Fantom

$FTM

WHAT IS AN APPCHAIN? Appchains, short for application-specific blockchains, are built to run one specific application or use case. They differ from general-purpose L1/L2 infrastructure chains that run many decentralized applications (dApps) concurrently. While both dApps and appchains technically exist on a base layer blockchain, the key difference is that appchains also operate their own sovereign blockchains while dApps do not. In this piece we will cover factors driving the...

Crypto markets rallied last night and this morning as $BTC broke above $30,000 for the first time since June last year. At the time of writing, $BTC is up 1.57%, $ETH is up 0.09%, and SPX and NDQ are down 0.04% and 0.71%, respectively. Bitcoin continues to outperform relative to most of the crypto market - the Bitcoin Dominance ratio is up 0.45% today and has reached its highest level...

Crypto and traditional markets moved higher today at the time of writing - $BTC was up 0.72%, $ETH was up 4.58%, and SPX and NDQ are up 0.74% and 0.50%, respectively. After a strong Bitcoin dominance run the past month, altcoins are beginning to show signs of life versus bitcoin. The ETH/BTC ratio is up 3.80%, and altcoins such as $FTM, $LTC, and $SOL are outperforming BTC today - up...

Crypto rallied following today's CPI report that showed that inflation grew at a 6.4% annual rate, slightly higher than expected. $BTC and $ETH rose 1.53% and 2.93%, respectively, while SPX and NDQ were down 0.14% and up 0.23%. Interestingly, more traditional finance giants have acquired shares of Silvergate ($SI). Citadel Securities disclosed a 5.5% stake in the crypto-friendly bank, Susquehanna Advisors Group disclosed a 7.5% stake, and George Soros's fund...

Stocks are reacting positively to this morning’s U.S Q4 GDP release, which showed GDP grew 2.9% annualized, beating Dow Jones’ 2.8% estimate. The S&P was up 0.27%, while the Nasdaq gained 0.74%. Although the growth rate slowed compared to Q3, the beat above expectations gives bulls additional ammo in their outlook for a soft landing. Attention now turns to the remaining Q4 earnings releases and next week’s Fed meeting, where...

Crypto and traditional markets rallied today after a softer-than-expected CPI print of 7.1% (the forecasted CPI was 7.3%). $BTC and $ETH are up 2.77% and 3.06%, respectively, and SPX and NDQ are up 0.59% and 0.83%. The US dollar (DXY) is down 0.88%. $BNB, the native coin of Binance Smart Chain and the Binance exchange, fell sharply last night amid concerns over the exchange's proof of reserves (which we discuss...

Despite the US Dollar and US Treasury yields declining, US equity indices continue their slide this week, with the $SPX and $QQQ down 0.12% and 0.47%, respectively. Crypto markets are also negative today as $BTC (-1.56%) continues to trade in the upper 16,000s and $ETH (-3.27%) in the mid 1,200s. Alt layer-1 tokens are taking a larger hit today, with $ATOM, $FTM, and $SOL down -5.57%, -6.01%, and -4.69%, respectively....

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) November employment report points to a hotter-than-expected labor market, inciting fears of higher rates for longer in markets. Non-farm payroll employment increased by 263k (vs 200k consensus), while the unemployment rate remained at 3.7%. Traditional markets reacted negatively to the news, with $SPX (-0.5%) and $QQQ (-1.0%) opening lower before rebounding 4,055 and 291, respectively. Crypto markets were equally affected, with $BTC (-0.3%) and...

Stocks are mixed after a bullish opening early in the session. The Dow Jones dropped 0.8%, while the S&P and Nasdaq fell 0.1%. An initial bullish reaction was triggered by a below consensus PCE print of 0.2% month over month, below Dow Jones' 0.3% estimate, and in line with annual forecast. Investors are eying a significant jobs data release this Friday, which will be critical in the Federal Reserve's pace...