Bitcoin Market Dynamics: Mining Output Absorbed, Fueling Price Surge

An examination of the interplay between Bitcoin cohort accumulation and monthly issuance sheds light on the current market dynamics. Presently, the ongoing epoch witnesses a daily mining output of approximately 900 BTC, totaling nearly 27,000 BTC per month, depicted by the blue line in our analysis graph.

Cohorts within the Bitcoin ecosystem range from smallholders (with less than one Bitcoin) to large entities holding 10,000 or more BTC, including miners and exchanges. Notably, the analysis becomes intriguing when the orange bar chart, representing the aggregate accumulation of cohorts, surpasses the blue line denoting monthly issuance.

When the orange bar chart exceeds the monthly issuance line, it signifies that all cohorts combined are accumulating more Bitcoin than the total monthly issuance. Conversely, a scenario where the orange bar chart falls below the monthly issuance line indicates that cohorts are not accumulating the entire monthly issuance on an aggregate basis.

Breaking down the recent data as of March 25, the monthly issuance stands at 27,000 BTC, while the aggregate cohort accumulation has reached 43,114 BTC. This data indicates that over the past 30 days, all cohorts collectively absorbed the newly mined Bitcoin and acquired additional quantities from exchanges. This upward trend in buying activity aligns with the recent surge in Bitcoin prices, surpassing the $70,000 mark.

Conversely, a contrasting period was observed between March 3 and March 22, during which cohorts accumulated less Bitcoin than the monthly issuance. This trend contributed to the dip in Bitcoin prices from its all-time high of $60,000.

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Binance Executive Escapes Nigerian Custody Due to Tax Evasion Charges

Nadeem Anjarwalla, a Binance executive detained by Nigerian authorities, has reportedly escaped custody, confirmed by Binance to CryptoSlate. Meanwhile, Tigran Gambaryan, another detained Binance executive and US citizen, remains in custody.

A representative from Binance confirmed that Nadeem is no longer held in Nigerian custody. The company’s foremost concern remains the safety of its employees, and efforts are underway in cooperation with Nigerian authorities to swiftly address this matter.

The Nigerian authorities have levied tax evasion charges and complicity in tax fraud against Binance Holdings and the detained executives, with the case pending trial at the Federal High Court.

Anjarwalla, a dual citizen of Kenya and the UK, reportedly absconded on March 22 during Friday prayers at a mosque in Abuja. He purportedly used a Kenyan passport to board a flight operated by a Middle Eastern airline, raising questions about how he obtained this passport as he possessed no travel documents except his British passport when taken into custody.

Speculations suggest Anjarwalla might have planned his escape, potentially leveraging privileges granted during detention, such as access to telephones. While Nigerian authorities have not released an official statement, covert operations are speculated to be ongoing to ascertain his location and facilitate his return to custody.

This development further complicates tensions between Nigeria and Binance, with authorities accusing the exchange of exacerbating foreign exchange challenges and manipulating rates for personal gain. The exchange’s website has been blocked, and two senior executives were detained in an attempt to address concerns.

Despite a High Court directive for Binance to provide data related to Nigerian users to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the exchange has not yet complied. The detention of executives has drawn condemnation from international crypto organizations, particularly in the US and Kenya, criticizing the actions of the Nigerian government.

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Binance Ceases Support for USDC on Tron Blockchain

Binance has announced its decision to discontinue support for USDC (USD Coin) deposits and withdrawals on the Tron blockchain, effective April 5. This move comes more than a month after Circle, the issuer of USDC terminated its USDC minting services on Tron.

Starting from 2:00 a.m. UTC on April 5, deposits of TRC20 USDC tokens will no longer be credited to users’ accounts on Binance, as stated in an official blog post by the crypto exchange. However, it’s important to note that this change solely affects USDC issued on the Tron blockchain and deposits and withdrawals of the stablecoin on other networks like Ethereum will remain unaffected.

Despite the discontinuation of support for TRC20 USDC, trading of USDC on Binance will continue without any interruptions.

Circle, the issuer of USDC, cited risk management as the primary reason for terminating USDC minting services on Tron. The company emphasized its commitment to ensuring the trustworthiness, transparency, and safety of USDC, which led to the decision to discontinue support on certain blockchains.

Although Tron’s role as a platform for USDC is diminishing, it remains the primary blockchain for USDT (Tether), the dominant stablecoin, with the majority of USDT supply still residing on the Tron network.

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Kevin Hart’s Bored Ape NFT Sells for 83% Less Than His Purchase Price

Bored Ape Yacht Club #9258, previously owned by comedian Kevin Hart, was recently traded for approximately 13.26 ether ($46,200) on Blur, a non-fungible token exchange. This transaction marks a significant decrease from the price Hart originally paid for it over two years ago.

In January 2022, Hart acquired the Bored Ape, adorned with a colorful propeller hat, for 79.5 ether, equivalent to over $200,000 at the time, as per data from Blur.

Hart’s purchase was facilitated by crypto startup MoonPay, which reportedly aided several celebrities, including Justin Bieber, Madonna, and Jimmy Fallon, in obtaining BAYC NFTs. MoonPay’s assistance often came in exchange for promotional activities, although the company denied providing Bored Ape NFTs for free.

However, in December 2022, Hart, MoonPay, Bored Ape creator Yuga Labs, and numerous celebrities were embroiled in a class-action lawsuit filed by Scott + Scott, a California-based law firm. The lawsuit alleged a scheme of undisclosed celebrity endorsements, with auction house Sotheby’s added to the list of defendants last summer.

Since its launch in 2021, the Bored Ape Yacht Club has symbolized the non-fungible token market. Nonetheless, the collection has experienced a decline in floor price, reaching around 14 ether on March 23, down from a peak of over 150 ether in May 2022, according to CoinGecko data.

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Global Crypto Funds Experience Record Outflows of Nearly $1 Billion Last Week

According to CoinShares, crypto investment products faced unprecedented outflows last week, with a staggering $942 million exiting funds globally. This marks a significant shift from the seven-week streak of inflows totaling $12.3 billion.

Various asset managers, including BlackRock, Bitwise, Fidelity, Grayscale, ProShares, and 21Shares, witnessed record outflows totaling $942 million globally. This surpasses the previous record set at the end of January, almost doubling it.

The substantial outflows occurred amidst a 33% decrease in trading volume for crypto investment products, amounting to $28 billion for the week. Additionally, the price correction in underlying cryptocurrencies led to a $10 billion reduction in assets under management for these funds. Nonetheless, the combined AUM remains above previous cycle highs at $88 billion.

Despite over $1 billion in inflows into new spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the U.S., it was insufficient to offset nearly $2 billion in outflows from Grayscale’s converted GBTC fund. The recent price correction prompted hesitancy among investors, resulting in lower inflows into new ETF issuers in the U.S.

The dominance of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs drove the majority of net outflows last week, contributing $904 million, while short-bitcoin investment products saw minor outflows of $3.7 million.

Poor sentiment extended beyond U.S.-based funds and Bitcoin, affecting crypto investment products globally. Funds in Sweden, Hong Kong, Switzerland, and Germany experienced outflows, while Brazil and Canada-based funds saw inflows. Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano-based products also suffered outflows, while other altcoin-related funds fared better, registering net inflows.

Bitcoin is currently trading at $66,827, reflecting a 2% decrease over the past week. The broader crypto market also experienced a decline, with the GM30 index falling 10% before partially recovering.

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