The crypto markets are going through a phase of uncertainty with several cryptocurrencies failing to show a firm trend. This is because the markets lack a catalyst that can either pull prices higher or plunge them lower. However, a developing catalyst could be the launch of the China-backed central bank digital currency (CBDC). Jack Lee, a founding partner at HCM Capital, believes that China’s central bank is ready and the digital currency could be launched within the next two to three months. If this experiment is successful, it would likely force the other developed nations to follow suit. Daily cryptocurrency …

Bitcoin (BTC) futures volumes have been consistently rising in the past few days. This shows that the interest of the institutional players has been gradually picking up. A close study of the futures volume and price action can provide the experienced trader an insight into the likely direction of the markets. Increasing volumes with a sharp dip in price is a bearish sign as it indicates the initiation of short positions. Crypto market data weekly view. Source: Coin360 However, at times, a market that has been heavily shorted also provides an opportunity to enter a counter-trend trade because if the …

In this week’s selected cryptocurrency- and blockchain-related news from Cointelegraph Japan, the Japanese financial regulator solidifies its policy of banning trusts that invest in crypto, more than 20 companies launch a consortium that aims to raise funds with security tokens, and Coincheck starts its automated cryptocurrency accumulation service, while it denies having had any previous knowledge about Stellar Lumens’ 55 billion token burn. Here is the past week of cryptocurrency and blockchain news in review, as originally reported by Cointelegraph Japan. FSA confirms ban on cryptocurrency investment trusts The Japanese financial regulator, the Financial Services Agency (FSA), has solidified its …

Though crypto markets are in a consolidation phase, the number of first-timers investing in this nascent space has almost doubled, according to data from Square Cash App. This is a positive sign as it shows that investors are using the dips to buy cryptocurrency. In another positive for the crypto space, research by the recruitment firm Indeed.com has found that cryptocurrency job requirements have risen in the past year even as searches for blockchain and cryptocurrency roles have reduced. This indicates that the sentiment among the crypto companies remains bullish. Daily cryptocurrency market performance. Source: Coin360 While the long-term outlook …

Altcoins have been inching their way deeper into my trading routine and this seventh entry of the crypto trading journal features a newly opened position on VeChain (VET), as well as a timely buy of Stellar Lumens (XLM). I am still long on Bitcoin (BTC) from under $9,000, as price moves sideways. XLM/BTC Part 1: Setting up the trade Entries: .00000800 satoshis (sats), .00000870(sats), .00000797 (sats) Targets: 0.00000940 (sats), .00001044 (sats) Stop loss: The first stop loss was set at .00000781 (sats) on the breakout. As usual, I move this up to follow the price when required. Risk / reward: …

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) announced a new mandate today for its network’s development, stating that it has burned over 55 billion Stellar Lumens (XLM) tokens. According to a Medium post on Nov. 4, the development foundation drastically reduced the number of tokens in existence as part of an effort to become more efficient as it moves forward. Of the over 85 billion tokens that were earmarked for SDF operations, giveaway programs and partnership programs, the SDF burned over 55 billion. At a current price of $0.085 per token, the value of the burned tokens is nearly $4.7 billion. The …

The crypto space is taking a breather after the recent sharp run. However, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) recently tweeted that he is positive that Bitcoin (BTC) will resume its rally to $16,000 “soon-ish.” This suggests that CZ believes the market has bottomed and is in the process of resuming the uptrend. Furthermore, the long-term price action of Bitcoin shows that it has outperformed the S&P 500 since 2003. In other crypto-related news, French high school students will now be taught the basics of Bitcoin and its effects on the French and global economy. This suggests that the government is …

A Bloomberg report, analyzing data from 13 top exchanges, shows that within a very short span of time, Bitcoin (BTC) futures trading volume has grown to about 50% of spot trading volume. This is the sign of a maturing asset class. Successful operation of the futures market may provide regulators with the confidence they need as many are concerned that a few entities can easily manipulate the markets at will. The institutional players who have been staying away due to wild volatility in the crypto sector are also likely to jump in because the futures and options market provides them …

The sentiment in the crypto markets had turned bullish on the news that Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for businesses and government bodies to support the development and adoption of blockchain technology. However, just days after the comments, the Chinese state media warned that support for blockchain should not be interpreted as an endorsement for cryptocurrencies. During the recent Bitcoin (BTC) rally, institutional interest picked up, which also resulted in a spike in Bitcoin futures volumes on the Bakkt platform. Along with targeting the institutional players, Bakkt dove into the mobile payments sector. Earlier this week the company announced …

The seesaw price action over the past week has lightened up the crypto space once again. While the aggressive bulls view the sharp upside move as a bottoming signal, the bears consider the rise as a bear market rally that should be sold into. However, as traders, our goal should be to identify the trend and trade with it. Bitcoin (BTC) futures trading volume on Bakkt has surged over the past three days. This suggests that the recent market activity has generated interest among institutional traders who expect a sharp directional move. Cryptocurrency market daily performance. Source: Coin360 If the …

The total market capitalization has bounced from very close to the $200 billion support, which is a positive sign. The pullback from the dip on Oct. 23 has been broad-based with Bitcoin (BTC) and several altcoins doing well. This shows that the crypto space is generating interest among buyers. Cryptocurrency market daily performance. Source: Coin360 Many major cryptocurrencies are showing signs of selling exhaustion. When the bulls buy breakdowns from critical support levels, instead of panicking, it shows that the sentiment is changing. As the recovery is across the board, it increases the sustainability of the move. Recently, Joel Birch, …

After initially seeking to ban Bitcoin in 2013, Thailand has since developed a permissive regulatory apparatus for digital currencies and cryptocurrency fundraising methods. Thai financial services firm Seamico Securities recently announced that it has received approval from the country’s Securities and Investments Commission (SEC) to operate its subsidiary, SE Digital, as a regulated initial coin offering (ICO) portal. In doing so, SE Digital obtained permission to launch the first legitimate ICO in Thailand, with the company announcing that it hopes to raise between 2 billion and 3 billion Thai baht (between around $66 million and $99 million) through the token …