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Ripple CTO Explains Why Bitcoin Maxis Are Attacking XRP

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XRP has recently come under intense criticism from Bitcoin maximalists, and Ripple CTO David Schwartz has weighed in to suggest why the attacks have escalated.

Bitcoin Maxi Attacks on XRP

Prominent Bitcoin advocates, such as Pierre Rochard of Riot Platforms, Rajat Soni (CFA), and Robert Breedlove, have been at the forefront of spreading negative narratives about XRP recently.

Both Soni and Breedlove have openly labeled XRP a scam in multiple posts on X. Breedlove even went as far as to claim that XRP is a “psychological operation” to trick retail investors into losing their money. 

According to him, XRP exploits a lack of understanding among investors about centralization versus decentralization, the nature of money, and counterparty risk and uses a bot army to further its agenda.

“Don’t fall for the scam,” Breedlove urged. Veteran financial expert Soni shares this perspective. 

Meanwhile, Rochard, VP of Research at Bitcoin mining firm Riot Platforms, fueled the FUD around XRP by claiming that it poses the greatest threat to the potential U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve.

The intensity of these attacks has attracted the attention of Ripple executives, while the XRP Army continues to resist the campaign.

Ripple CTO Reacts

According to Ripple CTO David Schwartz, XRP has come under attack because Ripple advocates for a level playing field where the government does not favor Bitcoin over other cryptocurrencies. “That was always what the maximalists feared,” Schwartz said.

Notably, Schwartz refers to Ripple’s push for the U.S. government to adopt a national crypto reserve that includes more than just Bitcoin, incorporating a range of crypto assets. 

As Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has pointed out, this approach makes sense from a diversification standpoint.

In response, Bitcoin maxis like Rochard argue that Ripple’s moves threaten the concept of a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve. Kraken’s Bitcoin historian Pete Rizzo shares this viewpoint. 

In a tweet, Rizzo publicly alleged that Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse “is the one” advising President Donald Trump “not to buy Bitcoin.”

However, Ripple’s CEO has countered these critiques by stating that their advocacy is actually aimed at making the concept of a strategic crypto reserve a reality—one that includes Bitcoin, not excludes it.

XRP FUDs Could Be a Good Thing?

Amid the ongoing debate between Bitcoin maximalists and the XRP community, some XRP supporters view the situation positively. 

X user Mark Kangas noted that, regardless of the reasons behind the ramped-up attacks on XRP, they generate significant interest in XRP. 

“Free advertising is not a bad thing,” he said. “I suppose we all owe them a hearty thank you,” Kangas added.

Share of New Bitcoin Whales on the Rise: Here’s Why It Is Bullish

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The holdings of large short-term Bitcoin holders, otherwise called new whales, continue to rise, potentially indicating that the asset is still firmly in a bull market.

Over the past few weeks, the Bitcoin bull market has repeatedly come under question as the asset’s price has seen wild swings without a clear direction. 

Amid the uncertainty, a top crypto analytics platform has now highlighted a key metric that may present insight into the current stage of the market.

New Whales on the Rise

The holdings of new Bitcoin whales are on the rise, potentially indicating that the asset is still firmly in a bull market.

This is according to a recent report shared by prominent crypto analytics platform CryptoQuant on Monday, January 27.

The platform defines new whales as large market participants who have held over 1,000 BTC for less than 155 days, implying that they are likely more involved in trading and responsive to market conditions.

According to the recent CryptoQuant report, these whales now held a 60% share of the realized cap of large market holders. The platform noted that the market share of these whales has been growing since about July 2024, when Bitcoin traded for around $55,000. At the time, their share of the realized cap was only about 17%.

Chart showing the Bitcoin realized cap of new whales against old whales
Chart showing the Bitcoin realized cap of new whales against old whales. Source: CryptoQuant

The metric is important as the behavior of these market participants often indicates the market phase, with their rising share suggesting that they remain optimistic and the market is likely still in a bull market.

The recent CryptoQuant analysis follows a similar report from Glassnode just over a week ago. Glassnode suggested that the bull market was still intact, citing the MVRV Z-score and the minimal unrealized losses held by market participants.

Still, at the time of writing, Bitcoin’s daily candle chart continues to paint a worrying picture in the short term with the asset spotting a double top formation with a neckline just below $92,000.

As Shiba Inu Falls 12%, Major Investor Accumulates 477.5B SHIB

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Significant whale accumulations have followed Shiba Inu price dips, with one investor now controlling a portfolio of 477.5 billion SHIB tokens.

Today, Shiba Inu (SHIB) faced a notable price decline, dropping to $0.00001832. The token experienced an 8.23% drop in the last 24 hours and a 12.25% decrease over the past week.

However, amid the downturn, on-chain data indicates a significant accumulation event, with a whale transferring 257.51 billion SHIB from Binance to a private wallet.

Major Shiba Inu Whale Transactions

The wallet involved in the latest transfer now holds 477.5 billion SHIB, valued at approximately $8.57 million or 2,790 ETH. This transaction follows a prior 219.99 billion SHIB transfer from Binance to the same wallet 25 days earlier.

Historically, large inflows to private wallets often suggest accumulation, while flows to exchanges indicate potential sell-offs.

Further examination of past transactions revealed consistent inflows and outflows between wallets. Data from 172 days ago showed an outflow of 65.28 billion SHIB to a crypto exchange, while 176 days ago, the same wallet received 64.51 billion SHIB from Binance. 

Ownership Trends and Surging Burn Data

Meanwhile, a breakdown of SHIB ownership trends highlighted substantial changes in distribution. Over the last seven days, whale SHIB ownership dropped by 57.11%. However, a 30-day change showed a sharp increase of 168.57%, while the 90-day accumulation surged by 242.15%, reinforcing a strong accumulation phase over the past three months.

Large Shiba Inu Holders netflow
Large Shiba Inu Holders Netflow

Further, Shiba Inu’s bullish momentum strengthened despite declining prices, as its burn rate soared 191.13% in 24 hours, eliminating 6,278,168 SHIB. 

Tokenomics data indicated that 410.74 trillion SHIB had been permanently burned, reducing the maximum total supply from its initial 999.98 trillion SHIB. The remaining total supply stands at 589.25 trillion SHIB, with a circulating supply of 584.25 trillion SHIB. Additionally, 5.00 trillion SHIB is currently staked as xSHIB, which reduces market liquidity.

Key Support to Watch for SHIB Amid Dip

On the technical analysis front, a TradingView chart by Ali Martinez identified a crucial support zone for SHIB between $0.0000185 and $0.0000212. This level has historically functioned as both support and resistance, and a breach below this zone could lead to further downward movement.

Bitcoin, XRP, Dogecoin Funding Rates Show Lack of Aggressive Demand Despite Recent Rebound

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Bitcoin, XRP and Dogecoin funding rates suggest there is a lack of aggressive demand in the market despite recent rebound efforts.

Notably, the crypto market remains in flux as recent data shows a lack of strong appetite for long positions. While Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies, such as XRP and Dogecoin, have shown signs of recovery, funding rates indicate muted enthusiasm compared to previous rally levels.

Funding Rates Signal Low Demand

According to data from Glassnode, the hourly funding rates for leading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP, and Dogecoin (DOGE) reveal subdued demand for long positions. The enthusiasm observed during the rally from November to early December has not returned. 

Funding Rates Glassnode
Funding Rates | Glassnode

In addition, Glassnode confirmed that the 168-hour moving average of funding rates suggests that although Bitcoin showed positive momentum early last week, Solana continues to face declining funding rates—a trend persisting since December.

Open Interest Cools as Market Slumps 

Notably, data from Coinglass shows this current market condition. Specifically, Bitcoin Open Interest has since dropped to $65.14 billion since the $69.57 billion top days back. 

Bitcoin Open Interest Coinglass
Bitcoin Open Interest | Coinglass

While this decline isn’t drastic, it indicates a market cooling off slightly after recent highs. However, despite the dip, Open Interest remains above levels seen between Jan. 8 and 17, indicating that the market has maintained levels above previous lows. 

Moreover, Bitcoin derivatives trading has seen a major surge, with volumes rising 167.26% in the past 24 hours to reach $110.25 billion. However, the long/short ratio over the same period sits at 0.9194, suggesting that bearish sentiment is still influencing traders.

Amid the market uncertainty, as investors await U.S. economic data, experts remained optimistic. In particular, pseudonymous analyst Moustache noted that Bitcoin is only currently shaking out weak hands.

As BTC dropped below $100K, Moustache maintained that the firstborn crypto remains in an uptrend as long as it stays above the Gaussian Channel baseline, currently at $96,126. He reassured traders that the macro picture for Bitcoin remains unchanged despite short-term volatility.  

Meanwhile, veteran trader Michaël van de Poppe advised against panic despite the market shocks causing crypto prices to drop as the selloff in the AI sector spilled to crypto. He identified Bitcoin’s price range between $95,000 and $98,000 as a key entry zone and predicted a rebound after the retest. 

Bitcoin 4h Chart Michael van de Poppe
Bitcoin 4h Chart | Michael van de Poppe

Bitcoin Recovers Above $100,000

Interestingly, Bitcoin has since climbed back above $100,000 after retesting this zone. The crypto asset is now changing hands at $101,150, up 2.4% within the past four hours. Notably, as this rebound picks up, van de Poppe expects further gains.

In another bullish outlook, Burakkesmeci, an analyst at CryptoQuant, pointed out that the selling pressure on Binance should be easing. He highlighted an increase in Taker Sell Volume in recent hours, which historically precedes the completion of seller orders and the entry of buyers. 

Additionally, he observed that the Taker Sell Volume is forming lower highs on hourly data, signaling a potential local bottom as selling pressure diminishes.

MicroStrategy Sticks to Weekly Bitcoin Buy Strategy, Investing Another $1.1B Despite Bearish Fears

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Prominent software services firm MicroStrategy continues to solidify its position as the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin with a fresh billion-dollar acquisition.

Today, the firm disclosed adding 10,107 BTC to its already massive Bitcoin portfolio. This latest acquisition came at $105,596 per token, bringing the total new capital to $1.1 billion.

As of today, MicroStrategy now controls a Bitcoin portfolio consisting of 471,107 tokens, purchased for approximately $30.4 billion over the last four years.

MicroStrategy Bitcoin Portfolio

Interestingly, MicroStrategy also invested $1.1 billion in the Bitcoin market last week, acquiring 11,000 tokens in return. As of now, this acquisition has seen a gain of $4.45 million.

However, the firm is getting fewer tokens today—10,107 BTC—for the same $1.1 billion investment. This discrepancy is due to Bitcoin’s price increase since the previous acquisition.

While MicroStrategy bought 10,107 BTC at $105,596 per token, the asset’s current value stands at $99,999 at press time. As a result, this latest acquisition is experiencing an unrealized loss of $85.5 million, a dip of 7.8%.

Interestingly, MicroStrategy only faces losses with this week’s acquisition and the one from December 23. All other individual acquisitions show impressive profitability.

Cumulatively, MicroStrategy is sitting on an unrealized gain of $16.95 billion, having invested around $30.4 billion in Bitcoin. This reflects a 55.76% return, as its entire Bitcoin portfolio is now worth $47.35 billion.

MicroStrategy Bitcoin Portoflio
MicroStrategy Bitcoin Portfolio from https://saylortracker.com/

MicroStrategy Maintains Weekly DCA

Notably, with this Monday’s announcement, MicroStrategy continues its weekly dollar-cost averaging Bitcoin strategy established in November 2024. Specifically, every week since November 11, 2024, the company has disclosed new Bitcoin acquisitions and today is no different.

Despite growing caution from other market participants, it continues to buy Bitcoin in the $100K price range. Many are wary of acquiring Bitcoin at these levels due to concerns about bearish market performance. This sentiment is evident in the comments following the latest announcement.

Critics Warn of Bearish Turnaround

Bitcoin critic and Chief Economist Peter Schiff pointed out that MicroStrategy’s average cost per Bitcoin keeps rising while Bitcoin’s overall price has been declining. He argued that if this trend continues, the company’s entire position could eventually be at a loss, particularly as its holdings grow and more debt is incurred to fund the acquisitions.

Another commentator echoed similar concerns, highlighting that MicroStrategy’s average cost per Bitcoin is becoming quite high. They suggested there is a strong likelihood the company’s Bitcoin holdings will be in the red by 2026-2027, assuming the current pace of acquisitions continues, and bearish market conditions take hold.

However, there are expectations that the company’s Bitcoin position could return to profitability in 2028-2029.

Critic remarks on MicroStrategy Bitcoin purchase
Critic remarks on MicroStrategy Bitcoin purchase

XRP, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Lead Indonesia’s Crypto Boom as Trading Volume Hits $40.2B, Surging 336%

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Indonesia’s crypto market witnessed a remarkable expansion, with trading volume soaring to $40.2 billion amid strong demand for XRP, Dogecoin, and Bitcoin.

This figure represents a 336% increase from the previous year’s total of Rp 149.25 trillion ($9.2 billion). The sharp rise is attributed to a surge in both user participation and transaction volumes.

As of November 2024, Indonesia had 22.1 million registered crypto users, with that number expected to reach 25 million soon.

XRP, Dogecoin Among Most Traded Tokens

The increase in crypto engagement has driven trading volumes higher. The most frequently traded digital assets in Indonesia include Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), Dogecoin (DOGE), PEPE, and XRP.

In terms of regulation, cryptocurrency oversight in Indonesia was previously handled by the Commodity Futures Trading Regulatory Agency (Bappebti). However, the responsibility will soon shift to the Financial Services Authority (OJK). Meanwhile, Bappebti will continue its role in overseeing commodity futures trading.

In addition to cryptocurrency growth, commodity futures trading in Indonesia saw a 29.34% increase in 2024, reaching Rp 33,214 trillion ($2 trillion). Prominent futures contracts in the country involve commodities such as gold, tin, crude palm oil, coffee, and cocoa.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Crude Palm Oil Exchange (ICDX), introduced in October 2023, continues facilitating real-time price discovery for crude palm oil futures and spot transactions.

Participation in the exchange remains optional and is limited to domestic traders, with 19 designated ports supporting deliveries.

Indonesian Exchange Faces Major Hack

Amid increasing adoption, security threats persist in Indonesia’s crypto space. In September last year, Indonesian-based exchange Indodax suffered a major cyberattack, resulting in a loss of approximately $22 million.

According to blockchain intelligence platform Lookonchain, hackers infiltrated the exchange’s security system, enabling unauthorized withdrawals from its wallets.

The stolen assets included 25 BTC ($1.4 million), 1,047 ETH ($2.48 million), $6.14 million USDT, 2.2 million MATIC ($849,000), and 1.4 million ARB ($749,600).

Following the breach, the attackers swiftly converted the stolen funds. They exchanged them for $13 million in Ethereum, $2.56 million in Tron, $2.55 million in POL (formerly MATIC), and $1.41 million in Bitcoin.

Shiba Inu Lead Says SHIB Will ‘Stand Head and Shoulder Above the Rest’ As Total Tokens Surpass 36M

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Shiba Inu lead developer, Shytoshi Kusama, expresses confidence in SHIB’s potential to thrive in the competitive crypto landscape. 

Kusama made the assertion in an X post yesterday while reacting to a tweet from Ash, a widely-followed crypto trader. 

What’s Delaying Altcoin Season 

According to the post, Ash expressed concerns about the oversaturation of the crypto market, which has delayed the highly anticipated Alt Season, a period when the prices of altcoins outperform Bitcoin’s. 

Specifically, the expert claimed that the number of existing crypto assets has grown exponentially, from 500 in the 2013/2014 cycle to 36.4 million in 2025. He noted that the number of tokens could grow to reach 100 million this year. 

Amid this surge, Ash said exchanges only focus on listing meme coins to boost their trading volumes and user base while ignoring utility tokens.

He explained that retail investors buy these meme coins only to see their value drop by 80% in one week. Following the losses, these traders eventually quit, and this stalls the start of the Alt Season. 

Shiba Inu Lead Expects SHIB to Thrive  

Reacting, Kusama noted that the post does not imply that crypto is broken or that investors are in financial ruin. 

Despite the current market situation, he emphasized that great crypto projects would stand head and shoulders above the rest. Interestingly, he highlighted Shiba Inu as one of these great projects.  

This suggests that Kusama expects utility-focused crypto projects, like Shiba Inu, to thrive ahead of others with no utility. 

Shiba Inu Utility to Drive SHIB’s Value  

Notably, the team behind the Shiba Inu ecosystem, led by Kusama, has made significant efforts toward transforming SHIB to a utility token. 

Shiba Inu transitioned into an ecosystem with multiple projects, such as a DEX, an L2 blockchain, non-fungible tokens, games, a metaverse, and a marketplace. While some of these projects have gone live, others are still in development. 

Interestingly, several community members are optimistic that these utility projects will positively impact Shiba Inu’s value in the long term. 

Alt Season Still on The Way 

According to Shiba Inu’s marketing lead, the highly anticipated Alt Season has yet to occur. She indicated that the market might witness another historic moment within the next four years, suggesting that assets like Shiba Inu could rally significantly during this period.   

Her confidence stems from the inauguration of a pro-crypto administration in the United States. The Trump administration is expected to positively impact crypto, potentially paving the way for favorable regulations and creating a national digital asset reserve. 

However, crypto’s performance has fallen short of investors’ expectations, as the prices of leading cryptos have tumbled.

For instance, Bitcoin has plunged below the $100,000 mark to $98,750 at press time. Similarly, SHIB has also dropped below the $0.00002 psychological mark to $0.00001792. Currently, the doggy-themed token is down 9.84% in the past 24 hours and 16.28% in the past week. 

Blockchain Could Track Federal Spending as Elon Musk Leads DOGE Effort

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Elon Musk is exploring the use of blockchain technology within the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

The initiative is part of the Trump administration’s broader push to modernize government operations and support digital assets. Musk, who heads the DOGE effort, has privately discussed the potential of a digital ledger to cut government costs. 

According to a Bloomberg report, sources indicate that blockchain could be used to track federal expenditures, enhance data security, facilitate payments, and manage infrastructure.

People linked to DOGE have engaged with representatives from various public blockchains to assess their capabilities. However, it remains unclear which blockchain network, if any, will be selected.

The discussions reflect the administration’s commitment to digital innovation following President Donald Trump’s recent executive order establishing a working group on digital assets.

Created by an executive order on January 20, DOGE is tasked with modernizing federal technology to improve efficiency. The group operates alongside the White House Office of Management and Budget to recommend cost-cutting measures by July 4, 2026.

Musk’s team, which includes approximately 100 volunteers recruited before the inauguration, has been developing software to support the initiative.

Evaluating Blockchain’s Role

Blockchain’s potential to enhance transparency and accountability in federal operations has been a topic of discussion. A person familiar with the matter revealed that, in December, Trump’s transition officials were presented with proposals on how blockchain could secure government data and track financial transactions.

The idea aligns with Musk’s broader efforts to eliminate inefficiencies in government spending, an issue Trump has frequently highlighted.

Various industries have utilized public and private blockchains, though large-scale adoption within government institutions remains infrequent.

In recent years, corporations such as Walmart have experimented with private blockchain solutions, but many faced governance challenges. While blockchain offers transparency, experts caution that conventional databases might achieve similar results with fewer complications.

Concerns over public blockchain use include the government’s lack of control over ledger entries. Despite these challenges, institutions such as BlackRock and the California Department of Motor Vehicles have successfully integrated public blockchain networks for financial and data management.

If adopted by DOGE, blockchain would be implemented on an unprecedented scale in U.S. government operations.

Legal Scrutiny and Potential Challenges

Recall that on January 20, the Washington Post reported that the National Security Counselors, a public interest law firm, planned to file a lawsuit challenging DOGE’s legality. 

The group alleges that DOGE violates a 1972 law requiring advisory committees to follow transparency and hiring guidelines. The lawsuit argued that DOGE should be classified as a federal advisory committee subject to oversight.

Despite its leadership under Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, DOGE is not officially recognized as a government entity. However, it has hired staff and operates near SpaceX’s Washington offices.

The complaint asserts that DOGE should comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which mandates public meeting access and documentation of activities. The plaintiffs argue that these measures are necessary to ensure transparency in its recommendations to the executive branch.

MicroStrategy Bitcoin Buy Incoming? Saylor Says “Volatility is a Gift to the Faithful” Amid Dip

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MicroStrategy Chairman Michael Saylor seemingly suggests that the Bitcoin recent price dip may present an opportunity.

Over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin‘s price has sharply declined amid U.S. tech valuation concerns and looming economic data releases. While the price action is likely to give most investors pause for thought, MicroStrategy Chairman Michael Saylor has begged to differ.

“A Gift”

“Volatility is a gift to the faithful,” Saylor cryptically asserted in an X post on Monday, January 24, amid Bitcoin’s most recent retreat below the $100,000 price point.

Specifically, over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin has dropped as much as 8% from a high of $105,500 on Sunday to as low as $97,700 on Monday before paring some losses to trade around the $99,000 price at the time of writing.

Another MicroStrategy Bitcoin Buy?

Beyond offering encouragement to Bitcoin holders amid this price action, Saylor’s recent statements may also hint at another MicroStrategy Bitcoin buy.

Since at least 2020, Saylor’s MicroStrategy has adopted a Bitcoin treasury strategy, betting on the asset’s long-term value. 

Over the past few months, this strategy has seen the firm add to its stockpile almost every week, with four disclosed purchases already in January 2025 alone. As a result, the firm’s total holdings now sit at 461,000 BTC, worth around $46 billion at the time of writing.

The firm’s continued aggressive purchases come despite a potential tax issue that could see it pay billions on its Bitcoin holdings starting from 2026.

Dogecoin Bears Eye $0.265 as $0.30 Support Comes Under Threat

As Dogecoin approaches the $0.30 support level, will sellers take control and push the price down to $0.26?

With Bitcoin falling below the $100,000 mark, meme coins are experiencing a sharp decline. The meme coin market cap has dropped to $90.46 billion, and Dogecoin has seen an 11% drop over the past 24 hours.

The growing selling pressure is now weighing in on the $0.30 psychological support level, exposing a significant downside risk. In these conditions, will Dogecoin manage to hold critical support?

Dogecoin Price Analysis

In the 4-hour chart, the Dogecoin price trend reveals a breakdown of the local support trend line. This comes after the meme coin fails to hold a dominance near the 50% Fibonacci level at $0.35321. The breakdown signals heightened bearish activity in the market, putting pressure on critical support levels.

Dogecoin Price Chart
Dogecoin Price Chart

In the past 12 hours, the three consecutive bearish candles account for a 10.77% drop, breaking under the 38.20% Fibonacci level at $0.33. The declining trend has influenced the death cross between the 50- and 200-EMA lines and warns of a negative crossover between the 100- and 200-EMA lines.

This crossover could exacerbate the selling momentum, making recovery more challenging in the short term.

Furthermore, the 4-hour RSI line has dropped under the oversold boundary line, reflecting the massive bearish move. This signals that sellers are firmly in control, with bulls struggling to regain momentum.

DOGE Price Targets

As the declining bearish trend drops the market price to $0.3130, the meme coin could test the critical support at $0.30. The demand zone at $0.30 coincides with the 23.60% Fibonacci level, adding to its significance. 

Since Christmas last year, Dogecoin has managed to sustain dominance above this level. Hence, a strong closing under this support will signify the start of a massive correction move. 

The critical support for Dogecoin under this remains at the $0.265 support level, followed by the $0.20 psychological mark. On the flip side, a bullish reversal from this level will likely retest the broken $0.33 horizontal level.