Category Archives: Bitcoin

This is an opinion editorial by Boomer, a long-time and active member of the financial independence/retire early (FIRE) movement and a contributor at Bitcoin Magazine.

It has been exactly one year since I started my Bitcoin journey, and after being inspired by meeting several amazing Canadian Bitcoiners over the past few weeks, I want to share my story. In some ways, my orange-pilling has been the greatest thing to ever happen to me, but it has also been extremely trying. I guess you can compare it to The Heros Journey.

Ive been a working-level economist in the Canadian government for about eight years. Im fortunate to have a career as a public servant where Im able to help people. I feel honored to serve Canadians and make a positive difference for my country. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, I did my part to help out. I followed mandates and restrictions, and I genuinely felt like I was doing the right thing.

The isolation and loneliness were very tough. As an extrovert whos used to a lively and collaborative environment where routine and the sharing of ideas and thoughts were important, working from home was absolute torture. For years, I had been quite active in the FIRE (financial independence/retire early) community and started a financial literacy coaching company. Like most people in the FIRE movement, I dismissed Bitcoin as an interesting but likely passing fad. I could see that long-lasting pandemic lockdowns would likely cause supply shortages, and the combination of central bank money printing and government stimulus would be inflationary in the longer term. I started to consider certain inflation hedges for my own investment portfolio and thought that maybe my coaching service could differentiate itself in that way. I started my orange-pill journey with the intention of learning how exactly bitcoin would fit into an inflation-hedging strategy, but I knew it had a place.

Ive been an avid podcast listener for well over a decade, and I will often pick a topic and listen to as many podcasts as I can about it until Im ready to jump to a new topic. I went into learning about crypto in the same way. While I could see and understand the general economic aspects of bitcoin and how it could be digital gold, Ive always lacked the computer science and technology skills to feel confident about jumping into the world of cryptocurrencies. I guess I just felt too intimidated to really dive in. I couldnt make the distinction between crypto and bitcoin, but when I decided to commit to learning, I went in with an open mind. I wish I could say that I recognized these altcoins as shitcoins right away, but I didnt. Despite not truly understanding what they were, I created a modest portfolio of the top-10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization in an attempt to mimic what a cryptocurrency index fund would look like.

In the meantime, I was listening to podcasts from Robert Breedlove, Peter McCormack and Pomp, who were all telling me that bitcoin was the only true cryptocurrency. I remember listening to Breedloves series with Michael Saylor in mid to late June 2021 and feeling things start to fall into place. This is when I really started down the rabbit hole. I ordered a copy of The Bitcoin Standard, and I spent the summer consuming as much Bitcoin content as I possibly could. I created a Twitter account devoted strictly to Bitcoin in September, and Ive been trying to contribute as much as Im able to the Bitcoin community ever since.

If summer 2021 was my introduction to Bitcoin, fall was a honeymoon period. I had so much excitement and I wanted to share it with as many people as I possibly could. Since COVID-19 restrictions eased a bit, I set up a FIRE meetup in early October to talk about how bitcoin fits into a FIRE lifestyle. Over the years, Ive organized about 10 of these kinds of meetups where people share ideas on how to save money, maximize credit card rewards and live with purpose. A normal turnout for one of these events was around eight people; my Bitcoin event brought out a dozen. I didnt realize it at the time, and looking back on it, I know that I wasnt anywhere near qualified for it. It was around this time that a local Bitcoiner met with me for a coffee. The first time that I talked about Bitcoin with a Bitcoiner in person.

By the end of 2021, I had completely sold out of my altcoins and was completely in bitcoin. The song of the shitcoin siren is tempting, and most of us fall for it at some point in our journey. Thankfully, I didnt learn this lesson the hard way. I was able to sell out of my positions at a slight loss, and I consider that loss the price of my Bitcoin education. It was around this time that I also learned the importance of self-custody.

As anyone whos dived deeply into the rabbit hole knows, there are some parts of the journey that make you question previously held beliefs and can change your views on certain aspects of the world around you. I realize that this is tough for everyone, but try doing it alone during another COVID lockdown while you live in Ottawa in the winter.

By the time the Freedom Convoy was being reported on the news, I was already questioning a lot of the things I was seeing. When the convoy began to make its way to Ottawa, I decided to follow it. I literally drove alongside the convoy across several Canadian provinces and saw people waving Canadian flags as they gathered on overpasses. It was an absolutely surreal experience that Ill never forget.

It lifted my spirits to see community again after two years of lockdowns. It was also heartwarming to see Quebecers and Albertans chatting in broken English at the protests. I grew up in the 1990s, at a time when there was a genuine rift in Canada between French-speaking Quebec and the rest of Canada. This divide was extra impactful on me, since my mother is francophone and my father is anglophone. Something special happened in Ottawa this winter, and it saddens me that many maybe even most Canadians still havent realized it yet.

I was aware of what the Bitcoin community was doing to support the Freedom Convoy. I followed the Twitter threads and listened to the podcasts. I knew that Canadian Bitcoiners were stepping up to do what they felt was right in order to support the movement. I wanted to help so badly, but I was afraid. I was afraid that if I contributed in any way, I would be putting my career at risk. I also knew that I was just some pleb with 250 Twitter followers that nobody knew. How could I possibly help, even if I wasnt a coward? At its core, Bitcoin is about proof of work, and I hadnt done the work at the time.

I was invited to a Bitcoin meetup organized on Twitter that happened while the convoy was in town. Several Bitcoiners that I had been following for a while had come to the capital to experience what was happening in person. I can only speak for myself, but friendships built through orange-pilling feel special. This was the kind of community I was searching for.

In the months since the trucks left Ottawa, Ive made it a focus to learn as much as I can and to let my curiosity take me wherever it goes. There have been times when I felt burned out and pessimistic from the journey. The first year of a Bitcoiners path isnt always easy, but it got better for me as I met others who had gone through it. Im continually amazed at how much of my preconceived notions have been questioned, and much about how I viewed money and economics has been relearned. Its humbling and stimulating at the same time. Its such a unique experience, but Im grateful for those who have come before me. I know that Im still early in the journey, and there will be more trying times ahead, but I know that I wont be dealing with them in solitude.

Every time I meet a fellow Bitcoiner, I leave the conversation feeling energized. Its amazing how people with all sorts of backgrounds and interests can find common ground in Satoshi Nakamotos creation. Im so incredibly bullish on bitcoin, and I feel this way because of Bitcoiners.

Im still trying to figure out how I can best contribute to this community, but I know this is where I belong. Maybe just being in the community is enough, but for the past few months, Ive felt a strong desire to create something. I still dont know what that is, but I know that Ill find it if I keep surrounding myself with the great people that Ive met on my journey. I came for the inflation hedge, lived through a moment in Canadian history, and now, Im sticking around through a bear market to build a better world.

This is a guest post by Boomer. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.

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From FIRE To Bitcoin: One Canadians Journey To Bitcoin - Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin has fallen below $20,000 twice in recent weeks and remains under pressure. On-chain, crypto analytics tracker Santiment posed a question to its followers, asking when they think Bitcoins price will hit $30,000.

Over 42.4% of the poll participants responded in the affirmative, revealing it would be over 0-6 months from now. Furthermore, 25.1% of the polls were optimistic that it could break above $30,000 in the next 6-12 months from July 6 while 22% of the votes represented one year from now. Interestingly, 10% of the polls expressed an even longer wait, with Bitcoin never hitting $30,000 again.

The current crash has caused many to worry about the future of Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency market in general. However, some experts believe the crypto market will bounce back from the current crash in the next few months. Others think that investor wariness is going to persist in the near-short term.

The current market conditions are a major factor influencing when Bitcoin will return to $30,000. Investor confidence has been shaken in recent weeks by a series of crashes in global stock markets. Bitcoin is struggling to hold onto the $20,000 level. If Bitcoin breaks below the recent low of around $17,500, there isnt much support until the $14,500 level.

The $30,000 level is key for Bitcoin to see a continuation of the uptrend. The cryptocurrency would need to close above this level in the next few days or weeks for the bulls to gain traction.

Bitcoin has only been above $45,000 for a few short stretches over the past six months and hasnt been above $50,000 since December 25, 2021. Amid the ups and downs, Bitcoins current price is a long way from the latest ATH it hit in November when it went over $68,000. But even with the recent decline in price, Bitcoin is still more than twice as valuable as it was just a couple of years ago.

Despite the volatility and recent slumping price, many experts still say Bitcoin is on its way to passing the $30,000 mark.

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How Long Will It Take for Bitcoin's Price to Exceed $30K Once Again? - CoinQuora - Live Crypto News

The leadership of the crypto-friendly charter city of Prspera in Honduras has hit back at reports it is facing a backlash from residents of the neighboring community of Crawfish Rock over its expansion plans.

A Tuesday article from The Guardian reported the special economic zone, touted as an island paradise with low taxes/fiscal responsibility, luxury homes and crypto-friendly regulation,has seen pushback from some residents of the Crawfish Rock community.

Some residents are reportedly concerned about being displaced from their homes due to Prsperas potential expansion plans, with the article describing the projects headquarters as sitting amid a landscape scarred by a bulldozer and deep holes dug for the foundation of the next phase of construction.

Its another salvo against the Bitcoin-loving city, which has been battling with the Honduran government after it repealed a Zones for Employment and Economic Development (ZEDEs) legislation in April a key piece of legislation that would allow it to operate as a self-governed fully autonomous zone.

A lengthy Twitter thread from Prspera and articleby general counsel Nick Dranias on Wednesday, however, claimed that articles such as the one from The Guardian are just another example of a barrage of lies and misinformation from the mainstream media:

Drani outlines three key myths allegedly being disseminated by mainstream media including:

Myth #1: The Prspera team did not adequately socialize the project prior to launch.

Myth #2: Prspera is an ideological/crypto/libertarian project.

Myth #3: In Honduras, the Prspera ZEDE expropriated land from locals.

A Prspera representative told Cointelegraph that, in general, the community response has been positive bar a select few:

Prspera Global also claims on Twitter that the supposed bulldozer scraped lands that are construction sites for environmentally friendly low-cost housing available to any islanders, with the building jobs serving as a source of employment for the local community.

Prspera has been locked in a legal standoff with the government since President Castro repealed the ZEDE law in April, which would give the project 12 months to register under a different framework such as a Free Zone, which would offer tax cuts but not allow self-governance.

At the start of June, Prspera submitted a request for government consultations under the Investment Chapter of the Dominican Republic-Central AmericaUnited States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), in a bid to maintain its ZEDE status under the legal terms of the initial agreement.

Related: Bitcoin exchange outflows surge as 'not your keys, not your crypto' comes back into fashion

Honduras Prspera Inc. has remained staunch that its registration as a ZEDE has a valid legal stability for at least another 50 years due to the legal framework of the agreement it signed with the government back in 2017. In a June 4 blog post, the firm noted that:

The company stated it hopes to avoid an international investor-state arbitration and hopes that the government will act in good faith to the initial ZEDE agreement. The firm plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars more in the coming years. In April, Honduras Prspera Inc. raised $60 million to invest in the project despite the ZEDE repeal.

The representative added that the government is yet to formally respond to our request for official consultation.

Prspera is a privately-managed settlement in Honduras managed byHonduras Prspera Inc. The initial size of the Prspera Village is 58 acres and contains areas for its headquarters, housing and areas for businesses to set up shop. Its size can grow over time if local landowners agree to integrate their properties into the ZEDE territory.

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Bitcoin-friendly Prspera hits back at controversy in The Guardian - Cointelegraph

Ronald-Peter Stoeferle, the managing partner of investment management firm Incrementum AG, has suggested that Bitcoins growth in recent years has overshadowed gold as the two assets tussle for the presumptive store of value status.

Stoeferle noted that Bitcoins increased coverage would play a part in the assets becoming a risk-off investment, especially with the input of institutional investors, he said during an interview with Finews Asia published on July 7.

According to Stoeferle, the increased attention towards Bitcoin has triggered some investors to discover gold eventually in search of a store of wealth asset.

Bitcoin has somewhat stolen the show from gold in recent years in terms of media coverage. Looking at the money flows, I dont see any central factor for the gold price development here <> Bitcoin buyers tend to be younger, technology-savvy and are often concerned about our monetary system. Many crypto investors who have understood Bitcoin eventually go on to discover gold, said Stoeferle.

The managing partner added that Bitcoin would fully establish itself once 99% of current cryptocurrencies are wiped out of the market. Stoeferle stressed that Bitcoin is a clear distinction from the rest of the market, growing as monetary technology and as a financial upgrade with similarities to gold.

Bitcoin is also getting stronger with each holding. The concept of combining two alternative monetary asset classes in one fund is appreciated by our investors, he added.

For the long term, the investment manager stated that Bitcoin has a better chance of surpassing gold if the flagship crypto continues to establish itself in the next few years.

His projection of Bitcoin price correlates with a previous assertion that the crypto will undergo a significant price evolution in the coming years.

Despite the ongoing bear market, Stoeferle noted that the next phase of Bitcoins price growth is yet to begin, and the next value will be driven by the assets growing status as a hedge against inflation.

Notably, amid a high inflationary environment, Bitcoins price has struggled, currently attempting to sustain its value above the crucial $20,000.

Disclaimer: The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing, your capital is at risk.

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Bitcoin has 'stolen the show' from gold, says RP Stoeferle - Finbold - Finance in Bold

Argo Blockchain PLC has become the latest Bitcoin mining company to have sold more Bitcoin than it mined in a month.

According to a recent update, Argo sold 637 Bitcoin (BTC) in June at an average price of $24,500, bringing its total revenue from Bitcoin trades last month to $15.6 million.

In June, Argo mined 179 BTC, an increase of 55 BTC from May. Junes haul only accounts for about 28% of all the Bitcoin the company sold last month, however.

Argo said that the proceeds from last months Bitcoin sell-off are being used to fund operating expenses and growth capital, as well as to reduce obligations under a BTC-backed loan agreement with Galaxy Digital."

As of June 30, Argo holds 1,935 Bitcoins, 210 of which are Bitcoin equivalents.

It has an outstanding balance of $22 million on the Bitcoin-backed Galaxy Digital loan.

Data by Arcane Research revealed that publicly-traded Bitcoin miners, like Marathon Digital and Riot Blockchain, sold more Bitcoin than they mined in Maya huge change from the first four months of the year, when miners sold just 30% of their earnings.

Jaran Mellerud, an Arcane Research Bitcoin mining analyst, wrote: If they are forced to liquidate a considerable share of these holdings, it could contribute to pushing the Bitcoin price further down.

On Tuesday, an update for investors in Core Scientific said that the NASDAQ-listed firm also sold 7,202 Bitcoin ($165 million) last month at an average price of $23,000, leaving it with just 1,959 Bitcoin.

The massive sell-off was to cover increased overheads at a time of historic inflation, said chief executive Mike Levitt.

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Argo Blockchain the Latest Crypto Mining Firm to Dump Bitcoin - Decrypt

Bitcoin miners have historically sold BTC as they produced it to cover operating costs. But over the past couple of years a HODL strategy has permeated the industry as participants have opted to pay off expenses with debt instead.

Miners racked up much bitcoin- and equipment-backed financing to raise a combined $4 billion in capital for daily expenditures as bids to keep increasing bitcoin treasuries rose in the industry.

While that strategy worked fine during the 2020-2021 bull market, when the bitcoin price was increasing and capital was easier to raise, over-leveraged miners have come under extreme pressure this quarter as the cryptocurrency lost over 70% of its U.S. dollar value.

Consequently, with current macroeconomic conditions impairing companies abilities to raise capital and a bleeding bitcoin price, many public miners saw themselves with no other option than to give up on their HODL mentality.

In May, most public miners started selling considerable amounts of bitcoin to pay off debt or recurring costs, and the trend has apparently not died off. While some have sold only periodically their mined BTC since then, others have opted to part ways with some of the coins they had put in the balance sheet in previous months.

In June, Riot Blockchain sold 300 BTC, while CleanSpark sold 328. Core Scientific, however, went a bit further and dumped 78.6% of its bitcoin holdings for $167 million, which it said were primarily used for payments for ASIC servers, capital investments in additional data center capacity and scheduled repayment of debt. The firm added that it will continue to sell self-mined bitcoins to pay operating expenses, fund growth, retire debt and maintain liquidity. Bitfarms also sold a considerable chunk of its holdings over 3,000 BTC last month. Meanwhile, Marathon Digital Holdings and HUT 8 remain depositing monthly bitcoin production into custody.

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Marathon has been able to keep holding its bitcoin so far partly because of its operations structure. Contrary to some other big miners, the firm doesnt seek to vertically integrate; rather, it outsources most of its operations while retaining ownership of its miners, which incurs costs only when the machines are online and hashing.

I dont have to worry about land leases, buying transformers, buying containers, building buildings, paying deposits to the energy providers, et cetera. What we do is we contract with a hosting provider with a fixed price, Marathon CEO Fred Thiel told Bitcoin Magazine.

So our model means that in times like this, we can literally just sit on our miners and, if we have to, operate at a very low cost, he continued. Because were not having to prefund these big CapEx [capital expense] investments. So it gives us an advantage in this current market situation.

While this lean structure has allowed Marathon, which is the largest bitcoin holder among public bitcoin miners, to forgo selling bitcoin thus far, the company could soon start selling some of its produced BTC, Thiel suggested.

The executive explained that while the company currently is one of the very few miners who havent sold bitcoin amid a broader market slump, future market conditions might lead to a change in the companys strategy.

If bitcoin remains at these levels, it could be prudent for us to at least sell bitcoin as were mining it, enough to cover the current expenses, Thiel said. Were currently not looking at necessarily selling our stockpile of bitcoin, but again, if it makes sense for us to do that from a capital perspective, then we would.

Thiel highlighted that different price action by bitcoin will incur different actions from Marathon as the company seeks to navigate the current market; the executive hinted at three possible scenarios.

If the situation remains status quo with the bitcoin price bouncing between $18,000 and $22,000, theres one strategy. If bitcoin drops below that, theres another strategy. And if bitcoin goes above that, theres a third strategy, Thield said, declining to provide more details.

I prefer just not to go deeper than say that there may come conditions where we would sell the bitcoin as we mine it to cover operating expenses, and there may come a point where we would sell some of our stockpiling to cover CapEx if we needed to.

While a sustained period of time in current levels could require Marathon to sell its monthly production, as Thiel explained, the firm would only be pressured to sell its accumulated BTC and risk losing its status as the largest public miner bitcoin holder if price began ticking lower. On the other hand, a rally would allow Marathons HODL strategy to remain intact.

Its just my personal belief that bitcoin is gonna grind along at these levels until something changes in the macro environment and people are willing to invest in risk-on assets again, Thiel theoreticized.

And that may come in the latter part of this year or next year, who knows at this point? Its really going to be very dependent on the Federal Reserve and the degree to which we enter into recession and the economy, right?

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Will Marathon Digital Join Other Miners In Selling Bitcoin? CEO Weighs In - Bitcoin Magazine

As July begins and markets remain bearish, theres still no shortage of dynamic developments in the crypto space. In this weeks Bitcoin.com News Week in Review, sleeping bitcoins from 2010 make moves, Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki says he is waiting for bitcoin to test $1,100, Russia denies debt default allegations, and Mark Zuckerberg discusses the opportunities of the metaverse.

A large number of so-called sleeping bitcoins have awoken from slumber as four block rewards were spent at block height 742,183. The old coins spent last week were block rewards mined on September 15, 16, 26, and October 29, 2010. During that time frame, bitcoin miners received 50 BTC for every block found in contrast to the 6.25 BTC per block reward miners get today.

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The famous author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, says hes waiting for the price of bitcoin to test $1,100. He added that he will buy more if the cryptocurrency recovers from that price level.

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According to reports, the Russian Federation has defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time since 1918. Bondholders told the press that they had not received payments from the transcontinental country. However, Russias finance ministry denies the allegations and says the country made the payments via the Euroclear monetary system.

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Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, formerly Facebook, has shared how the metaverse will be a key part of his business and bring hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue. Our playbook over time has been build services, try to serve as many people as possible, said Zuckerberg.

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What are your thoughts on this weeks developments in finance and crypto? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

Bitcoin.com is your premier source for everything Bitcoin-related. We can help you buy bitcoins and choose a bitcoin wallet. You can also read the latest news, or engage with the community on our Bitcoin Forum. Please keep in mind that this is a commercial website that lists wallets, exchanges and other Bitcoin-related companies.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.

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Sleeping Bitcoins Wake Up, Kiyosaki Waits for $1100 BTC, and Zuckerberg Eyes Metaverse Money Bitcoin.com News Week in Review The Weekly Bitcoin News...

The price of bitcoin slumped as low as $19,700 on Monday. Photo: Getty

The crypto market is braced for further turmoil after more than $900bn (734bn) was wiped off the bitcoin (BTC-USD) market since last years peak.

The price of bitcoin slumped as low as $19,700 on Monday after volatile trading over the weekend, saw it dip below $20,000 for the first time since November 2020.

Read more: Bitcoin's next support level? Why 'perhaps its $15,000.'

Bitcoin tumbled under $18,000, striking a low of $17,600 over the weekend.

The sell-off represents a 71% decline in the value of the most actively traded token from its peak of $69,000 in November last year. Bitcoin was up 4.8% to $20,589 at the time of writing.

Ethereum (ETH-USD), the second most popular cryptocurrency, has fallen by 78% during the same period. Ether was up 8.9% to $1,145.85 on Monday.

The global crypto market cap fell to $901bn, a 7% decline in the last 24 hours, according to data from Coinmarketcap.

The market turmoil also caused Magic Internet Money (MIM-USD), the so-called stablecoin, to de-couple from the US dollar over the weekend, as the value of the coin dropped as low as $0.9098 on Saturday. It was up 0.2% to $0.99 on Monday.

Terra (LUNA1-USD), a rival stablecoin, broke its peg to the greenback and collapsed last month after substantial withdrawals by investors.

Read more: Crypto live prices

It comes as soaring inflation and tightening monetary policy reduced trader appetite for riskier assets like bitcoin.

Investors had been willing to take more risk on speculative investments before global central banks raised interest rates from record lows to decades highs.

The deepening crypto market rout has stoked fears that further selling could materialise among investors that have borrowed to boost their holdings.

"Exchanges all over the place are halting withdrawals amid liquidity problems as investors (bagholders) rush for the exits," said Neil Wilson, chief markets analyst at Markets.com.

"Rising interest rates, an acute risk-off mood across markets, a thinning of liquidity is all to blame: in short the end of free money from the Fed means the artificial pump that created these assets is no longer working."

Story continues

Read more: Bitcoin slump deepens in crypto meltdown

Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Bitcoin is still being whipped by winds of worry as the investors flee the crypto world in their race away from risky assets. Its dipped back below the key milestone of $20,000, a price it last hit back in 2020 when the cryptocurrency was on its way up to dizzying heights.

"This time its hurtling down in value and although weve seen coins and tokens hit by extreme volatility in the past, the indications are that this decline may not be reversed any time soon and that a crypto winter could be settling in."

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Crypto volatility continues to batter bitcoin

The stock market has officially entered bear market territory, and cryptocurrency prices are also continuing to sink.

The good news, though, is that expensive investments are now much more affordable. The price of Solana (SOL 1.92%), for example, is down roughly 86% from its peak. If you've been on the fence about investing in crypto, prices are lower than they've been in a long time.

Solana may have been knocked down in recent months, but there are plenty of reasons why it's a strong investment -- and could even be the next Bitcoin (BTC -1.04%).

Solana was one of the breakout stars of the crypto world in 2021, and it's also one of the fastest-growing cryptocurrencies. Although its biggest competitor is Ethereum (ETH -1.27%), Solana's most recent developments are helping it compete with Bitcoin, too.

Until recently, Solana was primarily known for its ability to host decentralized applications. Like Ethereum, it's a programmable blockchain that is home to everything from non-fungible token (NFT) marketplaces to decentralized finance (DeFi) projects and more.

Its lightning-fast speed and low transaction fees have helped it grow quickly. Many developers and users, frustrated with Ethereum's sluggish transaction times and high fees, have flocked to Solana over the past year.

Recently, Solana announced the release of Solana Pay, a decentralized payment system that allows merchants to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment.

Solana Pay could give Bitcoin a run for its money, as both are helping to usher in crypto as a form of payment. Solana Pay, however, does have some distinct advantages over Bitcoin.

For one, Solana Pay has very little impact on the environment, according to Solana developers. This is an area where Bitcoin has been heavily scrutinized, as the crypto giant uses more energy than some entire countries. Critics of Bitcoin have also pointed out that because it's so energy-intensive, it could be difficult for it to scale.

Also, Solana Pay transactions happen instantly and cost just a fraction of a penny. Bitcoin transactions, on the other hand, can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour to finalize, and fees are generally around $1 to $2 per transaction (though they can be much higher).

Solana has plenty of strengths, but it's not the right option for everyone. Like all cryptocurrencies, it's still speculative at the moment, meaning nobody knows whether it will succeed over time or not.

Also, although Solana has certain advantages over both Ethereum and Bitcoin, it's still an underdog. Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency in the world, with a market cap of roughly $394 billion. Ethereum is the most widely used blockchain for decentralized applications, and its market cap is around $132 billion. Solana, by comparison, has a market cap of just $10 billion.

Solana has also struggled with its network's reliability, having experienced several major outages in 2022 alone -- which has likely contributed to its sinking price. While developers are working to strengthen the network and fix these issues, many investors are understandably hesitant about its future.

In order to truly compete with Bitcoin and Ethereum, Solana will need to work through these growing pains and continue gaining new users. It's uncertain whether that will happen, though, which does make Solana a higher-risk investment.

If you're willing to take on more risk for the chance of earning potentially lucrative returns, Solana may be the right fit for you. Just be sure you're only investing money you can comfortably afford to lose, and double-check that the rest of your portfolio is properly diversified to limit your risk.

Solana isn't a good fit for everyone, but it has its advantages. Whether it will ever overtake Bitcoin is unclear, but it's already proven to be a strong player in the crypto world. By weighing the pros and cons and considering your tolerance for risk, it will be easier to decide whether it's the right investment for you.

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Is Solana the Next Bitcoin? | The Motley Fool

The worlds largest cryptocurrency Bitcoin witnessed another major weekend of a bloodbath as the BTC price took a dive under $18,000 for the first time. There have been major liquidations taking place with long-term Bitcoin holders dropping the towel and giving up.

As per on-chain data Glassnode, there have been Bitcoin liquidations to the tune of $2.42 Billion every day, for the last three consecutive days. The data provider noted:

The last three consecutive days have been the largest USD denominated Realized Loss in Bitcoin history. Over $7.325B in $BTC losses have been locked in by investors spending coins that were accumulated at higher prices.

Furthermore, in the last three days, more than 555K Bitcoins have changed hands in the price range between $18,000-$23,000. Interestingly, long-term holders holding BTC for 1yr+, who accumulated coins in H1 2021 or earlier, started panicking, flooding the exchanges with 20K to 36K Bitcoins every single day.

As per data from Glassnode, long-term holders sold more than 178K Bitcoins after the price dropped under $23,000. This represents 1.31% of their total holdings. Further, it also takes the aggregate LTH balance to September 2021 levels.

Glassnode also mentions signs of major capitulation taking place. It writes:

Investigating the profit and loss by Long-Term Holders sending coins to exchanges, we can see a deep capitulation took place. A few #BitcoinLTHs even bought the $69k top, and sold the $18k bottom, locking in -75% losses. Total LTH losses 0.0125% of Market Cap per day.

Besides, Glassnode also added that Bitcoin miners have also been under stress with their balances stagnating from the 2019-2021 accumulation period. Last week, BTC miners spent 9K from their treasuries and are still holding more than 50,000 Bitcoins. The Bitcoin hashrate has also dropped 10% from its all-time high.

Apart from long-term holders, the short-term holders have also seen major losses. Glassnode explains: If we assess the damage, we can see that almost all wallet cohorts, from Shrimp to Whales, now hold massive unrealized losses, worse than March 2020.

The data provider explains that as the BTC price tanked under $18,000, only 49% of the total Bitcoins were in profit.

Bhushan is a FinTech enthusiast and holds a good flair in understanding financial markets. His interest in economics and finance draw his attention towards the new emerging Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency markets. He is continuously in a learning process and keeps himself motivated by sharing his acquired knowledge. In free time he reads thriller fictions novels and sometimes explore his culinary skills.

The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.

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Bitcoin (BTC) Long-Term Holders Are Finally Giving Up: Report