Bitcoin Soaring; Retail Investors Returning & Memecoin Mania

Crypto Prices Rebound; Binance Founder Gets Prison Sentence & EigenLayer Airdrop Uproar

Join Matt and Nick as they discuss the price volatility in the crypto market; the U.S. central bank’s latest rate decision; the prison sentencing of Binance’s co-founder; weakening demand for spot Bitcoin ETFs; EigenLayer controversy; altcoin updates; and more.

Key Takeaways

• The crypto market slid further, with BTC declining to as low as $56,500 for the first time since late January. Standard correction as far as crypto bull markets go.
• The U.S. central bank’s policy update was largely in line with market expectations. The likelihood of a rate cut by September increased on the back of weaker-than-expected jobs data on Friday.
• Binance’s co-founder and former CEO was sentenced to four months in prison. Risks associated with Binance have decreased significantly in the past year.
• Demand for spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. continued to weaken. Accessibility to these ETFs should only increase in the months ahead.
• Among the altcoin updates covered: EigenLayer airdrop controversy; Telegram Open Network (TON) momentum; and Aave V4 plans.

Payments Giant Stripe Reopens Crypto Payments & Why Prices Are Sliding

Join Matt and Nick as they break down the busy week ahead in the macro economy; Stripe’s return to crypto payments; Morgan Stanley bitcoin ETF rumours; altcoin updates; and more.

Key Takeaways

• The crypto market continues to slide, with ETH a notable outperformer among the majors.
• This week’s policy update from the U.S. Federal Reserve will likely impact investor sentiment. Other macro factors to monitor are the U.S. Treasury’s refinancing announcement and the weakening Japanese yen.
• Major payment company Stripe announced it will once again support crypto payments. Support will initially be for the USDC stablecoin.
• Morgan Stanley is reportedly preparing to allow its 15,000 brokers to recommend that customers buy spot bitcoin ETFs on an unsolicited basis. Accessibility to these ETFs should only expand as the year continues and should increase demand for BTC.
• Among the altcoin updates covered: Hedera and BlackRock confusion; Jupiter Mobile Initiative; and Stacks rolling out long-awaited ‘Nakamoto’ upgrade.

Bitcoin Halving; Altcoin Market Pain & Hong Kong Approves ETFs

Join Matt and Nick as they break down the Bitcoin halving; the rollercoaster week for cryptocurrency prices; worsening sentiment towards altcoins; Hong Kong approving spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs; and more.

Key Takeaways

• Bitcoin (BTC) dominance rose to three-year highs amid what was one of the most volatile weeks for cryptocurrencies in recent memory.
• Bitcoin’s fourth halving came and went. There are now roughly 450 BTC being mined per day.
• Hong Kong approved the launch of spot ETFs for BTC and ETH. While Hong Kong’s ETF market is miniscule, relative to the U.S., these approvals help investors gain convenient exposure to BTC and ETH.
• Among the altcoin updates covered: Solana’s network update, Arbitrum BOLD and Jupiter’s LFG Launchpad (Round 2).

Crypto Price Rollercoaster; Bitcoin Halving & Uniswap Labs Bracing For Major Legal Battle

Join Matt and Nick as they explain the recent volatility in crypto markets; the Bitcoin halving; why SEC vs Uniswap Labs is among crypto’s most important legal battles to date; Ethereum’s next upgrade; and more.

Key Takeaways

• The market experienced some of the highest volatility of this bull market so far, triggered by Iran’s attack on Israel. This volatile price action flushed out hundreds of millions of dollars in positions.
• The next Bitcoin halving is set for April 20. Very hard to predict which way prices will go in the days after the halving.
• Uniswap Labs said it received a Wells notice from the SEC, indicating that it will likely be sued in the coming weeks or months. Should the lawsuit be filed, it has the potential to be among the most important legal cases to date with regard to altcoins in general.
• Among the altcoin updates covered: Monad Labs’ monster investment round and EigenLayer’s mainnet release.

PayPal's Crypto Expansion & Why VanEck Thinks L2 Tokens Can Hit $1 Trillion

Join Matt and Nick as they discuss the U.S. government’s massive Bitcoin holdings, PayPal’s continued push into the stablecoin market, VanEck’s outlook for Ethereum L2 tokens, and more.

Key Takeaways

1. The crypto market fell slightly last week. Notably, BTC fell by less than major altcoins such as ETH and SOL.
2. Speculation that the U.S. government will sell some BTC increased after onchain activity from connected addresses. The U.S. government holds roughly 200,000 BTC and has previously signalled its intent to sell over time.
3. PayPal dramatically improved the accessibility of its PYUSD stablecoin and Ripple announced its upcoming expansion into the lucrative stablecoin market.
4. VanEck published a report in which it predicted that the combined market cap of L2 tokens would hit $1T by 2030. Despite this, it remains “generally bearish” on the long-term value drivers of L2 tokens.
5. Expect talks about ‘fee switches’ to increase in the weeks ahead, particularly in relation to Uniswap (UNI) and Aave (AAVE).
6. The tokens for Ethena (ENA) and Wormhole (W) launched last week and initial airdrops were distributed.