Simple Textbook Analysis Show XRP Price Could Rally 100% Against Bitcoin

There’s no doubt XRP saw poor performance in 2019. During that year, the price of the asset against the U.S. dollar fell by 50%, managing to underperform a swath of traditional asset classes, from stocks and bonds to precious metals and commodities. Because Bitcoin saw a strong 2019, rallying by over 90%, the XRP/BTC pair fell dramatically, even more so than the altcoin’s pair against the dollar and other fiat currencies. One XRP, in fact, is now valued at under 3,000 satoshis — far below all-time highs. But, a number…

2019’s Top 10 Institutional Actors in Crypto

Slowly but surely, institutional players are moving into the crypto/blockchain neighborhood. According to a 2019 Fidelity Investments survey, about 22% of institutional investors already have some exposure to digital assets, with most investments having been made within the past three years. Moreover, 4 in 10 respondents say they are open to future investments in digital assets over the next five years. “Institutional investor involvement in cryptocurrency in 2019 has been primarily about getting the infrastructure in place, such as the opening of Fidelity Digital Assets and Bakkt,” Jonathan Levin, co-founder…

Is the Future of Blockchain Tech Innovation in the East?

Since the end of World War II, the United States has been an undisputed global leader in innovation. From putting a man on the moon to the “Traitorous Eight” of Fairchild and the birth of today’s Silicon Valley, the U.S. has been at the forefront of embracing emerging technology. This position has given the country a strategic advantage in dictating how technology is adopted and setting the basic standards for its use. However, as we enter the new decade, the U.S. is at risk of losing its place as the…

Rising BTC Price, Justin Sun’s Harassment Suit, and More on the Bad Crypto Podcast

Those of you seeking yet another angle on consuming the latest and greatest crypto news should know about The Bad Crypto Podcast. This week’s episode starts with the good news that Bitcoin is on the rise, touches on Justin Sun’s harassment suit, and even takes a moment to acknowledge Peter Schiff’s remarkable public Bitcoin mistakes. There’s even a full serving of commentary on the fact that PornHub has added new payment support for the Tether stablecoin. No stone is left unturned in the effort to make cryptocurrency and blockchain current…

Fewer Pronouncements of BTC’s Death in 2019, but Here Are the Top 5

Bitcoin has long been disregarded as a speculative asset class that is doomed to fail by mainstream media outlets around the world. The apathy toward the world’s preeminent cryptocurrency has been embodied by countless articles that have either hailed the death of Bitcoin or predicted its impending demise. For the past three years, Cointelegraph has reviewed the top annual Bitcoin obituaries courtesy of 99Bitcoins’ list of news articles that have unwittingly foretold the end of the cryptocurrency. In 2017, Bitcoin and the overall cryptocurrency market saw the biggest surge in…

BitFlyer Now Offers US Users 0% Fees When Buying Bitcoin With USD

People in the United States now have another zero-fee option to buy Bitcoin (BTC) with the U.S. dollar. On Jan. 30, Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange bitFlyer launched its commission-free campaign for BTC/USD trading pair to its U.S. customers. bitFlyer USA operates in 47 states in the U.S. and holds New York BitLicense The zero-fee feature is only available for the BTC/USD trading pair and has been implemented on bitFlyer’s pro trading tool, bitFlyer Lightning, the firm noted in a blog post. The campaign is automatically applied to all new and existing…

Crypto Exchange Zebpay Reopens in India Despite Banking Ban

Singapore-based crypto exchange Zebpay reportedly returns to the Indian market more than a year after an Indian Reserve Bank crackdown led to the exchange’s closure in the country.  After discontinuing Indian services in late 2018, Zebpay will open its exchange for the country once again, although the central bank ruling that caused its demise has not changed, IBS intelligence wrote on Jan. 29, Citing “reports.”  Shutdown in the face of regulation In September 2018, Zebpay halted exchange availability in India after the Reserve Bank of India, or RBI, forbade banks…

USDT Moves Every Eight Days on Average, Data Shows

Recent data from crypto data site Coin Metrics shows USDT tokens change locations every eight days on average.  “The trailing 12 month velocity of @Tether_to on Omni, Ethereum and Tron has rapidly and consistently increased since September and currently sits at ATHs, where on average each $USDT turns over 46 times per year,” Coin Metrics posted on its Twitter account on Jan. 31.  Moving on three blockchains Tether, one of the crypto industry’s oldest stablecoin operations, originally built its USD-pegged token on Bitcoin’s Omni token layer. Tether also operates on Ethereum’s blockchain…

Europe’s First Crypto License Issuer Warns of New Unregistered Crypto Firm

Major European financial regulator, Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), has spotted another unregistered crypto company. The firm, Crypto Bull, operating under the url crypto-bull.io, claims to be based in Luxembourg while it does not have permission to provide crypto services in the country, the CSSF announced on Jan. 31. The warning notice reads: “The CSSF informs the public that this entity has not been granted any authorisation to provide investment services or other financial services in or from Luxembourg.” The unregistered firm wants to provide services to…

Options Growth Will Ignite Innovation in the Bitcoin Market – But Not in the Way You Think

Richard Rosenblum is co-founder and co-head of trading at crypto liquidity provider GSR. The opinions below are the author’s and do not reflect the position of CoinDesk. Like futures, the launch of bitcoin options on major exchanges has been met with anticipation. Hopeful observers believe the CME’s and Bakkt’s entry into the burgeoning options market will further encourage institutional participation. It will – but not necessarily in the way they expect. For major institutions, miners and other corporates involved in the space, options open a new, powerful tool for managing…