Cryptocurrency analyst, Saxo Bank Group
Summary: This week the entire crypto market cap rose by 12% to around $135 billion. Bitcoin and Ethereum advanced by 10% and 20% respectively.
This was the second week in a row that the market saw an overall increase in value, a development some observers say is due to increased institutional interest.
JPM Coin
This week J.P. Morgan Chase announced its own digital coin. The digital asset which is based on blockchain tech would be used to settle transfers between institutional accounts at JP Morgan. The coin will be backed by deposits at the bank on a 1:1 basis with the US dollar. However, it should be noted that JPM coin is not a cryptocurrency, but a digital asset running on JP Morgan’s private network, which is currently inaccessible to consumers. JPM coin will work to familiarise institutions and regulators with how to handle distributed ledger technologies. This project is certainly a threat to XRP, Ripple and SWIFT. Other banks may follow suit and begin issuing their own coins which could serve as a Trojan horse for cryptocurrencies. However this is not the first time a major bank has experimented with a settlement coin.
Grayscale Investments reports
Grayscale Investment released its annual report for its investment products this past week. Grayscale investment is known for its GBTC trust which holds BTC and trades over the counter in the US. The firm also has investment products including, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cashand Litecoin. Shockingly, over 66% of its $360 million of inflows originated from institutional investors. While another 20% came from retirement accounts and family offices. Many are waiting for institutions to enter the crypto industry, but this annual report highlights the fact that institutions are already here.
Bitmain back again
Cryptocurrency mining giant Bitmain Technologies recently updated its IPO filings on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The update revealed that the company experienced a loss of half a billion USD in the third quarter. However, the company still has a profit of roughly $500m for the first nine months of 2018. The updated filing is not yet public, and an anonymous representative of the company denied the reports. Additionally, to distract from the rumours Bitmain announced a new Bitcoin mining chip that is almost 30% more efficient that the previous design. Hopefully, Bitmain will finally launch its IPO this year, giving investors one the largest pure plays with exposure to the cryptocurrency market.
The market is trying to get back to the pre-Covid and pre-war times, but that model is broken. A new dawn is here and the financial world needs to adapt.
Steen Jakobsen,
Chief Investment Officer
A political switch in China towards less tough control of its people and companies may kick things back into gear.
Redmond Wong,
Market Strategist
While the economic situation in Europe may not be as bad as feared, there's still a plethora of things to fix.
Chris Dembik,
Head of Macroeconomic Research
As the world turns increasingly bipolar, equity markets face harsh times as they transition into the new reality.
Peter Garnry,
Head of Equity Strategy
New alliances and collaborations outside of China may lead to prosperous times in Asia.
Charu Chanana,
Market Strategist
For years, it was thought that the balanced portfolio was a thing of the past. But recent developments may have changed that.
Peter Siks,
Investment Coach
Following a dramatic and volatile 2022 with good returns, a lot of this year's commodity performance may be driven by Chinese politics.
Ole S. Hansen,
Head of Commodity Strategy
2023 could be a tough year for currencies but EUR and JPY may have some upside.
John J. Hardy,
Head of FX Strategy
The commodity-heavy Australian market may have a good start to 2023, as the Chinese focus on growth signals demand for Aussie resources.
Jessica Amir,
Market Strategist
From a near-perfect environment for speculative assets before 2022 to the opposite, crypto faces fundamental challenges.
Mads Eberhardt,
Cryptocurrency Analyst
Disclaimer
The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.
Please read our disclaimers:
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
- Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-gb/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)
