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Cryptocurrency: Cryptocurrencies have recently made positive progress with an upswing price, especially Bitcoin and Ethereum.
However, the good news also revives a common debate in such situations: is the market set for a rebound, or are the trends just going to lead to another heavy crash?
In November 2021, Bitcoin hit an all-time high selling price of $69,000.
Since then, the digital coin has been struck with higher interest rates and the collapse of high-profile firms, including FTX and Three Arrows Capital (3AC), among others.
Cryptocurrency movement
The leading cryptocurrency is down almost 67% from the November 2021 prices, but digital assets, including stocks, are off to a good start for 2023.
This month, Bitcoin rose by 38%, selling for $22,893.39 – its highest price since August 2022.
Ethereum’s cryptocurrency (ETH) also rose by 38%, selling for $1,635.68.
So far, cryptocurrency prices have risen in January in anticipation of the economic report that indicated inflation cooling in December.
The reading has also been positive, raising the possibility of the Federal Reserve increasing rates at a slower pace than last year in an attempt to slow down soaring prices.
Warnings
Although it has mainly been good news, many are giving warnings of caution.
Crypto commentators believe the recent surge is too good to be true, labeling the current rally a trap.
Commentators also anticipate the increase will abruptly come crashing down, burning naive traders who believed it was the start of a new uptrend.
Others are also skeptical of the crypto rally.
On Twitter, a popular Bitcoin page held a poll with 18,000 participants calling the rally a bull trap.
Meanwhile, a prominent crypto enthusiast and self-titled crypto analyst, il Capo Of Crypto, agreed with his sentiments.
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“I’ve been checking charts all this time, avoiding noise from Twitter,” he wrote.
“The way the upward movement is happening, the way htf resistances are being tested…it clearly looks manipulated, no real demand.”
“Once again, the biggest bull trap I’ve ever seen. But they won’t trap me.”
The self-proclaimed crypto analysts’ suspicions were shared across the space.
It also reached Reddit, with one user pushing against observations with a market bottom in a news article.
“Hard to believe that it was only a week or so ago that everyone and their analyst was solemnly and confidently proclaiming that [Bitcoin at] 12k was inevitable and unavoidable,” said the user.
Jim Cramer
CNBC’s Mad Money host Jim Cramer chimed in last Wednesday, calling the crypto bounce a manipulation.
“The manipulation higher of crypto shows you this is truly a sham market,” Cramer tweeted.
Cramer’s commentary was received with mixed accuracy.
It became the subject of mockery, with memes emerging and a series of parody accounts.
For example, one account goes by the name “Inverse Cramer ETF,” a false Exchange-Traded Fund that offers the opposite of Cramer’s advice.
Several accounts also took a swipe at the Mad Money host’s sentiments, taking his pessimism as a positive sign.
Dan Held, the head of growth marketing at crypto exchange Kraken, mockingly raised a toast, replying, “Bottom is in!”
A positive outlook
While others were wary, other influential accounts were bullish.
PlanB declared that a new bull market in digital assets had started as the Bitcoin pump occurred.
Meanwhile, other community members decided to take it as an opportunity to mock people who are cautious of digital assets dealing with more losses.
Wall Street
The surging cryptocurrency prices have also confused Wall Street.
Last Friday, JP Morgan analysts released a research report that couldn’t fully explain the rally confidently.
However, they acknowledged that market conditions had improved for riskier assets, citing the recent inflation report.
“We don’t have a great answer on the January-to-date rally of crypto, we do think it is emblematic of the underlying conviction many still have in cryptocurrencies,” they wrote.
“The crypto-bulls and whales seem to have been reinvigorated.”
