Monat: August 2022

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We’d shut down Ethereum staking if threatened by regulators, says Coinbase’s CEO

Coinbase’s CEO says the crypto exchange will abandon Ethereum staking if threatened by regulatory agencies.

The Ethereum blockchain will fully migrate to a Proof of Stake (PoS) mechanism in less than a month. This implies that Ethereum tokens will be staked and not mined.

The move is designed to solve some of the key issues affecting the Ethereum network, including scalability and high transaction fees. 

With the PoS mechanism, ETH holders can stake their coins on various crypto exchanges and platforms, granting them the opportunity to vote for node validators and have a say in how the network operates. 

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong responded to a hypothetical scenario on Twitter today regarding Ethereum staking. 

Armstrong stated that in the event of regulatory threats, Coinbase would shut down its Ethereum staking service. He added that Coinbase would do so in order to preserve the integrity of the blockchain network.

However, he added that there could be a legal option where Coinbase will challenge the authorities and hope to reach a better outcome for everyone. 

Coinbase is a publicly listed company and one of the first crypto companies to get listed on a stock exchange. 

Coinbase has been struggling in recent quarters, largely due to the ongoing bear market. Like several crypto companies, Coinbase had to lay off a certain percentage of its staff to enable it to survive the crypto winter.

The San Francisco-founded company’s revenue declined by 61% in the last quarter. Coinbase reported an after-tax loss of $1.1bn, compared with the $1.6bn net profit it registered in the middle of the crypto boom last year.

However, the company said it’s $6.2bn in available capital would enable it to keep investing through the downturn.

The cryptocurrency market has been in a bearish trend over the past nine months, with most coins down by more than 50% from their all-time highs.

The post We’d shut down Ethereum staking if threatened by regulators, says Coinbase’s CEO appeared first on CoinJournal.

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Ethereum price falls for four successive days, has the Merge craze fizzled?

After a strong rally since the beginning of July 2022, the crypto market is once again under selling pressure. The broad crypto market has been retreating for the last four days with Ethereum price sliding below $1,850.

As of press time, Ethereum (ETH) was trading at $1,843.86 with a 5.46% decline over the past 24 hours. It is worth noting that ETH had gained almost 100% since the beginning of July, rekindling hopes of regaining the $2,000 level especially as the community look forward to the much anticipated Ethereum Merge Upgrade.

According to a digital data scientist at Coen Digital, David Kroger, investors and institutions are already gearing up for the Merge. Kroger sad:

“Institutions have been asking us about the Merge, along with the technicalities and probabilities associated with it for several months now.”

However, Kroger added that some players are already taking profits at the current ETH price and that could be one of the reasons why the Ethereum price is currently dropping.

Is the Merge craze fizzling out?

While the larger Ethereum community has shown support for the Ethereum Merge, some, especially miners, have been working to fork the Ethereum blockchain to continue using the proof-of-work (PoW) version of Ethereum.

Vitalik Buterin has however opposed the idea of forking Ethereum to continue using the PoW consensus mechanism saying that Ethereum will not support the Ethereum PoW after the transition to the PoS model is completed.

Arthur Hayes, the BitMEX CEO, has however cautioned that there could be a short spree for ETH if the Merge does not succeed. He said:

“If the merge is not successful, there will be a negatively reflexive relationship between the price and the amount of currency deflation. Therefore, in this scenario, I believe traders will either go short or choose not to own ETH.”

But he Arthur also said that a successful Merge upgrade would lead to a spike in the ETH price. He said:

“If the merge is successful… traders will buy ETH today, knowing that the higher the price goes, the more the network will be used and the more deflationary it will become, driving the price higher, causing the network to be used more, and so on and so forth.”

The post Ethereum price falls for four successive days, has the Merge craze fizzled? appeared first on CoinJournal.

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Tezos prediction as token sets $2.26 as the next frontier

  • Tezos is likely to face competition after the Ethereum PoS merge.

  • Native XTZ token has flipped $1.68 resistance.

  • The token is bullish with $2.26 set as the next price level.

Tezos XTZ/USD is a proof-of-stake smart contract blockchain. It is among the networks referred to as the ‘Ethereum Killers’. The protocol is known for cheaper and faster transactions with the ability to evolve. Tezos’ native XTZ token is used in governance and utility.

Fundamentally, Tezos could face steeper competition with the upcoming Ethereum PoS shift. The Merge aims to enhance efficiency with less energy consumption in the second-largest blockchain. Lower DeFi, dApps, and NFT activity could affect the price of XTZ and the project’s total value locked.

Currently, Tezos’ total value locked stands at $32.12 million. The TVL is much lower compared to the largest DeFi protocol, MakerDAO. The latter has upwards of $8 billion TVL. Moreover, Tezos has suffered a decline in its supported NFT projects following a slowdown in the sector.  

Despite the gloomy prediction around XTZ, the token has posted impressive gains year-to-date. It has jumped 56% from the lowest level to a market capitalization of $1.7 billion. XTZ is currently exchanging for $1.96. It is up 6.92% in the past day and 8.86% in weekly gains. The technical chart below affirms the bullish trend in Tezos.

XTZ flips $1.68 resistance 

Source: TradingView

From the daily chart above, XTZ moved from a low of $1.26 in June. The trend of higher highs and higher lows pushed the token past the $1.68 resistance. The bullish momentum can be seen with the 20-day and 50-day moving averages. Both averages are currently holding as support.

Although the MACD shows a weakening surge, the momentum indicator remains bullish. If XTZ gets enough buyers, the next frontier could be on its way to $2.26.

Concluding thoughts

The fundamentals around Tezos are weak with the anticipated Ethereum merge and a cool-off in the NFTs. The token is eying $2.26, which is currently acting as the next resistance level. With most indicators aligning, investors should hold XTZ as long as it remains below the resistance level.

The post Tezos prediction as token sets $2.26 as the next frontier appeared first on CoinJournal.

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eToro to acquire trading startup Gatsby amid US expansion plans

  • eToro will acquire the US-based startup for $50 million in a cash and common stock deal.
  • The deal is part of eToro’s plans to expand into the US market, where Robinhood remains one of the main competitors.
  • Gatsby launched in 2018.

eToro, a leading online brokerage platform, is set to complete the acquisition of fintech startup Gatsby following approval by US regulator The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), TechCrunch reported on Wednesday.

According to the publication, the social investing giant will acquire the US-based platform for $50 million in a deal that will be settled in cash and common stock.

eToro’s brand continues to grow

The eToro-Gatsby deal was first mooted in December 2021, with eToro eyeing the FINRA approval as part of a larger goal of expanding into the US market.

The acquisition adds to eToro’s other major deals since 2019, with Gatsby now joining the growing brand that counts deals for investment tracker Delta, blockchain platform eToro Labs (formerly Firmo), and UK-based e-money firm Marq Millions Ltd.

Gatsby, founded in 2018, is key to eToro’s expansion efforts with its commission-free trading for options and stocks. 

The takeover is thus crucial in the battle to attract customers from a growing group of younger investors. Robinhood, one of the leading trading platforms in the zero-commission battle, is also one of eToro’s main competitors with a footprint in the US market.

The post eToro to acquire trading startup Gatsby amid US expansion plans appeared first on CoinJournal.

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What next for the FTX token as it fails another breakout?

  • FTX exchange has witnessed increasing trading volumes.

  • The exchange has remained stable while most crypto exchanges scaled down in the bear market.

  • FTT is correcting after failing a breakout for a second time.

FTX token FTT/USD is once again sliding after hitting the $32 level. This is the second time in less than a month that the token has hit the level. It suggests that buyers are still pushing to break above the resistance zone. Exhaustion is settling in again after a failed second breakout.

Exchange-linked tokens are driven by a surge in trading volumes. FTX has been a beneficiary of slowdowns in trading volumes in rivals Coinbase and OKX. For example, in May, trading volumes on FTX rose by 80.8% to hit $69.4 billion. Coinbase saw a rise of only 10%, while OKX trading volumes fell by 29.4%. The rise in trading volumes underlined trust in FTX’s stability as most peers scaled down.

FTX’s growing role in the crypto space has been highlighted in the price recovery of its token FTT. The token has been trading on a bullish trendline since bottoming at around $21 in June.

FTT rejected at resistance, forcing a bear weakness

Source – TradingView

The MACD line has crossed below the moving average after FTT failed to break the $32 barrier. The token is also breaking below the short-term 21-day MA. The slowdown indicates bull exhaustion as the price hit $32.

FTT will continue to slide in the next few days. However, the most likely reversal zone is around $28. The level is a support, and bulls could look to arrest the bear weakness before sliding below the 50-MA.

Summary

FTX token faces further declines. However, the token could reverse at $28 or the 50-day MA. The token needs to clear $32 before moving higher.

The post What next for the FTX token as it fails another breakout? appeared first on CoinJournal.