 per ounce for COMEX standard futures contract on March 9, 2022.

According to our experts, demand for gold increased amid a weakening dollar in the international market. And the uncertainty of investors in the “bright prospects” of the global economy.

The two largest “gold” stablecoins are PAX Gold (PAXG) from U.S. fintech company Paxos Trust and Tether Gold (XAUT) from Tether. According to CoinGecko, the market capitalization of PAXG rose to $523 million and XAUT to $499 million on April 5. On April 4, those figures were at $509 million and $488 million, respectively.

During the day the value of PAXG grew by 2% to $2035.50. And XAUT rose 2.1%, to $2033.46. Over the past 30 days, Tether Gold has gained 9.2% and PAX Gold has gained 10.4%.

Bitcoin’s correlation with gold hit a multi-year high at the end of March, according to analytics platform Kaiko. It was 50% and surpassed the correlation of BTC with U.S. stocks.

PostFinance, Swiss national postal service’s bank division, will give customers access to buy, hold and sell Bitcoin and Ethereum

PostFinance, the Swiss post office bank, will partner with Sygnum Bank, a Swiss digital asset bank, to open up cryptocurrency transactions to more than 2.5 million customers. The cryptobank said in an announcement that PostFinance customers will be able to buy, store and sell cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and Ethereum.

PostFinance is one of Switzerland’s largest retail banks. It is wholly owned by the Swiss Post, which in turn is owned by the state. According to the bank’s website, more than 2.5 million people use its services.

Bank Sygnum is licensed as a provider of cryptocurrency services in Switzerland. And it serves a range of institutions, including cantonal and private banks. PostFinance is integrating Sygnum’s b2b platform into its infrastructure.

According to the report, PostFinance has analyzed the investment needs of its customers. And it identified a high demand for digital investment services.

“Digital assets have become an integral part of the financial world. And our clients want access to this marketplace at PostFinance,” said PostFinance Chief Investment Officer Philip Merkt.

PostFinance’s decision to switch to cryptocurrency was driven in part by an outflow of funds from Swiss retail banks into the digital asset class.

PostFinance has noted a multi-million dollar outflow of funds to cryptocurrency exchanges in recent years. So not only did the bank see an opportunity to generate new revenue in its work with digital assets. But it also realized that it made a big difference in retaining existing customers.

Our experts note that in addition to Bitcoin and Ethereum, PostFinance will later add other cryptocurrencies.

Despite last year’s 48% drop in cryptocurrency prices. Brown Brothers Harriman survey participants plan to add digital asset ETF to their portfolios this year

According to a survey conducted by Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH), 74% of institutional investors. The survey resulted in an “extraordinary” or heightened interest in cryptocurrency ETF.

On April 3, BBH released the results of its 2023 Global ETF Investor Servey. The survey surveyed 325 institutional investors, financial advisors and fund managers from the U.S., Europe and China.

According to the report, despite last year’s drop in cryptocurrency prices. In it, a quarter of respondents intend to devote more money to investing in ETF for digital assets. Institutional investors showed the greatest interest, with nearly three-quarters extremely interested in adding cryptocurrency ETF to their portfolios.

Our experts note that this year, 48% of survey participants plan to do so: 58% of investors from China, 55% – from the United States and only 29% – from Europe.

The report explains that the growing interest in cryptocurrency ETFs is partly due to investors adjusting to market volatility. As well as diversifying portfolios and adding more innovative products. And regulatory initiatives such as the MiCA (Markets in Crypto Assets) project of the European Union. It can significantly “reduce the risk” of cryptocurrency investments for asset managers. And provide them “an additional level of comfort” when working with crypto exchanges.