Assessing the Damage
The question remains – wen[1] bottom?
Since the November highs, most of the downward pressure on crypto prices has been the product of macroeconomic headwinds. Inflation has yet to conclusively rollover, and the Fed appears intent on stifling demand to bring down the costs of consumer goods. Last week, we had the first instance this year of an idiosyncratic event specific to the crypto markets shaking investors and sending prices lower.
The collapse of UST, combined with the macro backdrop, has had a chilling effect on the overall sentiment among crypto native investors and has sent many towards the exits. For more information on the events that unfolded last week, we direct you to our previous note and a market update video we put together late last week.
Below we will address several data points that will help us determine how close we are to the bottom of this bear market.
Capitulation
The bright side of last week’s carnage is that we finally started to see signs of capitulation. While never enjoyable, capitulatory selling – such as that seen in November 2018, March 2020, and May 2021 – is often the market rinse needed before asset prices can move higher. Capitulation is often the product of long-term holders, “top-buyers”, and crypto “tourists”...Reports you may have missed
How the US Could Adopt BTC as a Strategic Reserve Asset, Look for ETH to Bottom Within Next Few Trading Days
POLITICAL PREDICTION MARKETS PROVIDE PARTIAL RATIONALE FOR PAUSE IN RALLY We see the recent pause in the July rally driven by two factors:General Degrossing Across All Asset Markets: The past couple of days have seen degrossing across all asset markets, including the crypto markets. This is less crypto-specific and more of a function of the market rotating out of strategies (like the long MAG 7) that worked in the first...
BTC AS A POSSIBLE STRATEGIC RESERVE Last week, we discussed the rising political tailwinds affecting crypto. Despite events earlier in the year that might have suggested a changed stance from the Democratic Party, the political divide over the issue has grown stronger. The GOP has become the party that is undoubtedly more favorable to the industry. The attempted assassination of former President Trump, juxtaposed against a Democratic Party seemingly in...
Gox Wallet Movements Still Present a Risk, But Macro & Politics Keeps Us Allocated Here (Core Strategy Rebalance)
DISCUSSING THE SUPPLY CONCERNS On balance, macro conditions have moved in our favor thus far in early Q3. We have received soft jobs numbers and softer ISM reports, and cooler inflation figures, which have sent rates and the DXY lower. Unfortunately, the mere reveal of imminent sales from the German BKA and the solidification of the Mt. Gox disbursement timeline were not enough to put a bottom in for bitcoin....
LESSONS FROM OPEC We have witnessed a significant market panic partially related to formerly locked BTC hitting the order books. The major sources of supply include:Mt. Gox – 141,686 BTCUS Government – 8,100 BTCGerman Government – 50,000 BTC At current prices, this would equate to over $12 billion in supply. This threat, combined with an inhospitable macro backdrop (rising DXY, higher rate expectations, hawkish Fed), has brought BTC down to...