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Bitwise Chief Reveals 3 Big Players Set to Send Bitcoin Soaring

Albert Brown
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Bitwise Chief Reveals 3 Big Players Set to Send Bitcoin Soaring

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan has shared three factors he believes could help Bitcoin price soar this year and beyond. 

This came in a recent interview on the Unchained podcast, “Bitcoin to $200K+ This Year,” in which he highlighted major entities expected to accumulate BTC.

3 Big Bitcoin Buyers Over the Next Year

According to Hougan, governments will purchase hundreds of thousands of BTC tokens in the coming year. He suggests that this large-scale buying will become a significant driver of Bitcoin’s price growth. 

Additionally, corporations are also expected to increase their Bitcoin purchases. In 2024, corporations acquired approximately 350,000 Bitcoin, and Hougan believes this figure will rise in 2025. Hundreds of companies will likely follow the trend, contributing to an ongoing institutional push toward Bitcoin adoption.

Notably, Hougan points to institutional investors recognizing Bitcoin as a crucial component of global capital markets. He asserts that failing to hold Bitcoin could position investors as being “short” against the benchmark of global capital markets. This growing recognition, he believes, will lead to hundreds of billions of dollars flowing into Bitcoin to align with market expectations.

Structural Demand vs. Limited Supply

As demand for Bitcoin increases, Hougan notes that the crypto’s limited supply will become a key factor in driving its price upwards. He highlights that only 165,000 new Bitcoins are mined each year, while demand has been far outpacing this supply.

In 2024, Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) alone purchased half a million BTC, while corporations bought 350,000. This imbalance between supply and demand could push prices even higher.

Hougan points out that when Bitcoin prices surged from $72,000 to $100,000 in 2024, existing holders sold off their positions. He predicts similar behavior could occur once Bitcoin reaches new price milestones, particularly at $200,000.

He argues that this price level is where many holders may be inclined to sell, driven by both market psychology and behavioral tendencies.

Views From Industry Experts

While Hougan’s forecast for Bitcoin’s price is optimistic, other analysts remain more cautious. Peter Brandt, a seasoned trader, has expressed skepticism regarding Bitcoin surpassing the $200,000 mark by the end of the decade.

He cites technical barriers that may prevent Bitcoin from achieving this target, although he acknowledges that his analysis is speculative.

Meanwhile, analysts from Bernstein maintain a more bullish outlook. They reaffirm their prediction that Bitcoin will reach $200,000 by the end of 2025.

Bernstein’s confidence is rooted in several factors that they believe will propel Bitcoin’s value in the coming years. The firm first issued this $200,000 target in June 2024 and has continued to stand by it, citing the growing adoption of Bitcoin.

Here are Predicted Timelines for Shiba Inu Price to Possibly Reach $0.0002, $0.0008 and $0.004

Sam Wisdom Raphael
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Here are Predicted Timelines for Shiba Inu Price to Possibly Reach $0.0002, $0.0008 and $0.004

Many believe the Shiba Inu price could still reach new heights despite the ongoing market uncertainty, but opinions diverge on the matter.

Shiba Inu price has witnessed intense turbulence amid the ongoing market-wide downtrend. For context, the asset has experienced four consecutive monthly losses since December 2024, resulting in a 69% decline within this period. This represents the first time SHIB has seen such bearish performance since mid-2023. 

Shiba Inu Price Predictions Amid Downturn

With an additional 4.61% drop so far this month, Shiba Inu might be on track to see a fifth consecutive monthly loss for the first time in its five-year history. However, this bearish atmosphere has not had as significant an impact on investors as many expected. Notably, accumulation trends and bullish projections have dominated the scene.

These projections have identified Shiba Inu price expectations for the short term, especially before the end of this bull run, and also for the long term. For instance, last September, market analyst Michael predicted SHIB to hit $0.0002 in the short term. In addition, Charting Guy also teased the $0.0002 price in November 2024.

Also in November 2024, Shiba Inu community figure SHIB Bezos highlighted five price targets for the meme coin amid projections that Bitcoin could hit $280,000 in this bull run. Interestingly, the lowest of these targets was $0.0008. Meanwhile, last January, The Crypto Basic explored Shiba Inu’s potential to make millionaires at the $0.004 price target.

When Can Shiba Inu Price Hit $0.0002, $0.0008, and $0.004?

However, amid these predictions, it remains to be seen when Shiba Inu can hit any of these targets. To assess possible timelines, we turned to market resources such as Telegaon and Changelly, as well as AI chatbots ChatGPT and Grok AI. 

Currently, Shiba Inu changes hands at $0.00001187 at press time. This indicates that the meme coin would need to increase by 1,584% to reach the lower $0.0002 target, and by a more substantial 6,639% to claim $0.0008. In addition, Shiba Inu price must spike 33,598% to hit the audacious $0.004 target.

ChatGPT and Grok AI Respond

The Crypto Basic asked ChatGPT when it believes the meme coin could reach these targets. In response, ChatGPT noted that it expects Shiba Inu to claim $0.0002 between this year and the next. The chatbot stressed that higher Shibarium burns and broader market hype could contribute to this run. 

Meanwhile, for the $0.0008 target, ChatGPT expects it to materialize between 2027 and 2029. According to the AI model, this timeline is possible if the Shiba Inu ecosystem expands, particularly with increased Shibarium and Metaverse adoption. Another catalyst that could help is aggressive burns to make the supply much lower.

Shiba Inu Price Predictions ChatGPT
Shiba Inu Price Predictions | ChatGPT

However, while the AI chatbot set a 2030 to 2032 timeline for the $0.004 goal, it insisted that this is only possible if Shiba Inu’s supply reduces to less than 300 billion tokens. This would represent a 99% reduction in supply, which might not be feasible in the near future.

Interestingly, xAI’s Grok predicted similar timelines. The chatbot believes Shiba Inu could reach $0.0002 in mid-2026 due to a bullish market run and community growth. It then predicts the meme coin to reach $0.0008 by late 2027 amid massive adoption. Nonetheless, Grok believes $0.004 would not materialize until 2030, aligning with ChatGPT’s prediction.

Shiba Inu Price Predictions Grok AI
Shiba Inu Price Predictions | Grok AI

Projections from Changelly and Telegaon

Meanwhile, analysts at crypto exchange Changelly are less bullish. Notably, they believe Shiba Inu will only reach $0.0002 by February 2031, six years later. In addition, they expect the $0.0008 target to price in after 2034, with a projection that SHIB could hit $0.004 as a minimum price in April 2040.

Shiba Inu Price Predictions Changelly
Shiba Inu Price Predictions | Changelly

However, Telegaon analysts have a more favorable outlook. According to Telegaon, Shiba Inu might reach $0.0002 in 2028. Further, they expect a run to $0.0008 between 2030 and 2035, less bullish than Grok and ChatGPT. Meanwhile, the platform believes SHIB has the potential to claim the $0.004 price between 2035 and 2040.

Shiba Inu Price Predictions Telegaon
Shiba Inu Price Predictions | Telegaon

Financial Institutions to Engage with XRP as Ripple-Owned Hidden Road Secures FINRA License

Lele Jima
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Financial Institutions to Engage with XRP as Ripple-Owned Hidden Road Secures FINRA License

Ripple-owned Hidden Road has acquired a license from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), allowing it to operate as a broker-dealer. 

Noel Kimmel, President of Hidden Road, revealed the milestone yesterday during an interview with Bloomberg. 

Significance of the License 

Kimmel noted that the FINRA license would allow Hidden Road to grow its user base and transact with more institutional customers. In his view, the license marks the next step in developing its prime brokerage products.

Moreover, he emphasized that with the regulatory approval, Hidden Road can offer prime brokerage services, transparent transactions, and other financing services directly to new and existing institutional clients across fixed-income assets. 

Further, Hidden Road’s President disclosed that the company aspires to become a full-service non-bank prime broker for traditional and digital assets. 

Ripple Taking Over Hidden Road 

For context, Hidden Road secured its FINRA license a week after San Francisco-based payments company Ripple acquired it. As previously reported, the acquisition cost Ripple $1.25 billion, marking its largest acquisition to date. 

Following the acquisition, Hidden Road plans to move its post-trade activity to the XRP Ledger (XRPL). Since XRP is the underlying token of XRP, Hidden Road could utilize it to facilitate those transactions.

As part of the deal, the prime broker will also use Ripple USD (RLUSD) as a collateral asset for its brokerage services. In a recent statement, Kimmel suggested that before the acquisition, it was constrained from pursuing greater opportunities due to the limited capital it had on its own.

Therefore, he told Bloomberg that Hidden Road hopes to leverage Ripple’s balance sheet to expand its capital base, allowing it to execute larger transactions. 

Financial Institutions to Engage with XRP Via Hidden Road  

In the meantime, several financial experts have commented on Hidden Road’s recently approved broker-dealer license, highlighting its significance. 

The Digital Ascension Group Managing Director, Jake Claver, called the license a ‘huge deal.’ According to him, the license enables financial institutions like market-makers and hedge funds to transact in digital assets, including XRP, through a fully authorized U.S. intermediary.   

This suggests that these financial institutions can execute these transactions through Hidden Road without developing their own in-house infrastructure. 

“This implies they now have access to financing, clearing, and custody services in a one-stop shop,” Claver remarked. 

Technical Analyst Predicts TimeLine for XRP to Potentially Go Over $50

Sam Wisdom Raphael
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Technical Analyst Predicts TimeLine for XRP to Potentially Go Over $50

A technical analyst and crypto trader has continued to make audacious XRP price predictions, taunting investors who ignore the asset at current prices.

The recent commentary comes when the XRP price is struggling to maintain its hold above the critical $2 psychological region. For context, while trading at $2.14, XRP observed a drastic drop from April 6 to 8, slumping by over 17% within this period and closing April 8 at $1.79, its lowest intraday close in five months.

However, XRP saw an impressive recovery push the following day, recording a 14.33% spike to recover the $2 territory and close above it. Despite briefly relinquishing the price mark, XRP has struggled to hold above it at press time. Nonetheless, the bears are struggling to take over.

XRP Price to Reach $50?

Amid this volatility, Cryptominder, a market analyst, has maintained his confidence in XRP’s potential. According to him, he’s currently buying XRP at the current price, expecting a price explosion in the future. While some predictions eye targets around $12 to $15, Cryptominder believes XRP price has the potential to hit $50.

He suggests this price could materialize in the next five years, essentially in 2030. For context, a $50 price would represent a 2,339% increase from the current XRP price of around $2.05. Notably, if XRP maintains a steady annual growth, this translates to a CAGR of about 90%. This means XRP would need to rise 90% each year. 

Considering its 237% increase last year, this estimate is largely feasible for the altcoin. Cryptominder is extremely certain of his projection, going as far as suggesting market participants would remember the day this forecast emerged, possibly looking back at it in hindsight.

He taunted investors who have exercised caution amid XRP’s current price struggles at the $2 mark. According to him, similar sentiments sprang up when XRP traded for $0.09. For context, XRP price last traded around the $0.09 region in May 2017. Cryptominder further stressed that investors also had this cautious sentiment when XRP saw $0.35.

Now, the asset has delivered gains for market participants who believed in its potential at the previous low prices. According to Cryptominder, he purchased XRP at these prices. With XRP currently trading at $2, the analyst expects similar gains for investors who believe in it at this price. This is the motivation behind his $50 price target. 

Bullish Sentiments Around XRP

Interestingly, Cryptominder is not the only market pundit predicting an XRP price spike to $50. Last August, Amonyx argued that XRP would likely surpass $10 to claim $50, insisting no one could stop the momentum. Most recently, Edoardo Farina predicted investors would start “crying” for $100 once XRP claims $50. 

Meanwhile, market analytical resource Telegaon appears to hold the same sentiment as Cryptominder. The platform suggests XRP could reach a maximum price of $48 by 2030, aligning closely with Cryptominder’s prediction. However, analysts at Changelly believe XRP will not see $50 until 2033.

Here’s What May Drive XRP to $1,200, According to a Market Commentator, But is It Possible?

Sam Wisdom Raphael
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Here’s What May Drive XRP to $1,200, According to a Market Commentator, But is It Possible?

An XRP community pundit has triggered speculation regarding what could push XRP’s price to the ambitious four-digit target.

Despite XRP’s current price struggles, confidence in the asset’s potential has not waned, especially amid its impressive resilience. As a result, ambitious price predictions have persisted, with the XRP to $1,000 target taking prominence.

XRP to $1,200

Most recently, Remi Relief, an XRP community figure, has triggered discussions with his assertion that XRP could reach $1,200 by the end of the year. He suggests that capturing even a small percentage of SWIFT’s annual transaction volume could propel XRP to this ambitious price point.

SWIFT, the global interbank messaging network, processes approximately $5 trillion daily, amounting to an annual volume of around $1.25 quadrillion. Relief posits that if XRP were to handle a fraction of this volume, its value could experience substantial appreciation. 

According to him, even without factors like exchange-traded funds (ETFs), derivatives, or tokenization of assets, tapping into SWIFT’s transaction flow could be sufficient for XRP’s price surge. 

Nonetheless, this remains highly unlikely, especially as XRP would need to rally by a massive 56,238% from the current $2.13 to reach $1,200. Further, industry commentator Alex Caraco recently dismissed these lofty predictions as unrealistic. Also, keeping the XRP circulating supply of 58.39B XRP in focus, targets like $1200 seem impossible. 

However, Relief’s sentiment is in line with views from other analysts who have discussed XRP’s potential in the global payment scene. Crypto researcher Crypto Tank suggested last September that if XRP captures 10% of SWIFT’s daily volume, the cryptocurrency could reach a price of $100. 

Similarly, financial analyst Levi Rietveld projected in October 2024 that XRP could surge to $60 if it captures a mere 5% of SWIFT’s transaction volume. Rietveld highlights XRP’s advantages over traditional SWIFT transactions, including speed, cost-effectiveness, and reliability, which could make it an attractive alternative for financial institutions.

Other Possible Catalysts

However, besides the potential to disrupt SWIFT, developments in financial products like ETFs could further influence XRP’s market position. 

The U.S. SEC has extended the review period for several XRP ETF proposals, including those from 21Shares, Canary Capital, and Grayscale, with a new deadline set for May 2025. Franklin Templeton, a prominent asset manager, has also entered the race to launch an XRP ETF in the U.S.

Legal experts suggest that XRP ETF approval could arrive by mid-2025, contingent on the resolution of ongoing legal battles between Ripple and the SEC. Also, Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan has confirmed that there is high institutional demand for XRP.

Moreover, the pro-crypto stance of the current U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has led to increased anticipation for crypto ETFs. Asset managers have filed applications for ETFs to invest in various altcoins, including XRP, with the SEC expected to become more crypto-friendly.

Here’s How high Dogecoin Price May Reach by 2030 if DOGE Rises 10% Per Month

Abdulkarim Abdulwahab
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Here’s How high Dogecoin Price May Reach by 2030 if DOGE Rises 10% Per Month

Dogecoin holders could see a cumulative gain of 228X by 2030 if DOGE stages a consistent 10% monthly growth from this point.

The growth of Dogecoin price has stalled this year, with the meme coin king ranking among the worst-performing cryptocurrencies so far in 2025. Its price has dropped 60% year-to-date, currently trading at $0.1570.

Despite this challenging period, Dogecoin proponents remain optimistic about its long-term prospects. Specifically, they anticipate a time when the price will finally surpass $1.

While the timeline for this remains uncertain, The Crypto Basic examines the potential price of Dogecoin by the end of this decade, specifically if the coin achieves a steady monthly price increase of 10%.

Dogecoin Price with 10% Monthly Growth

Starting from the current price of $0.1570, a 10% increase this month would push DOGE to $0.1727 by the end of this month, April 2025

With this trend, if the 10% monthly growth continues, DOGE would have reclaimed the psychological $0.20 level by June 2025, trading at approximately $0.20897.

Meanwhile, by October 2025, it would hit another milestone, re-entering the $0.30 region. Ultimately, by the end of 2025, Dogecoin could be trading at around $0.3720, provided it maintains consistent 10% monthly growth.

This steady upward trajectory highlights how far Dogecoin could climb with modest, consistent gains.

To estimate its potential price by 2030 at this rate, we can project from today over the next 57 months (until the end of the decade). This would result in a theoretical price of approximately $35.92 per Dogecoin.

Essentially, if Dogecoin experiences steady 10% monthly growth from now through 2030, it could be worth around $36 per coin. To put that in perspective, this represents an astonishing gain of 22,776% for current holders.

For instance, someone holding 10,000 DOGE tokens worth $1,570 would see their portfolio grow to roughly $360,000, a 228x return after about five years of waiting.

Is a 10% Monthly Pump Realistic?

While this outlook is enticing, the question remains whether Dogecoin can realistically sustain a 10% monthly growth rate over five years, or ever reach a $36 price point.

Indeed, the assumption of a consistent 10% monthly increase is purely hypothetical. It does not account for inevitable dips and volatility, such as the one DOGE is currently experiencing.

For instance, Dogecoin’s one-year performance shows only a 2.89% gain. On the monthly timeframe, the coin is down 5.73% over the last 30 days and has dropped a massive 42% in the past 60 days.

Expert Timelines for DOGE to Reach $36

As for the $36 target, various market watchers have weighed in, with some offering more optimistic timelines than 2030.

For example, last December, trader Alan cited chart patterns suggesting that Dogecoin could hit $30 by the end of this year.

Similarly, analyst BALO predicted that DOGE could reach $37 within five months from December 2024. However, with less than two weeks to May 2025, Dogecoin remains far from these ambitious projections.

On the more conservative side, prediction platform Telegon has estimated that it would take Dogecoin ten years to reach the $36 mark. Interestingly, analysts at Changelly forecast that Dogecoin could still be below $1 even by 2035.

XRP Options Market Skewed Bearish Despite Positive Tailwinds

Abdulkarim Abdulwahab
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XRP Options Market Skewed Bearish Despite Positive Tailwinds

Despite a wave of bullish developments surrounding XRP, options traders on Deribit are pricing in caution.

According to data from Kaiko, the implied volatility (IV) smile for XRP options expiring on Friday, April 18, is heavily skewed to the left. This indicates elevated demand for downside protection.

Notably, the skew suggests that investors are purchasing out-of-the-money (OTM) puts, especially at strike prices around $1.5, where implied volatility reaches as high as 160%. 

In contrast, the IV curve for later expiries like May 30 is more balanced. This indicates that bearish sentiment is likely concentrated around near-term regulatory events.

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Chart of XRP implied volatility by Kaiko

Spot ETF Decision Looms Over Market Sentiment

For context, a major catalyst driving this caution is the SEC’s upcoming response to Grayscale’s application for a spot XRP ETF. The agency must issue a decision by May 22, a deadline that falls just weeks after the April options expiry. 

Traders may be positioning themselves defensively in case of a delay or denial from the SEC, despite recent positive signals.

Notably, Teucrium recently launched a 2x leveraged XRP ETF, which some analysts say could undermine any argument the SEC might use to reject a standard spot ETF. If the SEC is comfortable approving a riskier leveraged product, it may also face legal and public pressure to greenlight a spot version.

For context, Grayscale’s previous legal battle played a key role in approving Bitcoin spot ETFs, exposing contradictions in the SEC’s stance. The agency had already approved a Bitcoin futures ETF based on CME futures, which closely track spot prices with over 99% correlation. This forced the SEC to acknowledge its own inconsistency and approve a spot ETF.

Meanwhile, XRP’s situation is different. It lacks a robust futures market, and much of its trading occurs overseas.  Still, its presence on U.S. spot exchanges has recently climbed to the highest level since the SEC’s 2020 lawsuit triggered widespread delistings. 

On the other hand, Solana experienced a steady decline in U.S. market share, dropping to 16%, down from the 25–30% range it maintained for much of 2022.

Fundamentals Strengthen XRP’s Case

Beyond ETF speculation, XRP’s underlying market fundamentals have improved significantly. It now leads in U.S. spot market depth among altcoins, outperforming competitors like Solana and Cardano. Liquidity has surged, and the token’s share of global trading volume continues to rise.

This uptick in structural strength comes amid a shift at the top of the SEC. With Paul Atkins assuming leadership following Chair Gary Gensler’s exit, the regulatory climate could turn more favorable toward crypto. Atkins is known for being more market-friendly, which may positively influence future ETF decisions.

Elliott Wave Setup Signals Shiba Inu May Skyrocket 741% Above $0.0001, Says Top Analyst

Elendu Benedict
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Elliott Wave Setup Signals Shiba Inu May Skyrocket 741% Above $0.0001, Says Top Analyst

A notable market analyst has provided an update on Shiba Inu path to a new all-time high using the Elliott Wave price structure.

The analysis has raised optimism among market participants amid Shiba Inu’s sideways price trend lately. The doggy-themed meme coin’s 6% uptick yesterday could not make up for its early price corrections this week, placing the asset on track for a fifth consecutive monthly downtrend.

However, analyst “CAPT. PARABOLIC TOBLERONE” believes the downside is part of a broader bullish trend. In an April 17 post, he highlighted Shiba Inu’s path to price discovery from its recent correction.

A Little More Storm Before the Calm?

The analyst’s price update shows that Shiba Inu is trading within an ascending channel on the weekly timeframe. Since its launch, the token has sustained its trend within the structure, hitting the channel’s tip following its October 2021 rally to its current all-time high of $0.00008854.

However, the digital asset has been on a downturn since then, resuming an ABC Elliott Wave-structured skew with its rally to $0.00004567 in March 2024. An accompanying chart shows that Shiba Inu is currently in Wave B at its price of $0.00001189.

Shiba Inu’s Path to $0.00010

Meanwhile, the commentary suggested that SHIB would see further corrections, predicting a 54% south-bound decline from the current price to the bottom of the wedge and the end of Wave B at $0.0000055.

Shiba Inu to New All-Time High Next

With the completion of the correction, the analyst expects a quick-fire rebound to unprecedented prices. He highlighted the start of Wave C from the lows, with a rally above $0.00010 as the next target.

From the chart, Shiba Inu would retest its current levels from the $0.0000055 lows, then a pullback before a rally past the March 2024 high to over $0.000050. Ultimately, the asset will target the tip of the ascending channel, which the market watcher marked at above $0.00010 as it completes Wave C. Interestingly, the surge is about 741% from the current price and 1,718% from the wedge’s support.

Other $0.0001 Predictions

Meanwhile, CAPT. PARABOLIC TOBLERONE is not alone in his $0.00010 prediction; other analysts have called a similar price. For instance, Forbes highlighted a prediction from expert market watcher Himanshu Maradiya, noting that Shiba Inu will trade between $0.0001 and $0.0003.

Further, Javon Marks stated that Shiba Inu could attain a similar height, asserting an over 10x rally to $0.0001553. Moreover, the Shiba Inu ecosystem team confirmed the meme coin could cancel one more zero, agreeing to a prediction of a surge to $0.0001833.

In the meantime, Shiba Inu trades at $0.0000189, up 2.2% in the past 24 hours.

Here’s Why Even a Small Shift In Bitcoin Could Send It Flying Amid Comparison to Gold

Mark Brennan
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Here’s Why Even a Small Shift In Bitcoin Could Send It Flying Amid Comparison to Gold

Analysts say the smaller market size of Bitcoin means even a minimal shift could send it flying, unlike gold’s larger, more stable market.

The rivalry between Bitcoin and traditional assets, particularly gold, has escalated over the years. Despite Bitcoin’s continuous growth, its market size remains much smaller compared to gold. 

Notably, a recent analysis sheds light on this disparity, highlighting gold’s massive growth and the potential for Bitcoin as the market matures. Amid Bitcoin’s rapid rise, the market still faces significant room for expansion.

Gold’s Massive Growth in a Single Day

According to crypto market watcher Belle, gold’s market continues to impress, with a notable $1 trillion increase in its market capitalization in just one day. Per the analyst, this is nearly the entire value of Bitcoin. The market cap of gold now stands at approximately $22.535 trillion, proving its depth and liquidity. 

This significant gain underlines the immense scale of traditional asset markets, especially compared to newer markets like Bitcoin. The addition of $1 trillion to gold’s market cap represents a large portion of its total value, showing just how much larger and more stable these traditional assets are.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s market cap currently sits at around $1.667 trillion. This figure shows the substantial size difference between gold and Bitcoin.

Due to Bitcoin’s smaller market, even a relatively small shift in its market cap could lead to significant price surges, presenting more gains for investors than what gold would offer.

For instance, if $1 trillion were added to Bitcoin’s market cap, it could push its price from around $84,000 to as high as $135,000, setting a new all-time high and surging over 60%.

The Potential for Bitcoin’s Growth

This is not the only analyst drawing comparisons between gold and Bitcoin in recent discussions. Another watcher, Stack Hodler, recently pointed out the growing interest in assets like Bitcoin and gold. According to Hodler, investors are fleeing to these assets as global sovereign debt crises unfold.

He noted that gold has added $9.2 trillion to its market cap in the past 14 months. However, Bitcoin, as the ultimate scarce asset, presents an attractive alternative due to its unique features, including its finite supply, divisibility, and ease of global transfer.

This growing appeal suggests that Bitcoin could eventually capture a significant portion of the capital that currently flows into gold. Hodler argues that as more global equity and bond portfolios allocate funds to Bitcoin, its price could surge dramatically.

If $9 trillion were added to Bitcoin’s market cap, the price per coin would rise to $518,000, with the potential to hit $1 million per coin in the future.

Bitcoin’s Role in Corporate and Government Treasuries

Elsewhere, industry expert Timothy Kotzman believes that Bitcoin could play a larger role in corporate and government treasuries in the coming years. According to Kotzman, Bitcoin’s rise is not merely a passing trend but a shift in how the world views wealth storage and management. 

He compares Bitcoin to a “monkey bar” positioned between gold and artificial intelligence. While gold has been a trusted store of value for centuries, Bitcoin’s performance and evolving role in the financial world suggest it is becoming increasingly influential.

Notably, Kotzman emphasized that Bitcoin is outperforming traditional markets in some areas, signaling its growing importance. Despite this, gold remains the dominant asset in legacy finance, continuing to offer stability and security in times of uncertainty.

Russian Officials Explore Stablecoin Alternatives After Tether Wallet Blockade

Albert Brown
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Russian Officials Explore Stablecoin Alternatives After Tether Wallet Blockade

Russia is considering the development of its own stablecoins following a recent action by Tether to block wallets linked to Russian exchanges.

Notably, the issuer of the widely used USDT stablecoin recently blocked wallets tied to Russian exchanges. This action occurred against the backdrop of ongoing Western sanctions. As a result, Russian officials are considering alternatives for conducting international transactions.

Russia to Create Its Own Stablecoins

A senior official from Russia’s Finance Ministry, Osman Kabaloev, has stated that the country is now looking into the creation of stablecoins that could be pegged to foreign currencies other than the US dollar.

Kabaloev noted that the recent block on USDT wallets has led to serious reconsiderations about developing local digital assets, possibly based on currencies like the euro or others not directly impacted by sanctions.

This shift in approach comes after a significant move by Tether, which froze over $30 million worth of USDT held on the Garantex exchange.

The suspension occurred in March after the European Union imposed sanctions on the exchange due to its connections with Russian financial institutions that are also sanctioned. The ban on Garantex’s digital wallets disrupted the exchange’s operations, including halting crypto withdrawals. 

Crypto’s Growing Role in Russia

Notably, Russian businesses have increasingly turned to digital assets for cross-border trade despite domestic opposition to crypto. Russia has allowed limited use of digital currencies in international transactions, with some companies testing crypto payments. This trend has accelerated as Western sanctions have made traditional payment methods more difficult.

One notable development is using cryptocurrencies in Russia’s oil trade with China and India. Reports suggest that Russian oil companies are leveraging crypto, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, as part of a strategy to convert Chinese yuan and Indian rupees into Russian rubles.

This new payment method, although still small, is part of Russia’s broader strategy to avoid reliance on Western financial systems. Russia’s oil exports, valued at $192 billion in 2024, could see further integration of crypto as part of a wider push to bypass financial restrictions.

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