– The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has stated that nearly 200 accounts on the crypto exchange Binance were used by HAMAS militants. The CFTC emphasized that exchange staff were aware that their platform was facilitating potentially illegal activities yet turned a blind eye and even joked about it in internal chats. According to the regulator, as early as February 2019, Binance's former Compliance Director Samuel Lim had received information regarding the use of the exchange by representatives of the movement. However, as Lim explained to a colleague, HAMAS members typically transferred "small amounts" that would unlikely even suffice for purchasing an AK-47.
– Warren Buffett's partner and Vice Chairman of American holding company Berkshire Hathaway, Charlie Munger, stated that most investments in digital assets will ultimately become worthless. "Don't get me started on bitcoin. It's the dumbest investment I've ever seen," the 99-year-old investor expressed during the Zoomtopia online conference. Munger also shared his views on artificial intelligence, noting that AI has actually been around for quite some time, tracing its roots back to the 1950s. "We've always had artificial intelligence. It's when software generates even more software," he said. However, in his opinion, the technology is "generating hype, probably more than it deserves."
– U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Bitcoin Magazine in an interview that he intends to defend bitcoin if elected as the President of the United States. He also expressed scepticism towards Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). According to Kennedy, national digital currencies could become a tool for governments to control individuals' financial transactions. "The freedom to transact is as important as freedom of speech," the politician stated.
– Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT, described bitcoin as a "super logical step on the technology tree." The artificial intelligence creator appreciates the idea that humanity now has an international currency beyond the control of any single government. The OpenAI leader believes that corruption is a key impediment to societal progress, and that bitcoin is poised to overcome this obstacle. Altman also expressed disappointment with the U.S. government's stance on the cryptocurrency industry: "I'm disheartened by many of the actions taken by the U.S. government recently. The war on cryptocurrencies seems to be never-ending, and authorities want to take everything under their control." Like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Altman believes that if the United States launches a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), it will become a state tool for surveillance over citizens.
– Analyst Benjamin Cowen believes that the crypto market is entering "one of its most brutal" phases in its cycle. According to the expert, bitcoin's dominance in the market capitalization of the crypto sector is increasing amidst a decline in the price of altcoins and diminishing investor interest in this asset class. Using Fibonacci retracement levels, Cowen predicts that BTC dominance will likely peak at 60%, as it did in the previous cycle. The analyst emphasized that this metric is unlikely to rise to 65% or 70%, primarily due to the stablecoin market. (As of October 10, according to CoinMarketCap, bitcoin's share in the overall market capitalization of the crypto market was 49.92%.)
– Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes has stated that the price of the leading cryptocurrency could reach $70,000 next year, and between $750,000 to $1 million by 2026. He justified his prediction based on factors such as the asset's limited supply, the potential approval of spot bitcoin ETFs, and geopolitical uncertainty. "I think this will be the biggest boom in financial markets in the history of mankind. Bitcoin will skyrocket to absurd levels, the Nasdaq will soar to absurd levels, and the S&P 500 will rise to absurd levels," Hayes declared.
– Analyst Nicholas Merten holds a diametrically opposite view. He believes that bitcoin could significantly crash due to actions taken by the Federal Reserve, potentially leading to a prolonged economic downturn in the U.S. If commodities such as oil, natural gas, and uranium begin to stabilize or decline in price, Merten sees this as a sign of an impending short-term recession. In that scenario, he suggests that stocks could fall by approximately 33%, similar to the correction that occurred in October 2022. In turn, bitcoin would react to this situation by dropping to the $15,000-$17,000 range. Merten is convinced that a sustained bullish trend in the market is unlikely until the Federal Reserve begins to increase liquidity in the economy. "Bitcoin thrives when there's an increase in the money supply in the market and when investors are in a risk-on mood. However, at the moment, neither of these conditions is met," Nicholas Merten explained.
– A bitcoin mining farm called Lava Pool has been launched in El Salvador, utilizing renewable geothermal energy. The project is being developed by Volcano Energy and Luxor Technology, with 23% of the net income being allocated to the country's government. According to Volcano Energy's management, this move validates El Salvador's efforts to integrate bitcoin into its national energy infrastructure, providing rapid income and flexible load management options for the power grid. The described initiative is part of a more ambitious project by Volcano Energy aimed at establishing a global bitcoin mining station powered by renewable solar and wind energy. Within the framework of this project, plans are underway to construct a renewable energy generation park with a capacity of 241 MW.
– Comparing the current dynamics of bitcoin to what transpired before and after the halvings in 2015 and 2019 indicates that the market is moving in the same direction as it did then. After its summer peak, the current coin price is undergoing a downward correction, but this is not surprising: typically, 200 days before a halving, the leading cryptocurrency could lose up to 60-65% of its value before resuming its growth trajectory. Many experts are predicting significant price increases for bitcoin in 2024. For instance, analysts at JP Morgan suggest a price of $45,000, while those at Standard Chartered forecast $100,000. Writer and investor Robert Kiyosaki and cryptographer Adam Back also target the $100,000 mark. Fundstrat Research founder Tom Lee envisions BTC at $180,000. Venture capitalist Tim Draper expects $250,000, and billionaire Mike Novogratz, along with ARK Invest CEO Cathy Wood, project the coin to grow to $500,000 and $1 million next year, respectively. The current optimism among investors can also be attributed to the present price dynamics of the digital gold: despite receding from its summer peak, investments in BTC have yielded a return of more than 60% since the beginning of the year.
Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.
