Adjusting to a Post-FTX World
Adjusting to a Post-FTX World
A couple of weeks ago, we discussed several critical risk vectors remaining in the market and provided our take on each matter. Our near-term view was that it was more likely than not that most of the contagion from the implosion of FTX had been sifted through, but due to the unknown status of Digital Currency Group, investors might not be getting paid enough for any risk assumed in the immediate term. Fast forward to today, and we are still waiting for a resolution to the DCG saga. We offer a brief update on DCG below, but for the most part, we discuss the shape of the market nearly a month removed from the downfall of FTX.
Everyone Had the Same Idea
We were not the only ones who took a less active approach to the market over the past couple of weeks. Following the exit of one of the largest market makers in crypto and the freezing of billions in customer deposits in FTX, we have understandably witnessed markets become devoid of volume.
Below we can see that the 7-day moving average for $ETH volume across all exchanges is at its lowest in recent history. While some of this inactivity could be attributed to the holiday last week, the primary driver is likely a lack of participation due to uncertainty and the recent incineration of invest...Reports you may have missed
SOL OUTPERFORMANCE Last week, we highlighted the explosive activity on Solana as DEX volumes surpassed those on Ethereum, leading us to increase SOL's weighting in our Core Strategy. These elevated DEX volumes have persisted through this week, and SOL has dramatically outperformed, breaking out against ETH and gaining ground against BTC—all amid a sharp bond selloff and a rally in the DXY. Source: Artemis Source: TradingView A significant portion of...
SMALL CAP BREAKOUT A POSITIVE INDICATOR FOR BTC It is a common refrain among passive industry observers that BTC is strongly correlated with large-cap tech stocks, leading some to view BTC as a quasi-leveraged version of QQQ. However, we think this perspective is limiting. If you were to rely on QQQ as a barometer for crypto market conditions, you would experience several periods of underperformance over the course of a...
Storm-Driven Claims, Political Shifts, and Seasonality Point to Bullish Crypto Setup for Late October
MARKET INCREASES PROBABILITY OF 'NO LANDING' Over the past week, a series of stronger-than-expected economic data releases have significantly impacted market sentiment:ROBUST ISM SERVICES PMI: The ISM Services Purchasing Managers' Index came in at 54.9, significantly above the forecasted 51.7.STRONG NON-FARM PAYROLLS (NFP): The economy added 254,000 jobs, surpassing the expected 140,000.FOMC MINUTES INDICATE DIVERGENCE: The FOMC minutes revealed non-consensus at the September meeting regarding whether to cut rates by...
CME Basis Suggests We Are Near a Tradable Low, Plus Some Thoughts on Positioning Ahead of the Election
A ROUGH STRETCH AMID RISING UNCERTAINTY SKEWS RISKS TO THE UPSIDE The past five trading days have been challenging for the crypto market, marked by significant uncertainty stemming from various geopolitical and economic events. Among the notable sources of market distress are:GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS: Iran’s missile attack on Israel has led to heightened anticipation of an Israeli response, with oil prices spiking to $74.NATURAL DISASTERS: A devastating hurricane in the Southeast...