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Thirsty Thursday Media Watercooler: All That Glitters? Drill, Baby Drill!
Search For Industry Culture and Beyond The Harsh Earth Surface; Wealth Found In Dirty Jobs

Oct 30

Pop Culture News

Plot

Set against the backdrop of the booming West Texas oilfields, Landman follows Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), a crisis manager and landman for an independent oil company. Tommy navigates cutthroat deals, family tensions, and moral dilemmas while trying to keep his business afloat. The story kicks off with an investigation into a fatal accident involving an out-of-town lawyer, weaving in elements of drug cartels.

Landman is an American drama television series created by Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, inspired by Wallace's podcast Boomtown. It explores the high-stakes world of the oil industry in West Texas, blending themes of fortune-seeking, corporate intrigue, and personal drama amid roughnecks, billionaires, and geopolitical shifts.

The series premiered on Paramount+ on November 17, 2024, and has been renewed for a second season.

Landman: Season 2. Trailer (Paramount Plus)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=mhzQawESdqg

"You think you understand how this business works, but you don't." Things are heating up in the final Landman trailer. Season 2 premieres November 16, 2025, only on Paramount+.

"Death and a Sunset"
November 16, 2025

"Sins of the Father"
November 23, 2025

"Almost a Home"
November 30, 2025

"Dancing Rainbows"
December 7, 2025

"The Pirate Dinner"
December 14, 2025

"Dark Night of the Soul"
December 21, 2025

"Forever Is an Instant"
December 28, 2025

"Handsome Touched Me"
January 4, 2026

"Plans, Tears and Sirens"
January 11, 2026

"Tragedy and Flies"
January 18, 2026

News

Gold Movie

Gold is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance the appeal of the film, character names and story details were changed.

Trailer

Gold (YouTube Movies and TV)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0

Gold is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club, The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film is inspired by a true story.

News

Oct 30

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6570 USD (down $0.0010 USD)
Iron Ore: $107.75 USD (up $1.35 USD)
Oil: $60.40 USD (up $0.48 USD)
Gold: $3,933.57 USD (down $20.40 USD)
Copper: $5.2030 USD (up $0.0320 USD)
Bitcoin: $111,274.01 USD (down 1.22%)
Dow: 47,632.00 (down 74.37 points)

News

Fading Roy Hill seeks new riches

Iron ore miner Roy Hill has posted a net profit of $1.8bn for 2024-25, compared with $3.2bn in the previous financial year; it is the Gina Rinehart-backed company's lowest profit since 2019-20. Roy Hill's iron ore shipments totalled 61.6 million tonnes in 2024-25, compared with 64 million tonnes previously. The company's latest results were marred by factors such as lower iron ore prices and production disruptions caused by Cyclone Zelia in early 2025. Roy Hill's flagship mine is estimated to have a remaining production life of about seven years, but Rinehart says the new McPhee mine will extend the operating life of the Roy Hill mine. (RMS)

News

Northern Minerals faces battle for board

A spokesman for Northern Minerals says its four directors take their role of acting in the best interests of all shareholders very seriously. They add that the board supports the re-election of executive chairman Adam Handley at the upcoming AGM in order to maintain a "stable, united and effective board", while it opposes the election of non-endorsed nominees for the same reasons. Chinese businessman Enping Fu and Sydney-based businesswoman Joanna Yanis are seeking to be elected to the board of the heavy rare earths miner; the former narrowly failed to do so in 2024. The federal government ordered companies with Chinese links to divest shares in Northern Minerals last year, due to the strategic importance of its Browns Range project. (RMS)

News

Trunp's $121b nuclear deal fresh blow to uranium short-sellers

The share prices of Australian-listed uranium producers rallied on Wednesday after the Trump administration revealed plans to spend US80bn ($121.4bn) on new nuclear reactors across the US. The deal with Westinghouse Electric is aimed at ensuring a reliable electricity supply for the power-hungry data centres that will drive the artificial intelligence revolution. Westinghouse is owned by private equity firm Brookfield and uranium miner Cameco; the latter's shares rose by 23 per cent in response to the deal. Meanwhile, the proportion of Australian uranium stocks that are held by short-sellers has fallen sharply in recent weeks. (RMS)

Oct 29

BHP-backed firm adds value to US-Australia deal

Innovative technology that can extract critical minerals from mining waste is being trialled at Rio Tinto's Kennecott copper mine in the US. SiTration is seeking to commercialise its silicon membrane filter, and BHP's ventures arm participated in its second round of fundraising from seed investors in 2024. SiTration's co-founder and CEO Brendan Smith says its filter is being used to process acid mine drainage at Kennecott to extract "market-ready" copper. Recent academic research from the Colorado School of Mines suggested that waste by-products stored at 54 hard-rock metal mines may contain at least $US10bn worth of copper and more than $US1bon of rare earths. SiTration was spun off by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2020. (RMS)

News

Gold below $US4000, 'deeper' losses ahead

The gold price has fallen 9.1 per cent since reaching a record high of $US4,381 an ounce last week. Tony Sycamore from IG Markets says the gold price's fall below $US4,000/ounce indicates that a deeper pullback to around the $US3,500 level is likely. Ole Hansen from Saxo Bank says the price of bullion could take some time to rebound if there is a deep pullback, and suggests that any recovery may not occur until next year. The prospect of a US-China trade deal may also weigh on the gold price, given that economic concerns and geopolitical tensions have been a key driver of demand for the traditional 'safe haven' asset. (RMS)

News

Rinehart weathers the storm as Atlas profits plunge from weaker prices

Hancock Propecting-owned Atlas Iron has posted a $260m profit for 2024-25, which is nearly 41 per cent lower than previously. The result was marred by lower iron ore prices and the impact of Cyclone Zelia on production at its Mount Webber, Sanjiv Ridge and Miralga iron oire mines in the Pilbara; Atlas achieved annual sales totalled $10m for the financial year. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart amalgamated Atlas and Roy Hill in mid-2025 to form Hancock Iron Ore. The group's new McPhee iron ore mine is slated to commence production in the current financial year. (RMS)

News

Gina Rinehart backs Arafura's $475m raise in rare earths stampede

Hancock Prospecting will increase its stake in Arafura Rare Earths from 9.4 per cent to 15.7 per cent after agreeing to buy $125m worth of shares in the rare earths group's proposed $475m placement. Arafura intends to issue new shares at $0.28 apiece, which is a 28 per cent discount to its most recent trading price. The share placement will provide nearly all of the remaining capital Arafura needs for its Nolans rare earths project in the Northern Territory. Arafura aims to make a final investment decision on Nolans in early 2026. (RMS)

News

Taxpayer-backed Liontown burns through cash after $363m raise

Liontown Resources has advised that it produced 87,172 tonnes of lithium concentrate in the September quarter, which is one per cent higher than the previous quarter. However, sales volumes were 20 per cent lower at 77,474 tonnes and revenue fell 29 per cent to $68m. Meanwhile, its cost of production was $US715 per tonne, while it received an average of $US700 per tonne from buyers. Liontown raised $363m from investors in August, while it spent $44m during the September quarter. The federal government's National Reconstruction Fund recently invested $50m in Liontown. (RMS)

News

Glencore walks away from taxpayer-funded clean energy pivot

Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore has advised that it will not proceed with a proposed renewable energy and battery hub at its Murrin Murrin nickel mine and refinery in Western Australia. Glencore had received a $35m grant from the federal government's Powering the Regions Fund to help finance the development of an 849-hectare renewables hub at Murrin Murrin, which currently operates its own gas-fired power station. A spokesman for Glencore says it decided to cancel the onsite hybrid renewable energy project due to a range of macroeconomic and cost factors. Glencore and the government have agreed to mutually terminate the grant. (RMS)

News

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6580 USD (up $0.0020 USD) Iron Ore: $106.40 USD (up $0.70 USD) Oil Price: $59.92 USD (down $1.64 USD) Gold: $3,953.97 USD (down $45.33 USD) Copper (CME): $5.1710 USD (up $0.0125 USD) Bitcoin: $112,972.09 USD (down 1.57%) Dow: 47,706.37 (up 161.78 points)

News

Oct 28

US expects China to shelve restrictions on rare earths

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says that staving off China's rare earth restrictions was one of the major objectives of the talks between the US and China during the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. A Chinese official has indicated that the two sides reached a preliminary consensus on a number of issues, including export controls on rare earths, shipping levies and fentanyl. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in turn believes that China will delay its rare earth restrictions for 12 months, while it re-examines the policy. (RMS)

News

PM reassures Beijing over US minerals deal

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur. Xi urged Australia to deepen its co-operation with China amid growing global instability and uncertainty, while Albanese said he is committed to maintaining a stable relationship with China. Albanese also contended that the $13bn critical minerals and rare earths deal with the US should not affect Australia's bilateral relationship with China. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in South Korea on Thursday, with hopes that they will be able to secure a trade deal. (RMS)

News

Trump's critical minerals advisor jets to Perth for talks with leaders after Albanese's deal

Anita Logiudice from the Chamber of Minerals & Energy of Western Australia says the state is "ground zero" for America's interest in critical minerals. She notes that WA accounts for half of Australia's critical minerals reserves, and it is the world's fourth biggest producer of rare earths. The importance of WA has been underlined by the Trump administration's decision to send its deputy assistant secretary for critical minerals and metals to Perth in the wake of the landmark critical minerals deal between Australia and the US. A state government spokesperson says Assistant Secretary Joshua Kroon will hold talks with mining industry executives on growing links and investment in WA's resources sector. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Australia's plan to challenge China's dominance in critical minerals and rare earths

About 90 per cent of all rare earths are refined in China, but the nation has a complete monopoly when it comes to heavy rare earths. Companies or countries that produce rare earths ship their raw material to China for processing, giving it almost complete control over marketing and pricing. The ABC's chief business correspondent Ian Verrender explains to The Business host, Kirsten Aiken, that to maintain its monopoly, China has never been afraid of using its market power. Verrender says it has alternatively flooded markets with material to make it uneconomic for others to establish rival industries, or denied access to refined product to others as punishment. Such overwhelming supply domination, and the pricing power that comes with it, has raised questions over whether governments should continue to allow market forces to determine the supply of materials vital for national security and development in an increasingly divided world. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Bowen told: electricity bills will jump

The unredacted version of the incoming government brief to Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen shows that his department had warned that there is likely to be a "further significant increase" in retail electricity prices during 2025-26. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment & Water also advised that emissions reductions will need to accelerate rapidly for the federal government to achieve its 2030 climate targets, and that "full and timely" implementation of Bowen's first-term reforms will be essential. The brief was prepared by Bowen's department following the election in May, but it initially resisted requests to release the document in full. (RMS)

News

Mining billionaire's economic warning

Fortescue's founder and executive chairman Andrew Forrest says Australia has a "fantastic" future in manufacturing. Forrest adds that Australia can compete against the best of the world, but he contends that the nation must target areas where it is the best rather than simply trying to prop up "old industries". He also says Australia must avoid trying to compete with industrial powerhouses like China and the US in these industries. Meanwhile, Forrest says governments are underestimating Australians by propping up struggling or failing businesses such as the Mount Isa copper smelter in Queensland and the Port Pirie lead smelter in South Australia. (RMS)

News

ASX rises in broad rally; rare earths tumble

The Australian sharemarket posted a solid gain on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.4 per cent to close at 9,055.6 points. Investor sentiment was boosted by growing expectations of further monetary policy easing in the US and hopes that the US and China will negotiate a trade deal. Life360 was up 4.7 per cent at $50.14, Woodside Energy rose 1.2 per cent to $24.69 and Qantas ended the session 3.4 per cent higher at $10.87. However, Arafura Rare Earths fell 9.6 per cent to $0.37 and Ramelius Resources was down 5.7 per cent at $3.30. (RMS)

News

Commodities boom boosts ASX profits by $4b

Analysts are upbeat about the earnings outlook for companies in the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index. The rise in commodity prices over the last two months have prompted analysts to forecast earnings growth of 7.1 per cent for top-200 stocks in 2025-26; this compares with forecasts of just 3.1 per cent at the end of the August reporting season. The resources sector is now forecast to post earnings growth of 11 per cent in the current financial year, compared with expectations in August that earnings would fall by one per cent. Analysts are also upbeat regarding some non-resources stocks, including the ANZ Bank, CSL and James Hardie Industries. (RMS)

News

Major Tomago investor writes off smelter in gloomy update

Norsk Hydro has written down the value of its 12.4 per cent stake in the Tomago aluminium smelter in NSW to zero. The Oslo-based company has progressively written down its stake over recent years, and it has warned that the smelter faces an uncertain future when AGL Energy's electricity supply contract ends in 2028; Norsk Hydro adds that it has been difficult to find an affordable renewable supply for Tomago. The smelter's biggest shareholder, Rio Tinto, has previously indicated that it will not continue to operate smelters in Australia beyond 2030 unless they can be converted to use clean energy. (RMS)

News

Going where the profit is

For most of the first 130 years of BHP's existence, the focus of successive CEOs was increasing and developing the company's resources base, rather than profits. With BHP recently celebrating its 140th anniversary, profits and returns on capital now take precedence. Likewise, during BHP's first 130 years Australia knew that its prosperity would depend on exports of agriculture and mining products, which would in turn require cheap energy and strong agricultural support. However, the nation now makes mining and agricultural development harder, and it has abandoned low-cost energy. Meanwhile, BHP's South Australian copper project has been pushed back to the 2030s, and the company will use its iron ore cash flows to develop copper mines in countries where returns and energy costs are competitive. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Antimony miner shoots down US takeover bid

Critical minerals producer Larvotto Resources has formally rejected a takeover offer from the United States Antimony Corporation. Larvotto's directors have concluded that the $723m all-scrip bid materially undervalues the company, which is set to resume production at the mothballed Hillgrove gold and antimony mine in NSW in 2026; Larvotto bought the mine from administrators in late 2023. Meanwhile, Northern Minerals has completed a $60.5m share placement to new investors; its Browns Range project in Western Australia includes heavy rare earths such as terbium and dysprosium. (RMS)

News

Long haul, but it's a win for MinRes

Mineral Resources has advised that 8.75 million tonnes of iron ore were transported via its 150km private haulage road between 1 August and 27 October. This lifted the Onslow Iron venture's annualised haulage rate to 35 million tonnes; this in turn triggered a $200m contingency payment from Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, which acquired a 49 per cent stake in the private road in 2024. Mineral Resources' MD Chris Ellison says that achieving the haul-road's performance target so early in Onslow Iron's ramp-up phase demonstrates the quality of the company's people, partners and infrastructure. The private road has been the subject of safety concerns amid a number of truck rollovers and costly resurfacing work. (RMS)

News

Haoma Mining Shareholder Update

Haoma Mining NL Announcements

28 October 2025

(Roy Morgan Summary)

The 2025 Annual General Meeting of Haoma Mining NL will be held at 9.30am on 26 November at Tonic House, 386 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. A formal Notice of Meeting will be sent to all shareholders. Meanwhile, the Haoma Rare Earths Overview has brought together an overview of the company's Pilbara assets and their geological status; test-work undertaken over several years on those assets by BHP, Anglo America, SQM and Haoma; and their potential for Heavy Rare Earths as well as gold. Haoma's shareholder update also includes progress on Bamboo Creek Test-work from July to October 2025, including physical gold recovered from recent Elazac Process test-work conducted in Haoma's Bamboo Creek Laboratory. Haoma's Board in turn resolved on 22 October to allocate performance rights to a number of employees, consultants and contractors who are associated with Haoma. (RMS)

News

$US50m deal for development of Ravensthorpe gold project

Medallion Metals has advised that it has secured a deal for Trafigura to arrange and provide a $US50m ($77m) senior secured prepayment facility. Medallion says the debt financing facility will underpin the funding required for the development of its Ravensthorpe Gold Project in Western Australia, as well as the processing operations at the Forrestania nickel assets that it has agreed to buy from IGO. The deal with Trafigura also includes an offtake agreement for gold dore, copper and precious metal concentrate. (RMS)

News

Best Quotes

The best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."

"You are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig to find it and make it real."

"Your mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will find something golden."

"Don't die without mining the gold in your mind."

"We're like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."

"If you want to find gold, you've got to love the process of digging."

"Even if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to dig."

"Develop men the same way gold is mined"

"Don't go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in looking for the gold."

"A prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"

"A prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't find much gold"

"The world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not." "Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"All that is gold does not glitter."

"Gold is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears out"

"Gold is the money of kings"

"Mining is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit. An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher of a dead mule."

"Anyone can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds the gold."

"True gold fears no fire."

"The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit."

"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"When taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes considered like cheap copper – so are people."

Media Man

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Provider Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: X, Google News, Yahoo! Finance

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

October 29, 2025

Sin City Sydney, Australia
Gold lost more shine!

ASX futures up 11 points or 0.1% to 9049
Wall Street:
S&P 500 +0.3%
Dow Jones +0.3%
Nasdaq +0.8%

Europe:
Stoxx 50 -0.1%
FTSE +0.4%
DAX -0.1%
CAC -0.3%

Australian dollar +0.4% to US65.85 cents

Bitcoin -1.7% to $US112,870

Gold -0.7% to $US3953.27 per ounce
Oil -2.2% to $US59.94 a barrel
Brent crude oil -2.2% to $US64.20 a barrel
Iron ore +0.8% to $US106.00 per ton

10-year yield:
US 3.97%
Australia 4.17%
Germany 2.62%

News Update: (Near Live)

Bitcoin:

New York/Wall St via Mr Wolf!
Oct 28

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Moody: Part Corrective! Up Again! Salty. Smiles returning again! Right Chess Move?! Trump Trade Done solid! All That Glitters Not Digital Gold?!

Bitcoin $113,258.08 -0.78%
Ethereum $3,999.09 -3.07%
Tether $1.0002 +0.01%
Binance Coin $1,106.27 -2.66%
XRP $2.6210 +1.07%
Solana $195.14 -1.71%
TRON $0.2957 -0.93%
Dogecoin $0.1945 -3.49%
Cardano $0.6852 -$0.6491 -2.76%

Market part corrective again! Mood: Suspicious! Losing smiles again! Hardcores keep the dream! Never give up! Pivot if required!

Media Man Favs:

(Near Live)
Wall St, New York

TKO Group Holdings Inc $187.45 -0.060 -0.032%
NVIDIA Corp $201.03 +9.54 +4.98%
Formula One Group Series A $87.37 -0.25 -0.29%
Alphabet Inc Class A $267.47 -1.80 -0.67%
News Corp Class A $26.68 -0.070 -0.26%
Netflix Inc $1,102.50 +7.94 +0.73%
Caterpillar Inc $524.47 -2.65 -0.50%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $16.16
+0.13 +0.81%
Tesla Inc $460.55 +8.13 +1.80%
Walt Disney Co $111.65 -0.69 -0.61%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $120.85 -4.59 -3.66%
Meta Platforms Inc $751.44 +0.62 +0.083%
BHP Group Ltd $43.34
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $15.78 +0.14 +0.88%
Elders Ltd $7.23
Rio Tinto Ltd $132.72

News

Oct 28

The crypto market is confused about who to follow

Market Overview

The crypto market cap fell by 1.7% to $3.85 trillion in 24 hours. External conditions are a mixture of new highs in stock indices and a rapid sell-off of gold, confusing cryptocurrency investors. The Trump coin is up about 10% daily, likely fuelled by negotiations in Asia. Zcash, among the day's outsiders, is down 9% but still showing 500% growth over 30 days.

Bitcoin has fallen back to $114K, remaining stuck to the 50-day moving average. At the start of the week, there was an attempt to break out of the range defined by the 50- and 200-day moving averages. The price pullback at the end of Monday does not allow us to declare victory for the bulls. If Bitcoin is still digital gold, this is bad news for buyers.

Ethereum is trading near $4,100. Attempts to break above $4,200 and overcome resistance in the form of the 50-day average on Monday were unsuccessful. Since August, ETHUSD has been on a downward trend with lower local lows and highs. We can only discuss a break in this trend after it consolidates above $4,300.

News Background

According to CoinShares, global investment in crypto funds rose by $921 million last week after an outflow the week before. Investments in Bitcoin increased by $931 million, XRP by $84 million, and Solana by $29 million. Investments in Ethereum decreased by $169 million, and Sui by $9 million.

Bitcoin has returned above the short-term holders' cost basis (STH-Cost Basis), which is a constructive signal for a bull market, according to Checkonchain.

Since mid-October, long-term investors have withdrawn about 62,000 BTC from their wallets. The growth in market supply could hinder Bitcoin's rally in the absence of intense demand, according to Glassnode.

BitMine increased its reserves to 3.3 million ETH, buying 77,055 ETH over the past week. BitMine's total cryptocurrency reserves reached $14.2 billion.
Strategy bought 390 BTC over the past week. The company now has 640,808 BTC on its balance sheet, with a total value of $47.44 billion at an average purchase price of $74,032.

The bankrupt crypto exchange Mt.Gox has postponed the deadline for payments to creditors from 31 October 2025 to 31 October 2026. This is the third postponement of payments, which were initially planned to be completed by 31 October 2023. (FxPro)

News Flashback

Oil prices could fall another 15% by the end of the year

Crude oil prices fell 0.7% on Monday after three consecutive weeks of decline. Global production is growing while global economic growth is slowing, putting pressure on prices. In addition, the risk premium on signing the gas agreement and intensifying efforts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict has begun to decline. At the same time, oil prices are far from oversold, leaving room for further decline in the coming months. Baker Hughes reported on Friday that 418 oil rigs are operating in the US, the same as a week earlier, undermining the recovery trend seen since August. However, America is increasing production efficiency, extracting more oil from each well.

Bloomberg noted that there are now nearly 1.2 billion barrels of oil at sea, a record since the peak in 2020, when US production was at historic highs and Saudi Arabia and Russia were fighting for market share, boasting of their potential.

The current situation strongly resonates with what happened more than five years ago. The latest weekly data showed a record high in daily production in the US, with supplies of 13.64 million barrels per day.

Inventory figures are a stabilising factor. Commercial inventories in the US are at the lower end of the range for the last decade, but they were about the same in January 2020, and six months later, this figure set a new record. However, without a collapse in consumption, such rapid growth should not be expected. The US government may also move to more actively rebuild the strategic petroleum reserve sold off in 2022.

The price of oil has been in a downward channel for just over three years, and at the end of September, it accelerated its decline as it approached the 50-week moving average and the upper limit of the range. The lower limit of this range is now close to $53 per barrel of Brent, with a decline towards the end of the year closer to $50.50 against the current $61.00.

The main scenario for oil is a decline towards $50 in the next 2-4 months. At the same time, the potential for an increase in US inventories is a potential stabilising factor. We assume that the situation with inventories is roughly similar worldwide, excluding the abundance of oil at sea. (FxPro)

News Flashback

Oil Holds Strong Despite Bearish Fundamentals

Weekly data from the EIA noted that the US returned to record oil production rates last week, supplying an average of 13.6 million barrels per day to the market, according to the latest EIA data. The trend towards increased supply began in August, but producers have only now returned to the peak levels recorded at the end of last year. Despite a 5.5-million-barrel increase in US commercial inventories over the past two weeks, inventories stay at the lower end of the range seen over the past decade, leaving considerable room for growth. The same can be said for the strategic reserve, which holds nearly 40% less oil than it did five years ago, before the start of the active sell-off. It is an interesting game in which, on the one hand, the US (the largest oil producer) is increasing supplies, while OPEC+ is increasing quotas on a monthly basis. This extremely bearish combination of factors did not cause oil prices to collapse; it was only because of global trade in currency depreciation that caused precious metals, stock indices, and cryptocurrencies to rise. Oil prices have not peaked in recent weeks .. To be cont .. (FxPro)

News

Gold hits new highs due to political turmoil

Gold is outside the realm of politics.

While currencies and securities depend on the actions of presidents and governments, precious metals do not. Therefore, political turmoil forces investors to use them as safe-haven assets.

The impressive 52% rally in gold started in April with the introduction of tariffs on America's Liberation Day. It continued due to the US government shutdown, the political crisis in France, and the change of leadership in Japan. he rise of gold above 4,000 dollars per ounce is not only the result of the weakness of fiat currencies. There are tectonic shifts in the structure of investment portfolios and fears of financial crises due to government recklessness.

The share of precious metals is growing both in speculators' assets and in the gold and foreign exchange reserves of central banks. The indicator has already exceeded the share of the euro. According to Eurizon Capital, if it equals the share of the US dollar, the price per ounce will soar to 8,500 dollars. The Supreme Court's abolition of tariffs will inflate the US budget deficit. France does not intend to reduce it, and Japan plans to increase bond issuance. All this creates a tailwind for commodity assets. (FxPro)

News

Politics remains the main driver of FX

The US government shutdown did not have a noticeable impact on the dollar's performance last week. However, it did help the stock market to grow slightly by strengthening expectations of monetary policy easing. However, these events pale in comparison to the change in Japan's ruling elite and the resignation of the French prime minister less than a day after the formation of the government in terms of their impact on the currency market. In Japan, Sanae Takaichi was chosen head of the Liberal Democratic Party over the weekend and is on track to become the country's first female prime minister. This event caused the yen to fall 2% to 150.49 from Friday's level before correcting to 149.80 at the time of writing. Takaichi is considered a supporter of aggressive government spending, structural reforms, and soft monetary policy, echoing the basic principles of Shinzo Abe. Overall, she has a more right-wing approach to national policy and is also a supporter of revising Japan's pacifist constitution. The market reaction clearly shows that they are considering Takaichi to be the new prime minister. If she does not change her political views (and she has softened them recently to win the party elections), we should be prepared for a further weakening of the yen, which reached its highest level since 1991 in the EURJPY pair, exceeding 176. However, the single currency is also facing uncertainty today due to a new political crisis in France. Prime Minister Lecornu, who had been trying to form a government for a month, resigned the day after he finally presented his new cabinet. His appointments drew criticism from both left-wing and right-wing allies. The EURUSD fell to 1.1650 at its lowest point on Monday, losing a full cent against Friday's levels. Unlike Japan, where a 2% drop in the JPY was accompanied by a 5% jump in the Nikkei225 index, France's CAC40 lost more than 2% intraday, paring its losses to 1.2% towards the end of the trading day in Europe. The EURUSD stopped its climb in July and has been hovering around 1.1700 all this time, not least because of the political crisis in France. Without it, the single currency would have had a much better chance of exploiting political divisions in the US to its advantage. It would be an exaggeration to call the situation in Japan and France a drama. Still, these events once again emphasise that as soon as the dollar's throne begin.

News

Pop Culture News

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Million Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr H
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match! Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
MLW vs everyone
Bulls vs Bears

News

Cryptocurrency Movies
Documentaries

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s early days and its potential to disrupt finance.

Banking on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet (2020)
Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives into blockchain’s broader applications beyond cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s transformative potential.

Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems. A comprehensive look at real-world applications.

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized financial systems. Features interviews with crypto experts.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Crypto (2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal but praise its entertainment value.

Silk Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Feature films often dramatize crypto’s association with crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy. For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many of these are available.

News

Wall Street (Movie)
Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,” drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth and power.

The film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal, with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father (Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.

Key Details: Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox).
Runtime: 2h 6m.
Genre: Drama/Crime.
Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News Flashback

Gold, copper, & silver:

How metals are moving this year

Metal futures have made some pretty dramatic moves lately from safe haven gold to tariff sensitive copper. So let's take a look at the longer term trends. I'm Jared Blikre, host of Stocks in Translation. And I'm going to start by charting some of the moves in Dr. Copper because this is where we have the most zig and zags over the last 25 years. So this goes back to the beginning of the century and we can see right now, we're at $5.51 per pound. That is a record high. But if we go back to the beginning of the century, guess what? Uh we had a little bit of a slump in the wake of the dot com boom and then bust, but starting in 2003, we saw a big rise there. And that was as China actually joined the World Trade Organization or the WTO. That lasted into the global financial crisis. Then we had a pretty big bust in in Dr. Copper, and then we had another rise. And that rise was due to unprecedented stimulus, not only from the Chinese government, but also from the United States government, QE was in force, and then we saw kind of a strong dollar play. That weighed on this metal all the way into the beginning of 2016. The entire world, most of the world indices went through a bear market in 2015, and then 2016, we found the footing. And that was actually the year that Trump won, began his first presidency. And from there, we saw some zig and zags, and then we saw a shock into the pandemic. A couple of, a couple of years of deflation or a semi-deflation, disinflation, that caught up with it in 2022, but then it was off to the races again. And especially with the Trump tariffs now on copper, threatening to be threatening to be 50% on August 1st, we're seeing a lot of front running in this trade. Now, I also want to show you gold futures and I'm going to show you silver as well. And they follow a very similar pattern. We're not seeing the dramatic zig and zags that we did in copper, but we did see the same pattern of China joining the WTO, contributing to that huge rise in price to 1800, almost $2,000 an ounce by the beginning of the global financial crisis. So a little bit of a meltdown there. But in 2016 into 2018, we saw a bit of a rise into the pandemic, a little bit of a whipsaw there, and consolidation over a few years. Again, that 2022 bare market in US stocks that contributed to some deflation and disinflation globally, supply chain chain shocks came into force again, and then we saw this huge rise beginning in late 2023, and we are now at 3353. We've seen a high of as much as $3,500 per ounce. And gold is kind of unique among the precious metals and also the industrial metals, and this is because central banks have been a huge determining force in their buying of it. This is a bar chart that shows central bank buying in tons going back all the way to 2010. And what you notice here is the last three years, 2022, 2023, 2024, all of those had gold being bought by central banks of in the amount of over 1,000 tons. And so that's a pretty big dramatic increase from the prior years. And this has to do with the ongoing dedollarization in China, as well as Russia, but also a host of other countries, even some in western and eastern Europe. So this is a trend that we want to follow. Uh, I want to close out here with silver, and I'm going to just chart the price action. Again, very similar chart to gold and copper in terms of the big movements here. We saw a big price spike into almost $50 per ounce, and that was just as the global financial crisis was getting underway. And then the QE area in 2011, that's when we saw that high. Then we saw a dramatic, dramatic crash into 2016, kind of found its footing, saw a big squeeze in the early pandemic, 2020 was a great year for silver, but then we saw a little bit of a fallout. And again, silver is on the rise here at $38. It's still off of that $50 record high, but it is increasing very quickly. To round out the conversation, I want to just put on a table here. I have all three medals and just kind of grouping them together. I want to display how they are moving with their specific patterns with a trigger, and then to tell you which one of these is featured in these specific criteria. So here, under the pattern, we have acceleration. So that would be an economic acceleration. The trigger would be liquidity. And when that happens, we see all metals benefiting from that. And then when there's a safe haven scare, and that trigger would be a crisis of some sorts, you're going to see gold and silver outperforming the most, kind of leaving Dr. Copper behind. And then here's a bearish one, industrial drags, that affects copper disproportionately here, and the trigger there is typically a stronger US dollar because the US dollar surges when global global industrials tend to drag, and that's because the US is the least dirty shirt in the laundry basket of the world. And then finally here, we have a policy shock. This will affect all three medals, but especially copper and gold here. Um, arguably, the biggest reason is tariffs and debt, and we've seen both of those contribute to silver rising. So we could put all three in that basket as well. But when you put it all together, we have the perfect explosive mix for all three of these metals, including palladium and also platinum, which we didn't get to have time for, but all of these are experiencing huge thrust in 2025. And we'll have to see how these tariffs play out, especially on Dr. Copper with respect to that August 1st deadline. Remember, 50% there. So tune into Stocks in Translation for more jargon busting deep dives, new episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays on Yahoo Finances website, or wherever you find your podcast. (Transcript from Yahoo! Finance podcast)

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man "Bullish is a mindset"

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

October 27, 2025

Sin City Sydney, Australia
Gold lost more shine!

ASX futures up 26 points, or 0.3%, at 9061

Wall Street:
S&P 500 +0.8%
Dow Jones: +1%
Nasdaq +1.2%

Europe:
Stoxx 50 +0.1%
FTSE +0.7%
DAX +0.1%
CAC flat

Australian dollar at US65.44 cents

Bitcoin +1.7% to $US113,583

Gold -0.3% to $US4113.05 per ounce
US oil -0.5% to $US61.50 a barrel
Brent crude -0.1% to $US65.94 a barrel
Iron ore -0.2% to $US104.45 per ton

10-year yield:
US 4.00%
Australia 4.14%
Germany 2.62%

News Update: (Near Live)

Bitcoin:

New York/Wall St via Mr Wolf!
Oct 26

Cryptos Today:
(Near Live) Moody: Part Corrective! Up Again! Salty. Smiles returning again! Right Chess Move?! Trump Trade Done solid! All That Glitters Not Digital Gold?!

Bitcoin $114,868.99 +2.81%
Ethereum $4,169.01 +5.52%
Tether $1.0000 -0.01%
Binance Coin $1,141.20 +2.12%
XRP $2.6655 +1.80%
Solana $202.18 +4.58%
TRON $0.3013 +1.69%
Dogecoin $0.2074 +5.63%
Cardano $0.6852 +4.79%

Market part corrective again! Mood: Suspicious! Regaining smiles a little! Hardcores keep the dream! Never give up! Pivot if required!

Media Man Favs:

(Near Live)
Wall St, New York

TKO Group Holdings Inc $186.85
NVIDIA Corp $186.26 +4.10 +2.25%
Formula One Group Series C $94.65 -2.37 -2.44%
Alphabet Inc Class A $259.92 +6.84 +2.70%
News Corp Class A $26.32 -0.080 -0.30%
Netflix Inc $1,094.69 -18.90 -1.70%
Caterpillar Inc $522.73 +2.23 +0.43%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp
$26.32 -0.080 -0.30% Tesla Inc $433.72
-15.26 +3.40%
Walt Disney Co $111.68 -1.35 -1.19%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $125.57 +0.17 +0.14%
Meta Platforms Inc $738.36 +4.36 +0.59%
BHP Group Ltd $43.34 +0.095 +0.22%
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $15.51 +0.094 +0.61%
Elders Ltd $7.43
Rio Tinto Ltd $132.43 +0.61 0.46%

News Lead Up

Oct 21

Crypto’s sell-the-growth mode

Market Overview

The crypto market cap changed slightly over the past day, remaining at $3.65 trillion, completing a full circle with a 5% increase and a return. Relatively small coins such as Zcash (+6.6%), Dash (+3%) and Tezos (+2.7%) performed slightly better than the market, remaining unaffected by the fluctuations in risk appetite among large institutions selling top coins on the rise. Such fluctuations do not contribute to improving the mood of crypto investors. On the contrary, the corresponding index fell to 25, on the verge of extreme fear territory. At current levels, the rule of ‘buy when everyone is afraid’ may work, or there may be a switch to a more intense sell-off after three months of stagnation.
Bitcoin rose to $114K on Tuesday, touching the 50-day moving average, but this only fuelled sellers. Bitcoin has been balancing the 50- and 200-day MA for the last eleven days. The latter curve is pointing upwards, reducing the space for free fluctuations and bringing the moment when the market will have to choose a direction closer.

News Background

Bitcoin's bullish phase is not over yet, according to the creator of the S2F model and analyst Plan B. The fundamentals point to continued growth, and there are no key technical signals indicating a final bull market phase. According to BTSE COO Jeff May, market volatility will continue. TD Cowen remains positive about BTC and forecasts the asset to grow to $141,000 by December. Analyst Willy Woo believes that the next bear market in the crypto cycle will differ from previous ones. It could be triggered by economic crises, such as those in 2001 and 2008, which the crypto market has not yet experienced. Polygon co-founder Sandip Nailwal criticised the Ethereum network's leadership and emphasised that its community has ‘turned into a circus.’ The success of projects on the ETH network depends on a few venture capital funds and proximity to a small circle of people around Vitalik Buterin, said Geth client developer Peter Szilagyi. According to Lookonchain, Elon Musk's company SpaceX has moved $257 million worth of Bitcoin for the first time since July. The company did not comment on the reasons for the transfers. According to Arkham, SpaceX owns 5,790 BTC.

News

Japanese bulls went to recharge

For the first time in Japan, a woman has become prime minister. Although this result was largely anticipated, lingering risks led to a noticeable market response. However, the overall effect so far has been to sell Japanese assets, from the yen to stocks.

Takaichi’s position (stimulating the economy and lowering interest rates) has led to speculative buying in Japanese stocks. From its lows in early October, the Nikkei 225 has risen by almost 13% and on Tuesday morning was on the verge of reaching 50,000. As it approached this psychologically important round level, a wave of profit-taking pushed the index down to 49,000 during the day. However, this technical sell-off has not yet changed the long-term positive outlook for the market. Takaichi is expected to intensify efforts to stimulate economic growth, focusing less on the budget balance and accumulated public debt.

On weekly timeframes, the Nikkei225 is close to, but has not yet entered, the overbought zone on the RSI. Over the past 10 years, powerful corrections after rallies have occurred when the index was close to 80, and now it is at 75. Overall, these are relatively high values, but in such cases, rallies often become extreme, knocking out the positions of early sellers. To be cont (FxPro)

News

Oil prices could fall another 15% by the end of the year

News Flashback

Oil Holds Strong Despite Bearish Fundamentals

News

Gold hits new highs due to political turmoil

Gold is outside the realm of politics.

While currencies and securities depend on the actions of presidents and governments, precious metals do not. Therefore, political turmoil forces investors to use them as safe-haven assets.

News

Politics remains the main driver of FX

News

Pop Culture News

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream Match Series; Crack The Code!

News

Cryptocurrency Movies
Documentaries

Banking on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Silk Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

News

The film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal, with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father (Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News Flashback

Gold, copper, & silver:

How metals are moving this year

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man "Bullish is a mindset"

Markets, Crypto and Culture

Running Of The Bulls To Normal; Cryptos Hurting; All That Glitters ...

October 15/16, 2025

Sin City Sydney, Australia

ASX futures up 5 points/0.1%, at 9024

Wall Street:
S&P 500 +0.4%
Dow Jones: flat
Nasdaq +0.7%

Europe: Stoxx 50 +1%
FTSE -0.3%
DAX -0.2%
CAC +2%

Australian dollar: US65.06 cents

Bitcoin -1.6% to $US111,106

Gold +1.5% to $US4227.10 per ounce

Oil +0.1% to $US58.78 a barrel

Brent crude oil +0.1% to $US62.45 a barrel

Iron ore -0.3% to $US104.90 per ton

10-year yield:
US 4.03%
Australia 4.21%
Germany 2.57%

News Update: (Near Live)

Bitcoin:

New York/Wall St

Cryptos Today: (Near Live) Mood: Corrective! Salt Into The Wound In Checkers?! Or Salt Of The Earth In Metals Right Chess Move?! All That Glitters Not Digital Gold?!

Bitcoin $111,291.65 -1.77%
Ethereum $3,980.33 -3.44%
Tether $1.0005 -0.03%
Binance Coin $1,161.17 -3.98%
XRP $2.4129 -3.48%
Solana $194.13 -3.71%
TRON $0.3194 +0.85%
Dogecoin -$0.1961 -4.15%
Cardano $0.6677 -4.14%

Market corrective. Mood: Somber-like for many! Suspicious! Regaining smiles! Hardcores keep the dream!

Media Man Favs:

October 15, 2025 (Near Live)
Wall St, New York

TKO Group Holdings Inc $191.21 +1.18 +0.62%
NVIDIA Corp $179.83 -0.18 -0.099%
Formula One Group Series C $103.57 -0.15 -0.14%
Alphabet Inc Class A $251.03 +5.58 +2.27%
News Corp Class A $26.57 -0.070 -0.26%
Netflix Inc $1,203.29 -12.06 -0.99%
Caterpillar Inc $534.05 +6.58 +1.25%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $16.27
-0.010 -0.061%
Tesla Inc $435.15 +5.91 +1.38%
Walt Disney Co $111.71 +0.54 +0.49%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $118.07 +1.96 +1.69%
Meta Platforms Inc $717.55 +8.90 +1.26%
BHP Group Ltd $43.54
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $15.15 +0.040 +0.26%
Elders Ltd $7.50
Rio Tinto Ltd $129.69

News

The dollar prefers to stay within the range for now

The US dollar turned downward at the end of the day on Tuesday and continues to move downward in the first half of Wednesday. The dollar is being weighed down by the recovery of positive momentum in the stock markets. Pressure on the dollar can also be linked to Powell's latest comments yesterday evening. The Fed chairman confirmed the path to further rate cuts and said asset sales from the balance sheet could be halted soon, ending the quantitative tightening phase. To be cont ..

(FxPro)

News

The US stock market rebound may falter

US stock index futures are rising after a disastrous Friday, when Trump's aggressive response to China's tariffs shook the markets. The US president's announcements were carefully timed, with the most aggressive measures (additional 100% tariffs on Chinese goods) announced after the market closed.

Over the weekend, US and Chinese leaders appeared to reach out to each other, offering opportunities for further discussion and a deal. Market sentiment was close to extreme fear, with the Fear and Greed Index falling to 29 on Friday and recovering to 30 on Monday. These are the lowest values since the end of April, when the market was recovering from the “liberation day” effect on Trump's tariffs. In the last couple of years, this index has entered the extreme fear zone before we saw a reversal in the indices. This means that bears may exert another round of pressure on the markets. It is easy to link this to further toughening of mutual rhetoric between China and the US, albeit with the possibility of dialogue remaining open. In other words, in this case, it is worth talking about a decrease in the intensity of mutual recriminations, but not about a reversal in relations. From this, we can conclude that the risks that caused the markets to collapse on Friday remain. We also note that the S&P 500 is trading at a significant distance from its 200-week moving average, near which the market has ended its declines over the past 14 years since 2011, touching it or turning around within 2-5% of it. This contrasts sharply with the current situation, where the S&P 500 is almost 25% above this line. If we talk about a correction within a bull market, then the target for bears seems to be the 6100–6150 range, where the 50-week moving average and last winter's highs are concentrated. Movement in this direction looks like a viable strategy for the final quarter of the year, unless there is a real reversal in the rapprochement between China and the US, which we highly doubt. In addition, seasonal factors are also temporarily on the side of the bears, given the more than 40% growth from the lows of the year in early April, the suppressed volatility of the last month and a half, and the tendency to look for new patterns in the markets in the final months of the year. If that's not enough, add to this the fact that the economy is beginning to feel the effects of tariff wars and a deteriorating labour market, and AI is no longer a novelty. In these conditions, it will be increasingly difficult for traders to find reasons for local purchases. (FxPro)

News

Crypto market recovers from tariff shock

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation stood at $3.9 trillion on Monday, up 4.4% from the previous day but down 6% from pre-Friday crash levels. On Friday, the US stock market saw its biggest drop since April but recovered some of its losses on Monday. Since Sunday, the crypto market has been attempting to rebound after a sell-off that began as an emotional reaction to tariff initiatives by China and the US but escalated into massive margin calls and stop orders being triggered.

The sentiment index stood at 38 (fear) on Monday morning, down from 24 (extreme fear) the day before. The level of sentiment we saw over the weekend was last seen in April under similar circumstances — when tough trade tariffs were announced.

Bitcoin approached $115K on Monday, while Ethereum exceeded $4,200. Cryptocurrencies are recovering after Friday's sharp decline. The movement on Friday and in the early hours of Saturday swept the ‘weak hands’ out of the market, taking the price of BTC below the 50—and 200-day moving averages and below the August and September lows.

Such sweeping liquidations often set the bottom of the market, but it may take time for the wounds to heal. In 2020, 2021 and 2024, it took a couple of weeks for the rally to start, although the market did not rewrite the lows. But in 2022, the turnaround to growth after the crash began after about six months. Relying on these statistics is encouraging for bargain hunters in crypto. Still, it would be too hasty to say that the recovery will be just as quick and will begin immediately.

News Background

Wall Street crashed on Friday after US President Donald Trump escalated the trade conflict with China following Beijing's tightening of restrictions on trade in rare earth metals, Reuters reports. Cryptocurrencies and stock indices fell sharply on Friday. Some softening of tone from Trump and Xi has led to the probability of 100% tariffs against China by 1 November being estimated at 8% on Polymarket, down from 26% at the end of Friday. Santiment notes that bitcoin remains extremely sensitive to risk appetite and behaves more like a risky asset than a safe haven.

The Kobeissi Letter notes that the collapse of cryptocurrencies on 11 October will not have long-term fundamental consequences and was caused by a combination of technical factors. The market crash triggered a record cascade of liquidations worth $19.3 billion. Analyst Frank Fetter, citing technical indicators, said the cryptocurrency market is still far from overbought, which means there is still potential for the rally to continue.

News Flashback

Oil Holds Strong Despite Bearish Fundamentals

News

Gold hits new highs due to political turmoil

Gold is outside the realm of politics.

While currencies and securities depend on the actions of presidents and governments, precious metals do not. Therefore, political turmoil forces investors to use them as safe-haven assets.

News

Politics remains the main driver of FX

News

Pop Culture News

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream Match Series; Crack The Code!

News

Cryptocurrency Movies
Documentaries

Banking on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Silk Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

News

The film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal, with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father (Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News Flashback

Gold, copper, & silver:

How metals are moving this year

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man "Bullish is a mindset"

Cryptos, Markets and Culture

Friday Into The Weekend Edition!

October 3/4, 2025

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Bitcoin $122,667.92 +2.23%
Ethereum $4,506.29 +0.60%
Tether $1.0005 flat
Binance Coin $1,177.34 +7.54%
XRP $3.0270 +0.11%
Solana $230.17 -0.54%
USDC $0.9996 flat
TRON $0.3408 -0.88%
Dogecoin $0.2542 - 1.31%
Cardano $0.8572 -0.14%

Market bullish! Mood joyful

News

October 3, 2025

Markets (Sydney to New York)

Australian Dollar: $0.6590 USD (down $0.0020 USD)
Iron Ore: $103.40 USD (down $0.20 USD)
Oil: $60.68 USD (down $1.12 USD)
Gold: $3,856.37 USD (down $9.29 USD)
Copper: $4.9540 USD (up 0.0595 USD)
Bitcoin: $120,564.31 USD (up 2.56%)
Dow Jones: 46,519.72 (up 78.62 points)

Stocks

Media Man Favs:

TKO Group $197.35 -0.65 -0.33%
Formula One Group Series C $104.83 +0.68 +0.65%
NVIDIA Corp $187.62 -1.32 -0.70%
Alphabet Inc Class A $245.35 -0.34 -0.14%
News Corp Class A $28.38 -0.17 -0.60%
Netflix Inc $1,153.32 -9.21 -0.79%
Caterpillar Inc $497.85 +7.28 +1.48%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $17.34 +0.14 +0.81%
Tesla Inc $429.83 -6.17 -1.42%
Walt Disney Co $112.47 +0.33 +0.29%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $123.66 -9.68 -7.26%
Meta Platforms Inc $710.56 -16.49 -2.27%
BHP Group Ltd $42.08 +0.14 +0.33%
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $16.24 +0.18 +1.11%

News

Crypto

October 2

The cryptocurrency market soared to extremes

Market Overview

The cryptocurrency market capitalisation soared by 4% over the past day to $4.07 trillion. The capitalisation has soared into the extreme zone, above which it was only briefly in mid-August and mid-September.

Cryptocurrency investors are convinced that the US government shutdown is not dampening risk appetite, and macroeconomic data is pushing the Fed to ease its policy further.

The sentiment index rose to 64 (greed), reaching its highest level in the last six weeks. However, the index is far from extreme greed, leaving significant potential for further strengthening.

On Thursday morning, Bitcoin exceeded $118K, surpassing the previous highs, which indicates an important technical breakthrough of the established range. The next step could well be an attempt to update historical highs approaching $125K. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to the activity of long-term sellers, who have been actively selling near these levels since July: we may see a new episode of selling on the rise.

News Background

The total supply of stablecoins grew by a record $45 billion in the third quarter, according to http://CEX.io. At the same time, 69% of the ‘printed’ volume was issued on the main Ethereum network.

According to CryptoQuant, the growth in the supply of stablecoins creates a powerful foundation for a bull market. Historically, Bitcoin has rallied not only in October but throughout the last quarter of the year.

The main factors that could trigger a crypto market rally in the fourth quarter could be changes in digital asset regulation in the US and expanded access to the crypto market through products on stock exchanges, according to Grayscale.

The total Bitcoin reserves of Japanese company Metaplanet reached 30,823 coins, placing it in fourth place among all corporate BTC holders.

According to Onchain Lens, Tether, the issuer of USDT, has replenished its Bitcoin reserve with 8,889 BTC worth $1 billion. Since May 2023, the company has been allocating 15% of its net profit to the purchase of BTC as part of its long-term asset diversification strategy.

Stani Kulechov, founder of leading lending platform Aave, said lower interest rates by global central banks will create favourable conditions for yield growth in the DeFi sector and may drive renewed interest in decentralised finance. (FxPro)

News

Oct 3

ASX rallies 1.1pc as miners and CBA jump

The Australian sharemarket posted a strong gain on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 1.1 per cent to close at 8,945.9 points. BHP rose 1.1 per cent to $41.94, Westgold Resources was up 8.3 per cent at $5.37 and the Commonwealth Bank finished 1.7 per cent higher at $169.82. However, profit-taking saw DroneShield fall 9.8 per cent to $5.18 following a rally in recent days, while REA Group was down 1.9 per cent at $224.99. (RMS)

News

Pop Culture News

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream Match Series; Crack The Code!

Million Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets
Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation
Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr H
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
L. Murdoch
Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match! Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle
UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!

News

Cryptocurrency Movies

Documentaries

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014) Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s early days and its potential to disrupt finance.

Banking on Bitcoin (2016) Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet (2020)

Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives into blockchain’s broader applications beyond cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s transformative potential.

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015) Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized financial systems. Features interviews with crypto experts.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Crypto (2019) A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal but praise its entertainment value.

Silk Road (2021) A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes

Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Feature films often dramatize crypto’s association with crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.

For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many of these are available.

News

Wall Street (Movie)

Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,” drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth and power. The film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal, with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father (Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.

Key Details:

Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox). Runtime: 2h 6m. Genre: Drama/Crime. Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess.

Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):

Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability). Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News Flashback

Gold, copper, & silver: How metals are moving this year

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man

"Bullish is a mindset"

Markets, Crypto and Culture

October 2, 2025

Sydney, Australia

Markets

ASX futures up 46 points or 0.5% to 8923

Wall Street:
S&P 500 +0.3%
Dow Jones +0.1%
Nasdaq +0.4%

Europe:
Stoxx 50 +0.9%
FTSE +1%
DAX +1%
CAC +0.9%

Bitcoin +2.4% to $US117,575

Gold +0.1% to $US3864.36 per ounce
US oil -1% to $US61.77 a barrel
Brent crude oil -1% to $US65.39 a barrel
Iron ore flat at $US103.60 per tonne

10-year yield:
US 4.10%
Australia 4.36%
Germany 2.71%

News

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Bitcoin $117,874.03 +3.44%
Ethereum $4,322.05 +4.37%
Tether $1.0004 +0.04%
Binance Coin $1,022.61 +1.94%
XRP $2.9400 +3.35%
Solana $219.80 +5.58%
USDC $0.9997 +0.02%
TRON $0.3417 +2.62%
Dogecoin $0.2466 +6.40%

Market Cautious! Mood gaining

News

Mining Stocks

BHP Group Ltd $41.47 -1.06 +2.49%
Fortescue Ltd $18.94 +0.26 +1.39%
Rio Tinto $122.58 +0.55 +0.45%

News

The crypto market has rebounded from its low point, but further signals are needed
Market Overview
The crypto market capitalisation has remained virtually unchanged over the past 24 hours, staying close to $3.91 trillion and the 50-day moving average. The market has moved away from local lows but prefers to wait for the next catalyst to determine its direction. Labour market data and the resolution of the US shutdown issue promise to help in this regard.

Bitcoin is trading above $114.4k, trying to consolidate above its 50-day moving average. The first cryptocurrency is much worse than gold and silver at exploiting the narrative of US financial problems, showing very indecisive growth. Cryptocurrencies are being weighed down by pressure on the stock markets, for which the shutdown is a negative factor.

Bitcoin rose 6.1% in September to $114.6k, defying the seasonal trends of one of the two worst months of the year. In recent days, BTC has managed to approach the highs of the middle of the month.

From a seasonal perspective, October is one of the three best months of the year, which is why it is called ‘Uptober.’ Over the past 14 years, Bitcoin has ended this month with growth in 10 cases. The average growth was 27.4%, and the average decline was 15.3%.

News Background
According to Bitwise, the current situation may indicate the end of the decline phase. Sellers appear to be ‘increasingly depleted.’ Upcoming SEC decisions on spot ETFs could be catalysts for growth, according to Bitget Research.

The share of altcoins in the volume of futures trading on Binance reached a historic high of 82.3%, exceeding the peak values of the 2021 altseason, according to CryptoQuant. Traders are increasingly shifting their attention to more volatile assets in anticipation of higher profits.

DePIN tokens of decentralised physical infrastructure networks are not securities and are therefore outside the SEC's oversight. This is stated in a letter from the regulator addressed to the DoubleZero project. (FxPro)

Media Man: Cryptos bullish!

News lead up

Crypto market attempts to form a double bottom

Market Overview

The crypto market has been gaining since the start of the day on Friday, adding 3.5% during this time to $3.85 trillion, but still 1.3% below the level of a week earlier.

The rebound is coming from roughly the same levels as in early September. Once again, altcoins are recovering stronger than BTC. Such outperformance in the early stages of recovery often indicates the future winners of the race, which in this case are altcoins. The sentiment index fell to 28 on Friday but recovered to 50 by Monday. The approach to the extreme fear zone seems to have activated optimists, who began to buy back the drawdown. However, cautious traders will likely prefer to wait for the results of the 50-day moving average test, which is currently passing through $3.92 trillion. At the end of last week, Bitcoin found support at 109,000.

It was bought at roughly the same levels as the end of August and even slightly higher, which is positive for the bulls. On the other hand, September's local high is lower than the previous one, which generally indicates a decrease in volatility and a stronger movement towards a breakout beyond the $108-118K range. Movements within the range can give many false short-term signals.

News Background

Santiment has recorded a surge in mentions of “buy on dip,” which may indicate the likelihood of an imminent rebound. In addition, whales continue to accumulate BTC, and the supply of Bitcoin on exchanges is declining. However, Glassnode warns of a continued correction, given growing selling pressure from long-term holders and declining institutional demand for ETFs. The first Ethereum ETF with a staking feature from REX Shares and Osprey Funds has launched in the US.

Investors will receive monthly payments for supporting the ETH network. Applications from BlackRock and Fidelity are still being reviewed by the SEC. Ethereum has begun to show signs that a local bottom has likely been reached, notes analyst Mikybull Crypto.

The RSI oscillator on daily charts has fallen to its lowest levels since April, when ETH was trading around $1,400. According to the Wall Street Journal, US regulators are investigating cases of potential insider trading involving companies that accumulate cryptocurrencies in their reserves. The SEC and FINRA have already sent inquiries to a number of companies.

Rating agency Moody's warns that the rapid expansion of cryptocurrencies’ use in developing countries, including stablecoins, poses risks to monetary sovereignty and financial stability. (FxPro)

News

Sept 30

Uncertainty benefits AUD, while shutdown hurts USD

The Australian dollar gained for the third trading session, accelerating its growth to 0.5% on Tuesday after the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep its key rate at 3.60%. Analysts widely anticipated the decision, but the official commentary on the decision contained hawkish notes, which played into the hands of the AUD. The RBA noted that September inflation may be higher than previously expected and pointed to a recovery in economic activity. When the economy does not require emergency support and inflation is likely to pick up, central banks are more inclined to pause and assess the dynamic. In contrast, there are increasing signs in the US that monetary policy needs to be eased.

Taken together, this creates a divergence between Australian and US monetary policy in favour of the Australian dollar. At the end of last week, AUDUSD found support at the 50-day moving average and reversed to growth at the 200-day average. The pair has been moving upwards within a range since the beginning of the year, from which it only fell during the shock of ‘America's Liberation Day’ in early April. The Aussie touched the upper limit of this channel on 17 September, briefly exceeding 0.6700, but the looming US government shutdown halted the strengthening of the USD on the Fed's cautious comments. This exceptionally short-term and speculative story (a compromise was always found sooner or later) nevertheless undermines long-term confidence in the dollar, preventing it from reversing the downward trend that began at the start of the year. (FxPro)

News Flashback

Oil: producers intensify battle for market share Bullish sentiment on global stock and commodity markets supported the prevailing positive mood in oil prices last week. However, on Friday, the price turned downwards when it touched the 200-day moving average. This is due not only to technical factors but also to a set of fundamental reasons.

The latest weekly data on stocks and production reinforce the position of oil sellers. On Friday, Baker Hughes noted an increase in the number of active oil rigs to 424 (+6 for the week and +14 from the low in early August). Although this is significantly lower than the levels at the beginning of the year, when the latest decline began, it still resembles a trend that points to increased activity among US oil producers and their renewed confidence in the need to invest in the sector.

In addition, actual production levels have been rising since mid-July. In the middle of last week, the EIA reported an increase in production to 13.5 million barrels per day, the highest since the end of March. Interestingly, this has not yet led to an accumulation of reserves. Commercial stocks have fallen by almost 10 million barrels over the past two weeks, staying close to the lower limit for this indicator over the past ten years.

The strategic reserve is being replenished, but at about half the rate it was before Trump's election victory in November last year. Over the weekend, it was also reported that at the next monthly meeting of the OPEC+ monitoring committee on October 5, a recommendation will be considered for the cartel to increase quotas by at least another 135,000 barrels per day starting in November. The cartel has made a shift in its strategy, actively increasing quotas, first by removing voluntary cuts and now by raising the bar for all participants. In total, quotas have been increased by 2.5 million barrels per day during this period. The intensification of oil production has halted attempts by oil to grow, despite the positive macroeconomic backdrop. As a result, oil prices have been unable to sustainably consolidate above the 200-day moving average for more than a year now. This downward trend line has fallen to around $70, compared to $82 just over a year ago and a peak of $100 at the end of 2022.

Oil has been moving within a downward range for the past three years, with the upper limit for Brent at $73 per barrel and the lower limit at $53. Although the price is now significantly closer to the upper limit, a set of fundamental factors and technical pressures makes a decline more likely than growth in the near term. (FxPro)

News

News Flashback

Gold

What the aggressive growth of gold indicates

Gold is once again benefiting from a combination of geopolitical tensions, demand for safe-haven assets, and reduced risk appetite in the stock and cryptocurrency markets. The price per ounce returned to its historic highs, reaching $3,750 on the spot market and adding 3% from the start of the day on Friday to the start of active trading in Europe on Tuesday.

The previous historic high was set on 17 September, followed by two days of profit-taking. However, the wave of decline was not long-lasting, and gold corrected by less than 20% from its last rally on 20 August. This indicates a strong appetite for gold, despite the price highs and an almost unprecedented rate of growth since the beginning of the year. From a technical point of view, the expansion of this pattern indicates the potential for the price to rise to $4,000.

Politics is once again working in favour of gold bugs. The tightening of work visa rules is likely to cause discontent in India. Modi's statements about the need to make the country independent of foreign markets are undermining hopes for a trade settlement.

The latest discussion of a government shutdown also supports gold purchases.

The Fed's softening of its monetary policy stance is providing additional long-term confidence to buyers. Although this reassessment of market prospects has paused in recent days, it appears to be a pause rather than a reversal, as it would take a strong improvement in labour market indicators and a surge in inflation to change this trend.

Gold is being pushed in the same direction by expectations that global central banks will continue to accumulate gold reserves at the expense of the dollar's share in them, as alternative currencies do not look much better in terms of fundamentals.

On the other hand, the price growth rate is now more of a bearish factor. The historic rally is increasing demand for a full-fledged portfolio shake-up, with a correction of more than 130% growth over the last three years. The period from September to November, with the end of the financial and calendar year, looks like a suitable point to start this trend.

Additionally, the RSI on daily timeframes entering the overbought zone above 80 earlier in September increases the risks of a decline. Last week's price decline pushed the index back to 70. A similar signal has triggered a sideways movement or correction about a dozen times in the last five years, with only one exception in April 2024, when we saw an 8% price increase before a three-month sideways movement.

On balance, we view the situation as the final stage of gold's increase over the past three years. Growth within it may be quite aggressive, combined with accelerated closing of short positions. However, for medium- and long-term investors, this is suitable for closing long positions and looking for the right moment to open short ones. (FxPro)

News

Pop Culture News

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream Match Series

News

Cryptocurrency Movies

Documentaries

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014) Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s early days and its potential to disrupt finance.

Banking on Bitcoin (2016) Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet (2020)

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015) Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized financial systems. Features interviews with crypto experts.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Crypto (2019) A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal but praise its entertainment value.

Silk Road (2021) A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes

Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Feature films often dramatize crypto’s association with crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.

For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many of these are available.

News

Wall Street (Movie)

Key Details:

Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox). Runtime: 2h 6m. Genre: Drama/Crime. Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess.

Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):

Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability). Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News

Gold, copper, & silver: How metals are moving this year

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man

"Bullish is a mindset"

Cryptocurrency News, Fintech, Blockchain, Media

September 29, 2025

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Bitcoin $114,160.79 +1.91%
Ethereum $4,222.43 +2.12%
Tether $1.0005 -0.02%
XRP $2.8938 +1.08%
Solana $214.06 +2.03%
TRON $0.3372 +0.45%
Dogecoin $0.2369 +0.18%

News

September 29, 2025

Crypto market attempts to form a double bottom

Market Overview

The crypto market has been gaining since the start of the day on Friday, adding 3.5% during this time to $3.85 trillion, but still 1.3% below the level of a week earlier.

The sentiment index fell to 28 on Friday but recovered to 50 by Monday. The approach to the extreme fear zone seems to have activated optimists, who began to buy back the drawdown. However, cautious traders will likely prefer to wait for the results of the 50-day moving average test, which is currently passing through $3.92 trillion.

At the end of last week, Bitcoin found support at 109,000. It was bought at roughly the same levels as the end of August and even slightly higher, which is positive for the bulls. On the other hand, September's local high is lower than the previous one, which generally indicates a decrease in volatility and a stronger movement towards a breakout beyond the $108-118K range. Movements within the range can give many false short-term signals.

News Background

However, Glassnode warns of a continued correction, given growing selling pressure from long-term holders and declining institutional demand for ETFs. The first Ethereum ETF with a staking feature from REX Shares and Osprey Funds has launched in the US. Investors will receive monthly payments for supporting the ETH network. Applications from BlackRock and Fidelity are still being reviewed by the SEC.

Ethereum has begun to show signs that a local bottom has likely been reached, notes analyst Mikybull Crypto. The RSI oscillator on daily charts has fallen to its lowest levels since April, when ETH was trading around $1,400.

According to the Wall Street Journal, US regulators are investigating cases of potential insider trading involving companies that accumulate cryptocurrencies in their reserves. The SEC and FINRA have already sent inquiries to a number of companies.

Rating agency Moody's warns that the rapid expansion of cryptocurrencies’ use in developing countries, including stablecoins, poses risks to monetary sovereignty and financial stability. (FxPro)

News

September 25, 2025

The crypto market is digging deeper

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation has fallen to a nearly three-week low of $3.83 trillion, falling deeper below its 50-day moving average. However, similar declines at the end of June and the end of August only encouraged buyers. On Thursday morning, Bitcoin wiped out the previous day's gains, while major altcoins, Ethereum, and Solana, have been declining for the fifth trading session in a row.

The sentiment index at 44 barely touches the fear zone, preventing us from talking about a full-fledged reversal in sentiment. Nevertheless, we are once again turning our attention to crypto as an early indicator of risk appetite. Altcoins, as well as small currencies of developed countries, have been losing ground since the Fed cut rates a week ago, and key US indices have joined them since Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Bitcoin unsuccessfully attempted to storm the 50-day moving average. Earlier, BTCUSD fell out of the upward channel that had been forming since early September. These are all signs of a deeper dive ahead, potentially into the $104-107K range.

News Background

Bitcoin's implied volatility has fallen to its lowest level since 2023. Blockchain data points to a “calm before the storm,” according to XWIN Research. The last time this happened, it was followed by explosive growth.

CoinW also calls the situation “the calm before the storm.” Negative funding rates, seasonal trends, and inflows into institutional ETFs tip the odds in favour of growth. According to CoinGlass, Bitcoin has strengthened in October in 10 of the last 12 years.

If US inflation turns out to be moderate, the Fed's rate will be further reduced, and the amount of liquidity in the market will increase. According to QCP Capital, this factor will be the main driver of Bitcoin's growth in October.
However, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon believes that the Fed is unlikely to cut its key rate. He sees factors that are more likely to cause inflation to rise than fall.

SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci confirmed his previous forecast that Bitcoin will reach its target of $150,000 by the end of the year. In his opinion, November-December is the most favourable period for buying BTC.

Pantera Capital CEO Dan Morehead said BRICS countries, including Russia and China, view Bitcoin as a tool for de-dollarisation. In his opinion, these countries will prepare to create state Bitcoin reserves and their own Bitcoin ETFs. (FxPro)

News

Blockchain News

1. SWIFT Announces Blockchain-Based Overhaul for Global Payments

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), which handles millions of daily transactions, is integrating a blockchain-based ledger into its infrastructure. This move aims to enhance interoperability and speed, with top global banks collaborating on the project.

In response to rising stablecoin competition, SWIFT's update could accelerate tokenized asset adoption. Industry experts see this as a pivotal step toward hybrid traditional-fintech systems.

Related buzz: Qatar National Bank (QNB) has adopted JPMorgan's blockchain platform for instant USD payments in the Middle East, building on its prior Ripple partnership for cross-border efficiency.

2. Institutional Momentum:

BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF Expansion and Treasury PlaysBlackRock filed for a Bitcoin Premium Income ETF, extending its dominance beyond the $87 billion iShares Bitcoin Trust. This signals growing mainstream interest in yield-generating crypto products.

Anthony Scaramucci-backed Hivemind Capital launched a $550 million fund to acquire digital tokens on the Avalanche blockchain—the first of its kind for on-chain treasuries.

However, institutional Bitcoin acquisitions have slowed sharply, with treasuries scaling back amid market volatility. Analysts predict a potential cycle dip mirroring 2017, with $200K BTC targets if liquidity holds.

3. Regulatory and Government Advances

Nasdaq proposed rule changes to tokenize equity securities and exchange-traded products, potentially unlocking billions in on-chain capital markets.

The SEC is drafting an "innovation exemption" to fast-track digital asset product approvals, while U.S. lawmakers push to include crypto in retirement plans.

Stablecoin legislation is also advancing in Congress.

Globally, Kyrgyzstan plans to migrate government services on-chain by 2028, and the Philippines is exploring blockchain post-corruption protests.

Fnality, a blockchain payment firm, raised $136M from major banks for real-time settlements.

4. Tech Innovations and Ecosystem GrowthAmadeus Protocol unveiled the world's first "thinking blockchain," converting mining power into AI intelligence via unique Proof-of-Work (uPoW).

Solana developers are debating removing block limits after the Alpenglow upgrade to boost capacity for high-performance validators.

Layer-1 blockchains are solidifying as crypto's backbone, with tokenized assets and stablecoin rules testing their scalability.

AGII launched optimization engines for reliable blockchain automation in Web3.

In gaming and RWAs:

OFA Group's real-estate tokenization platform with Blockchain App Factory, and AAA's document-authentication pilot using Integra Ledger.

5. Market Sentiment and Warnings

Bitcoin's upward grind continues, but analysts flag 10-20% pullbacks and a possible financial crash by late September tied to global M2 liquidity.

XRP ETF speculation is heating up, with bearish trader bets amid approval rumors.

Broader trends: Korea Blockchain Week (through Sep 28) featured exchange partnerships and regulatory updates. Decentralized apps like Bitchat surged in Madagascar during protests.

News Flashback

September 24, 2025

BTC Calm Breaks as Bulls Face Resistance

Digital assets have been hit by one of the biggest sell-offs since the beginning of the year. According to Coinglass, 1.5 billion dollars in long positions were liquidated at the start of this week. Bitcoin fell from its monthly highs due to a revision of market views on the fate of the federal funds rate, the strengthening of the US dollar, and concerns about a decline in demand.

Corporations have accumulated $116 billion worth of Bitcoin and have become serious players in the market. The fall in their shares, coupled with Nasdaq's requirement for shareholder approval of new issues, has created real panic. If these financial institutions find it difficult to raise funds through securities issues, demand for digital assets will fall, and prices will also drop.

Optimists believe that this is not the case. There are also specialised exchange-traded funds and the resumption of the Fed's monetary policy easing cycle is likely to increase demand for Bitcoin ETFs. The outflow of capital from money market funds will also play a role. Reserves increased to a whopping $7.7 trillion in 2025. The average yield was 4.1%, which is significantly higher than the average 0.6% on bank deposits. As the federal funds rate declines, yields will fall, and money will flow into other ETFs, including those related to cryptocurrency.

Investors believe that over time, the link between US stock indices and Bitcoin will be restored. However, while US stocks have such an important growth driver as artificial intelligence technology, Bitcoin does not. Companies from the S&P 500, especially tech giants, regularly report positive corporate reports. Interest in cryptocurrency purchases by corporations, on the contrary, is falling.

The cryptocurrency market is prone to extremes. The highest derivative bets are concentrated at the 95,000 and 140,000 levels. This means that after a long period of calm, investors are expecting to see a real storm. Much will depend on the ability of Bitcoin bulls to overcome important resistance levels at 113,500 and 115,000. If they succeed, there will be a chance to restore the uptrend. Failure will increase the risks of a Bitcoin correction. (FxPro)

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

Cryptocurrency

“Bitcoin is a tool for freeing humanity from oligarchs and tyrants, dressed up as a get-rich-quick scheme.” – Naval Ravikant, former CEO of AngelList

“We have elected to put our money and faith in a mathematical framework that is free of politics and human error.“ – Tyler Winklevoss, co-CEO of Gemini

"You can't stop things like Bitcoin. It will be everywhere, and the world will have to readjust. World governments will have to readjust." —John McAfee, Founder of McAfee Associates

“There are 3 eras of currency: Commodity based, politically based, and now, math-based.“ – Chris Dixon, Venture Capitalist at Andreesen Horowitz

“As the value goes up, heads start to swivel and skeptics begin to soften. Starting a new currency is easy, anyone can do it. The trick is getting people to accept it because it is their use that gives the “money” value.“ - Adam B. Levine, CEO of Tokenly

“Trading Bitcoin is like trading Apple, Amazon, Google, or Facebook a decade ago. The more you obsess over timing the market, the more mistakes you make. They were all technology networks that were dominant & destined to grow.” - Michael Saylor, Former CEO of MicroStrategy

"Whereas most technologies tend to automate workers on the periphery doing menial tasks, blockchains automate away the center. Instead of putting the taxi driver out of a job, blockchain puts Uber out of a job and lets the taxi drivers work with the customer directly." - Vitalik Buterin, Co-Founder of Ethereum

"The Latin American countries where you have this combination of inflation or hyperinflation cycles – deflation as well – and then you have very high friction for financial transactions, a high percentage of people who are unbanked, cryptocurrencies make total sense." – Fred Thiel, CEO of Thiel Advisors & Marathon Digital Holdings

“…we know gold is a $12 trillion asset, bitcoin’s about a 10th of gold. Could they be half of gold? At one point, Sure, it could … And at some point, it will be larger than gold… that money is finding its way to Gen Z and Millennials, and they feel much more comfortable with digital gold than old clunky gold.” - Mike Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy Digital

“If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry.” - Satoshi Nakomoto, Founder of Bitcoin

Markets, Crypto and Culture

August 18, 2025

Sydney, Australia

Markets

ASX futures down 53 points or 0.6% to 8843

Australian dollar +0.1% to 65.10 US cents

Wall Street:
S&P 500 -0.3%
Dow Jones +0.1%
Nasdaq -0.4%

Europe:
Stoxx 50 +0.3%
FTSE -0.4%
DAX -0.1%
CAC +0.7%

Bitcoin +0.1% to $US117,786

Gold flat at $US3336.19 per ounce
US oil -1.8% to $US62.80 a barrel
Brent crude oil -1.5% to $US65.85 a barrel
Iron ore flat at $US102.05 per ton

10-year yield:
US 4.32%
Australia 4.23%
Germany 2.79%

News

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Bitcoin $118,026.62 USD +0.18%
Ethereum $4,524.48 USD +1.94%
Tether $1.00 USD -0.20%
XRP $3.11 USD +0.02%
BNB $858.06 USD +2.27%

News

Bitcoin hit new highs but then dropped back down

Market Overview

The crypto market cap rose to $4.20 trillion on Thursday morning before dropping back down somewhat to $4.14 trillion. But even with the correction, the daily gain is close to 2%, led by Bitcoin's slide to a new peak of $124.5K. Among the major coins, Cardano (+18%), Near Protocol (+6.2%) and Trump (+5.9%) were the leaders.

The sentiment index rose to 75, ready to move into the extreme greed zone. It was previously held at this level throughout the second half of July, but the entire crypto market was in a range at that time. (FxPro)

News Flashback

Summer Break for the Crypto Market

Market Overview

The cryptocurrency market began August with a relatively narrow range of $3.6-3.8 trillion, ending Wednesday at $3.72 trillion. The support received in the area of previous peaks set in December and January suggests that this is a temporary pause to lock in profits and gain liquidity before a new surge. At the same time, however, such sluggishness is turning away the most active traders, who are used to seeing multiple rallies. Now they have moved on to very small projects.

On Tuesday, Bitcoin was again approaching its 50-day moving average. Such frequent testing of the medium-term trend signal line indicates accumulated fatigue in the first cryptocurrency. For comparison, the crypto market's total capitalisation is still moving significantly above its 50-day average, which is currently around $3.57 trillion.

News Background

Institutional investors are actively buying up Ethereum, while retail traders remain on the sidelines. SharpLink bought 83,561 ETH ($264.5 million) last week at an average price of $3,634. The company's reserves amount to almost 522,000 ETH (~$1.9 billion). However, Bitmine Immersion Tech remains the leader, with 833 coins worth over $3 billion. A total of 64 corporations now own 2.96 million ETH ($10.81 billion) or 2.45% of the total Ethereum supply.

Large companies continue to buy Bitcoin, adding 26,700 BTC to their reserves in July. Strategy bought 21,021 BTC for $2.46 billion last week. According to BitcoinTreasuries, public and private companies now hold 1.35 million BTC ($155 billion) on their balance sheets — more than 6% of the total digital gold supply.

US regulators have proposed new rules for the crypto industry. The CFTC has launched an initiative to legalise spot trading of cryptocurrencies on registered exchanges, and the SEC has updated its guidance on stablecoin accounting rules.

USDe from Ethena Labs has become the third-largest stablecoin. Since mid-July, its capitalisation has grown by 75% to $9.5 billion. Demand for the asset may have been spurred by high yields ranging from 10% to 19% per annum. The total capitalisation of all stablecoins has been growing for the seventh month in a row and is approaching $275 billion. (FxPro)

News

S&P500’s buy-the-dip sentiment helped Bitcoin

The sell-off of Bitcoin following Congress's passage of a law regulating the circulation of stablecoins and the retreat of US stock indices from record highs allowed Bitcoin bears to push prices below the lower boundary of the $116k—$120k consolidation range. When it looked like a severe correction was coming, US stocks stepped in again. Investors bought up the S&P 500 dip, and Bitcoin immediately bounced back.

Changes in global risk appetite continue to be the main driver of cryptocurrency prices. July saw a series of record highs for the S&P 500, making it a successful month for Bitcoin. Meanwhile, Bitcoin-focused ETFs attracted $6 billion, the third-best result in the history of specialised exchange-traded funds. Ether ETFs were not far behind, with a record inflow of $5.4 billion.

The situation changed dramatically at the turn of July and August. Interest in digital assets began to cool. Coinbase's Bitcoin premium fell into the red for the first time since May, indicating a decline in demand from US investors. Open interest in Bitcoin and Ether futures contracts fell by 13% and 21%, respectively, compared to Bitcoin's record high. According to Coinglass, on the last day of July, $800 million in long positions across all cryptocurrencies were liquidated.

Speculators doubt the rally's continuation, while crypto treasuries are buying Bitcoin under any conditions. On pullbacks or at market prices, ‘Strategy’ acquired more than 21,000 coins worth $2.46 billion during the week of July 28th to August 3rd. This is the third-largest cryptocurrency purchase by Michael Saylor's company since records began. The average price is the second highest in history. As a result, Strategy's reserves have grown to more than $71 billion.

The future dynamics of Bitcoin will depend on the fate of US stock indices and capital flows into ETFs. If the S&P 500's successes are temporary, Bitcoin will be forced to undergo a deep correction. If its quotes remain below the middle of the previous consolidation range of $116k—$120k, the bears are in control.

News

Bitcoin tests support at 50-day MA

Market Picture

The crypto market rolled back at the end of last week following a reduction in risk appetite in the financial markets. However, on Sunday, sentiment changed with the return of active buyers near the total capitalisation of $3.60 trillion. At the time of writing, the market is at $3.73 trillion (+3.6%). Less than 10% of the top 100 coins show gains over 7 days, among which the largest are TRON (+2.2%) and TON (+4.5%).

The crypto market sentiment index fell to 53 by Sunday morning, a six-week low, but recovered to 64 on Monday, reflecting a resurgence of bullish sentiment. However, another impressive upward move will be needed to confirm a local victory for the bulls.

On Saturday and Sunday, Bitcoin received support from buyers on declines below $112K near the 50-day moving average - the fourth touch of this curve since April. On the “buy the dip” sentiment, the first cryptocurrency recovered to $115K on Monday morning. The rebound from support is a bullish signal for the next couple of days, but the fact that it has been tested frequently raises concerns for the medium term. News Background

According to SoSoValue, net outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US amounted to $812.3 million on August 1, the highest since February 25. As a result, the weekly outflow from BTC ETFs amounted to $643 million, a record high for the past 16 weeks.

The net outflow from spot Ethereum ETFs in the US on Friday amounted to $152.3 million. However, inflows in the previous days of the week managed to keep the indicator in positive territory (+$154.3 million). The positive trend has continued for 12 consecutive weeks.

Analyst Ali Martinez says that over the past two days, Bitcoin whales have bought 30,000 BTC. According to Santiment, over the past four months, whales with balances ranging from 10 to 10,000 BTC have accumulated 0.9% of the total coin supply.

According to The Block, trading volume on centralised crypto exchanges exceeded $1.7 trillion in July (the highest since February 2025), and trading volume on decentralised exchanges (DEX) also reached its highest level since January.

Galaxy Digital warned of risks in the public company sector, which accumulates cryptocurrencies by issuing shares. The model creates systemic vulnerability and could lead to a cascade collapse.

US SEC Chairman Paul Atkins announced Project Crypto. The project’s key objective is to establish clear rules for cryptocurrencies and turn the US into the “world’s crypto capital.” (FxPro)

News Flashback

Three blows to oil in three days

Oil has been under triple pressure since the end of last week, losing more than 7% per barrel of WTI since 31 July, reaching the important psychological level of $65.

The latest wave of oil sell-offs began with the realisation that US trade tariffs from August will be higher than initially expected, as higher tariffs are associated with an economic slowdown and weaker demand for energy. Fears of an economic slowdown intensified after the release of unexpectedly weak US employment data on Friday. Over the weekend, concerns were heightened by OPEC+'s increase in production quotas, which was reflected in the markets on Monday.

After its latest meeting, OPEC+ announced that it would increase production quotas for eight countries by 547,000 barrels per day starting in September.

Considering the quota increases since April, the entire voluntarily reduced volume of 2.2 million barrels per day will return to the market. This is a rather bold decision, given the growing fear that the global economy is slowing down.

Some link such steps by the cartel to the risks of supply disruptions due to potential sanctions from the US and the EU. In our opinion, it is also worth considering the cartel's intention to regain its market share from the US in this way.

Oil producers in the US are very sensitive to price, sharply cutting investment when prices fall. At the beginning of April, there were 489 oil rigs in operation, but according to data published on Friday, this number has fallen to 410. In the long term, a gradual increase in production efficiency should be considered, but at intervals of six months, it is unlikely that there will be any sharp progress. Therefore, we can expect some US production reduction and a gradual recovery in the share of traditional oil producers such as Saudi Arabia, Russia and the UAE.

The price of WTI crude oil, which rose to close to $70 at its peak last week, has returned to the lower end of the range since early June at $65. Closing the day below 66 will mark a failure below the 200- and 50-day moving averages, increasing the potential for further declines.

If OPEC+ really plans to increase its share of the oil market, it may not oppose further price declines. The intensification of negative trends in the global and US economies could bring the price back to this year's lows of $55 by the end of September and to the lower end of the downward corridor of $50 by the end of the year. However, further trends will depend heavily on the reaction of monetary authorities and oil producers. (FxPro)

News Flashback

July 29, 2025

Ethereum continues attempt to climb above $4,000

Market Picture

The crypto market lost 1%, falling back to a capitalisation of $3.9 trillion. This was a natural pullback against the backdrop of the dollar's impressive strengthening the day before. However, on Tuesday, the bulls were back in charge, bringing the market back to a level above Monday's opening but not yet reaching its peak.

Bitcoin is trading near $118.7K, unable to break through the resistance at $120K. This indecision to break out of the range is likely to continue until the market sees the Fed's key rate decision on Wednesday evening.

Ethereum rose to $3,930 at the end of the day, fell back to $3,700 on Monday, where it found interest from new buyers and rose to $3,830 at the time of writing. The last seven days have seen a fairly sharp upward trend, and if this trend continues, the price will rise above 4,000 by the end of this week.

News Background

According to CoinShares, global investment inflows into crypto funds last week amounted to $1.908 billion. Investments in Ethereum increased by $1.595 billion, Solana by a significant $312 million, XRP by $190 million, and Sui by $8 million. Investments in Bitcoin decreased by $175 million.

Japan's Metaplanet announced the acquisition of 780 BTC ($92.5 million) at an average price of $118,600. The company's total reserves now amount to 17,132 BTC, worth over $2 billion.

According to Blockware, Bitcoin will no longer show ‘parabolic’ rallies or ‘devastating’ bear cycles, as institutional investors have changed the market dynamics and reduced volatility.

According to Strategic ETH Reserve, the volume of the second cryptocurrency on the balance sheets of public companies has reached 2.32 million ETH (~$9.11 billion) — 1.92% of the total Ethereum supply. Bitmine Immersion Tech, associated with Fundstrat founder Tom Lee, pursues the most aggressive strategy. The company has ~566,800 ETH ($2.23 billion) on its balance sheet.

BNB, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by capitalisation, updated its historical high above $860 on Monday. Against this background, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao's estimated fortune exceeded $76 billion. According to Forbes, Zhao owns 64% of the BNB supply — about 89.1 million tokens. (FxPro)

News

Pop Culture News

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream Match Series

News

Cryptocurrency Movies
Documentaries

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014) Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s early days and its potential to disrupt finance.

Banking on Bitcoin (2016) Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet (2020)

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015) Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized financial systems. Features interviews with crypto experts.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Crypto (2019) A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal but praise its entertainment value.

Silk Road (2021) A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes

Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Feature films often dramatize crypto’s association with crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.

For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many of these are available.

News

Wall Street (Movie)

Key Details:

Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox). Runtime: 2h 6m. Genre: Drama/Crime. Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess.

Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):

Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability). Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News

Gold, copper, & silver: How metals are moving this year

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man

"Everything is a gamble" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

Cryptocurrency, Markets, Business, World News and Culture

Thank God It's Friday Edition Under The Media Watercooler

August 7/8, 2025

Media Man Newsfeed

Stock market growth has boosted altcoins more than BTC

Market Overview

The crypto market increased its capitalisation by almost 1% over the past day to $3.76 trillion. This smooth recovery is consistent with the growing appetite in the stock markets, where the Nasdaq100 is approaching peak values, trading just over 1% below its historical highs. The growth drivers remain the leading altcoins ETH (+2.4%), XRP (+1.7%), Solana (+3.7%) and Dogecoin (+2.7%) against a modest +0.7% for BTC.

Bitcoin is approaching $115K on Thursday morning, reinforcing confidence in a rebound from the 50-day moving average in the first days of the month. However, the situation is clouded by uncertainty due to trading within a narrow range. Signals for a continuation of the movement will be a breakout of support at $112K (recent local lows and 50-day average) or a breakout of resistance at $120K (July peaks and an important round level).

News Background

According to Glassnode, Bitcoin has moved from a stage of euphoria to a stage of cooling off, with pressure from sellers intensifying. Demand from large companies and investment funds is weakening, capital inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs have fallen by almost a quarter, network activity is declining, and transfer volumes and commission fees are shrinking. In such conditions, any recovery will be short-lived, as there are no fundamental catalysts for a rally.

Options point to expectations of a decline in Bitcoin and Ethereum by the end of August. Analyst Sean Dawson notes that investors are hedging en masse in case of a sharp pullback in BTC below $100,000.

Well-known trader Ton Weiss suggested that the concentration of Bitcoin in the hands of large American companies creates risks of centralisation, and the US authorities may try to confiscate it in the event of an economic crisis, as they once did with gold. In his opinion, this could happen in 2032–2033.

As part of Project Crypto, the US SEC has clarified that liquid staking is not usually subject to securities laws.

US President Donald Trump is going to sign an executive order imposing penalties on banks that refuse to serve crypto companies, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources in the White House. (FxPro)

News

SEC and Ripple Conclude XRP Lawsuit

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Ripple Labs have dismissed all appeals in their legal battle over XRP, ending a case that began in December 2020. A court previously ruled that XRP sales on public exchanges did not constitute securities, while institutional sales violated securities laws, resulting in a $125 million fine for Ripple. This resolution eliminates further litigation and provides regulatory clarity for the cryptocurrency.

News

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Bitcoin $116,400.26 USD +1.16%
Ethereum $3,886.75 USD +4.27%
XRP $3.34 USD +11.23%
Tether $0.9987 USD -0.19%
BNB: $784.56 USD +2.44%
Solana $175.11 USD +3.30%
USD Coin $0.9993 USD -0.07%
Dogecoin $0.2227 USD +8.31%
TRON $0.3375 USD -0.71%

News

Business activity in the eurozone is growing, but very slowly

Business activity in the eurozone is returning to growth thanks to a turnaround in manufacturing since the end of last year and a slight acceleration in the pace of growth in services, according to data published by S&P Global.

The final composite PMI data for July showed an increase to 50.9, rising for the third consecutive month and repeating March's figures. Overall, the indicator has returned to levels close to those seen in 2019, indicating fairly sluggish economic growth.

Although the manufacturing sector, for which data was published on Friday, remains below 50, indicating a contraction, this is significantly better than the 45.2 recorded in November and December. This increase clearly reflects the momentum of growth in defence spending in the eurozone and the reduction in the key interest rate, which increases the availability of credit.

The services sector has remained in growth territory for the past eight months, but is experiencing relatively moderate growth rates, which does not suggest any risks of accelerating inflation from this perspective.

An important difference between 2025 and 2019 is the ECB's key rate, which stands at 2.15% versus 0%, respectively. The Central Bank has room to ease policy, so we view the current data as moderately bearish. (FxPro)

News

New Zealand's labour market – a new reason to pause the RBNZ's rate cuts

The New Zealand dollar was able to swim against the tide on Wednesday, strengthening against the dollar more than its other competitors on positive labour market statistics. NZDUSD has gained 0.6% since the start of the day to 0.5930, hitting a weekly high.

In the second quarter, the number of people employed fell by 0.9% compared to the same period a year earlier, but this data was in line with average forecasts. At the same time, the unemployment rate was better than expected, rising from 5.1% to 5.2%, while 5.3% was expected. Salaries rose 0.6% for the quarter and were 2.2% higher than a year earlier — quite healthy figures above forecasts.

There is hope that the labour market is seeing a reversal in wage growth compared to the 0.4% increase in the first three months of the year. This looks like the first signs of the economy's response to the cycle of policy easing that began a year ago. During this time, the RBNZ cut its key rate by two percentage points to 3.25%.

Labour market indicators complement inflation statistics, which show an acceleration from 2.2% at the end of last year to 2.7% year-on-year at the end of the second quarter. Such an acceleration could be a strong argument in favour of at least pausing the rate cuts at the next meeting on August 20. (FxPro)

News

August 5, 2025

Resilient dollar despite weak jobs data

The US employment report published on Friday confirmed its status as the economic report with pivotal status. The dismissal of the head of the Bureau of Labour Statistics is a high-profile political precedent, but we are interested in the consequences for the markets.

Employment growth of 73K was reported, significantly lower than the expected 106K. But the main shock was the revision for May from 144K to 19K and for June from 147K to 14K. Businesses barely created any new jobs in the first months after the tariffs were introduced, in contrast to ‘business as usual’ before the publication.

This report radically reversed the trend in the debt market. Over the past few weeks, markets have been pushing back the Fed's rate cuts further into the future and reducing the number of expected cuts in subsequent quarters. The peak of this revaluation came shortly after the FOMC comments on 30 July. At that time, the markets were pricing in a more than 60% chance that there would be no easing in September, and the main scenario until the end of the year was only one cut.

Now, the probability of a cut in September exceeds 90%, and the chances of three cuts by the end of the year are 47%, i.e. a 25-basis-point cut at each of the remaining meetings.

Investors in the stock markets prefer to see the positive side of the situation, expecting that lower rates will boost corporate earnings. In addition, lower bond yields at lower rates increase the attractiveness of equities.

Somewhat unusually, the dollar, which lost 1.5% on Friday, recovered a third of its losses, adding 0.5% to its lows, despite the clearly negative news for the USD. We previously said that such a reaction was expected due to the US currency's accumulated oversoldness due to its downward trend since January.

Technically, the 50-day moving average, which acted as resistance until mid-July, helped to stop the dollar's decline. Fundamentally, the dollar may be boosted by the familiar idea that in Europe and other parts of the world, the slowdown in US consumption will lead to an even greater slowdown, forcing further policy easing.

At the same time, it is worth being cautious with bullish forecasts for the dollar, as its growth still has several control points to pass. First, it is worth looking at the dynamics of the DXY near its latest peak of 100 against the current 98.8. The next confirmation of a long-term reversal in the dollar trend will be a break above 102, an important peak in May, near which the 200-day moving average and the 61.8% level of the decline from the January peak to the June bottom also pass. Breaking through this level will prove that the movement has risen from a corrective rebound to a reversal, opening growth potential to 110. (FxPro)

News

August 8, 2025

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6523 USD (up $0.0023 USD)

Iron Ore: $102.00 USD (up $0.05 USD)

Oil: $63.83 USD (down $0.44 USD)

Gold: $3,396.07 USD (up $27.76 USD)

Copper: $4.4140 USD (up $0.0010 USD)

Bitcoin: $117,275.06 USD (up 1.83%)

Dow Jones: 43,968.64 (down 224.48 points)

News

Business (Australia and World)

August 8, 2025

Shares trade near record; ASX Limited tumbles

The Australian sharemarket edged lower on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.1 per cent to close at 8,831.4 points. ASX Limited was down 8.6 per cent at $64.22, Resmed fell 2.1 per cent to $43.02 and the Commonwealth Bank eased 0.5 per cent to end the session at $178.13. However, JB Hi-Fi rose 1.8 per cent to $116.41, Westgold Resources was up 5.1 per cent at $2.90 and Neuren Pharmaceuticals finished 3.2 per cent higher at $17.55. (RMS)

News

Doubts over gold's 'safe haven' status despite record run

The gold price has risen by nearly 30 per cent so far in 2025, having reached a record high of $US3,500 an ounce in April. However, analysis by Bhanu Singh from Dimensional Fund Advisors has raised doubts about gold's long-standing reputation as a 'safe haven' asset. Singh has found that gold rose in just over 50 per cent of calendar years between 1980 and 2024; in contrast, the Australian sharemarket rose in 73 per cent of the years during that period. Singh says people do not realise that gold is a more volatile asset class than shares. (RMS)

News

ANZ staff await Matos' vision

The ANZ Bank's CEO Nuno Matos has yet to outline his strategy for the 'big four' bank, several months after he succeeded Shayne Elliott. However, Matos is said to have told analysts in closed-door meetings that he intends to 'transform' ANZ. Sources within the bank have claimed that his strategy will include significant job cuts and outsourcing more roles to India. The Finance Sector Union's national president Wendy Streets has accused Matos of treating ANZ employees as "disposable". (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

ASX takes $35m hit from ASIC inquiry as rival Cboe lurks

The ASX has advised that it will spend between $25m and $35m this financial year on legal costs and resourcing on an Australian Securities & Investments Commission inquiry into it. The inquiry was launched in June after a series of failures by the ASX that have called into question its ability to keep the Australian sharemarket functioning properly, while it is understood that ASIC has broadened its inquiry to take in the ASX's latest error, which saw it confuse listed telco TPG Telecom with private equity firm TPG Capital. The mistake, which had TPG Telecom buying software provider Infomedia when it was actually TPG Capital. (RMS)

News

The Wolf Of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 film directed by Martin Scorsese, based on Jordan Belfort's memoir. It follows Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, a stockbroker who rises to wealth through fraudulent schemes in the 1990s, indulging in a hedonistic lifestyle of drugs, sex, and excess. His firm, Stratton Oakmont, manipulates stock prices to scam investors, leading to millions in ill-gotten gains. The FBI eventually catches up, and Belfort’s empire collapses. The movie blends dark comedy, drama, and satire, critiquing greed and the American Dream.

Key details:
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Jordan Belfort), Jonah Hill (Donnie Azoff), Margot Robbie (Naomi Lapaglia), Matthew McConaughey (Mark Hanna).

Runtime: 3 hours.

Rating: R (for graphic nudity, drug use, language, and violence).

Box Office: Grossed over $392 million worldwide.

Reception: Praised for its energy, performances, and Scorsese’s direction; criticized by some for glorifying excess. Nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor. (Grok)

News

The Social Network: News

No official release date or production timeline has been confirmed, and the casting deals are not yet finalized.

These details stem from entertainment industry sources like Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, shared via posts on XThe primary news surrounding The Social Network relates to the development of a sequel, tentatively referred to as The Social Network Part II.

Here are the key details based on recent reports:

Sequel Announcement and Casting: Aaron Sorkin, the writer of the original 2010 film, is set to write and direct the sequel. The project is in early development, with Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White as top choices to star. Madison would portray Frances Haugen, the whistleblower who disclosed Facebook’s documents in 2021, while White would play Jeff Horwitz, the journalist who investigated the Facebook Files. Jeremy Strong is a frontrunner to play Mark Zuckerberg, a role originally portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg.

Focus of the Sequel: The sequel is expected to explore significant events post-2010, particularly the 2021 Facebook Files leak, which revealed internal documents about the company’s practices. This suggests a shift in narrative from the founding of Facebook to its later controversies.

Context and Relevance: The original film chronicled the creation of Facebook and the legal battles involving Mark Zuckerberg and his co-founders. A sequel could delve into the platform’s evolution, its impact on society, and ongoing scrutiny over data privacy and misinformation, reflecting current debates about social media’s role in public discourse. (Grok)

News

Wall Street (Movie)

Key Details:

Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox). Runtime: 2h 6m. Genre: Drama/Crime. Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess.

Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):

Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability). Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News

Gold, copper, & silver: How metals are moving this year

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man

"Everything is a gamble" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

The best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."

"You are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig to find it and make it real."

"Your mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will find something golden."

"Don't die without mining the gold in your mind."

"We're like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."

"If you want to find gold, you've got to love the process of digging."

"Even if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to dig."

"Develop men the same way gold is mined"

"Don't go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in looking for the gold."

"A prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"

"A prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't find much gold"

"The world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not." "Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"All that is gold does not glitter."

"Gold is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears out"

"Gold is the money of kings"

"Mining is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit. An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher of a dead mule."

"Anyone can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds the gold."

"True gold fears no fire."

"The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit."

"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"When taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes considered like cheap copper – so are people."

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

May 25, 2025
Sydney, Australia

Bitcoin $108,974.70 USD +0.73%
Ether $2,546.88 USD +0.03%
Tether $1.01 $1.01 USD +0.01%
XRP $2.35 USD +1.34%
BNB $672.72 USD +1.81%
Solana $177.27 USD +0.67%
USD Coin $1.00 USD +0.14%
Dogecoin $0.2264 USD - 0.89%
Cardano $0.7507 USD -067%
TRON $0.2716 USD -0.95%
Wrapped Bitcoin $108,737.09 USD -1.65%

Cryptocurrency News

Here’s a concise roundup of the latest cryptocurrency news as of May 25, 2025, based on recent developments:

Bitcoin Hits Record Highs: Bitcoin surged past $112,000, driven by institutional adoption, strong ETF inflows ($211.7M on May 23), and optimism around the U.S. Senate’s advancement of the GENIUS Act, a bill to regulate stablecoins. The rally is fueled by pro-crypto policies under President Trump, with analysts predicting potential to reach $150,000 in 2025.

GENIUS Act Progress: The U.S. Senate voted 66-22 to advance the GENIUS Act, establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins, pegged to assets like the U.S. dollar. Despite concerns over Trump’s crypto ventures, the bipartisan support signals a shift toward formalizing crypto markets.

Trump’s Crypto Ventures: President Trump hosted a gala for top holders of his $TRUMP meme coin, which spiked over 50% after the announcement. However, nearly 43% of the 220 attendees reportedly lost $8.95M combined, with the coin’s value fluctuating wildly (peaked at $75, dropped to $8 by April). Critics highlight ethical concerns and potential conflicts of interest.

XRP and Ripple Developments: Ripple’s potential acquisition of Circle, issuer of the $61B USDC stablecoin, could boost XRP’s price. South Korean investors are betting big on XRP, with predictions of reaching $2.50-$5. BitMEX hinted at XRP-related news that could impact markets.

Market Trends: The crypto market cap rose to $3.46T, up 1.2% in 24 hours, with $124B in trading volume. Ether jumped 6%, while $TRUMP gained nearly 6%. However, concerns linger about overconfidence leading to corrections.

Crypto Mining Tensions: Trump’s push to make the U.S. a crypto-mining hub faces local backlash due to noise and environmental concerns, as seen in Seneca Lake and Niagara Falls.

News

May 23, 2025

Crypto Climbs Back to January Highs

The cryptocurrency market added a mere 0.7% in 24 hours, but an important 5% in seven days to $3.5 trillion. This increase is important as it falls in the area of the market peaks reached in December and January.

The sentiment index jumped to 78, last seen in January, confirming a similar situation to what we saw earlier in the year.

Bitcoin repeated highs on Thursday evening, rising to $111.8k and pulling back slightly to $110.5k by Friday morning. The rise was attributed to the advancement of stablecoin legislation, capital inflows into 12 U.S. ETFs of about $4.2 billion in May, purchases by Strategy, which has accumulated more than $50 billion worth of tokens, and U.S. fiscal concerns. Unlike previous BTCUSD rallies, the current upward movement is not solely driven by momentum, but by increased demand and White House loyalty.

Ethereum continues to struggle for the 200-day moving average at $2650. This is also the area of February's protracted consolidation and the important pivot level from August to October last year. A break of current resistance could kick-start a rally to $4000.

The Democrats have dropped their opposition, and the Senate will soon consider the Stablecoin legislation. It would place tighter restrictions on money laundering, improve consumer protections, and unify business rules for U.S. and foreign companies.

Fiscal concerns are weakening the dollar and pushing up Treasury bond yields. According to Galaxy Digital, it is becoming increasingly dangerous to invest in a country with such huge debts. Investors are looking for alternatives and are finding them in Bitcoin. No wonder the paths of BTCUSD and the S&P 500 have diverged. (FxPro)

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

"Bitcoin is a tool for freeing humanity from oligarchs and tyrants, dressed up as a get-rich-quick scheme." — Naval Ravikant

"We have elected to put our money and faith in a mathematical framework that is free of politics and human error." — Tyler Winklevoss

"You can't stop things like Bitcoin. It will be everywhere, and the world will have to readjust. World governments will have to readjust." — John McAfee

"Bitcoin is the most important invention in the history of the world since the Internet." — Roger Ver

"Cryptocurrency is such a powerful concept that it can almost overturn governments." — Charles Lee

"In the future, national currencies will become obsolete. Bitcoin will become the single global currency." — Jack Dorsey

"The future of finance is crypto, whether it’s in payments, contracts, or savings." — Changpeng Zhao

"Crypto offers freedom to the unbanked and hope to the underprivileged." — Elizabeth Stark

"The new frontier of innovation is in decentralization. Blockchain leads the charge." — Don Tapscott

"Digital currency is here to stay, and it’s only a matter of how long before governments embrace it." — Brad Garlinghouse

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

May 13, 2025
Sydney, Australia

Bitcoin $102,452.96 USD -1.57%
ETH $2,473.59 USD -1.39%
Tether $0.9993 USD -0.10%
XRP $2.53 USD +7.21%
BNB $662.27 USD +1.78%
Solana $172.50 USD -0.12%
USD Coin $0.9993 USD -0.07%
Dogecoin $0.2295 USD -1.04%
Cardano $0.8162 USD +0.72%
TRON $0.2732 USD +3.10%
Wrapped Bitcoin $102,406.50 USD -1.66%

News

Cryptocurrency News

Bitcoin Price Surge: Bitcoin has surpassed $100,000, briefly touching $105,000, driven by optimism around global trade deals, particularly U.S.-U.K. agreements and ongoing U.S.-China talks. Analysts warn of a potential short-term sell-off ahead of the May 13 CPI print, with BlackRock noting quantum computing as a risk for Bitcoin ETFs.

Ethereum Rally: Ethereum (ETH) has surged over 44% in three days, reaching $2,600, fueled by the Pectra network upgrade and declining Bitcoin dominance. Analysts speculate ETH could hit $10,000 or even $12,000 in 2025 due to institutional adoption, DeFi growth, and a high ETH burn rate.

Altcoin Momentum: Altcoins like Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), and Dogecoin (DOGE) are rallying, with DOGE up 27% and ETH leading with a 32% weekly gain. Bitcoin’s dominance has dropped to 63.89%, signaling a potential altcoin season.

Meta’s Crypto Plans: Leaked reports suggest Meta is exploring cryptocurrency support for its 3 billion users, potentially integrating stablecoins for creator payments, which could boost market sentiment.

Regulatory Developments: SEC Chairman Paul Atkins is prioritizing a rational crypto regulatory framework, with XRP noted as the only regulated cryptocurrency in the U.S. However, a bipartisan stablecoin bill (GENIUS Act) stalled due to concerns over Trump’s personal crypto ventures, raising conflict-of-interest issues.

Market Inflows: Crypto investment products saw $882 million in inflows last week, with U.S. crypto ETFs hitting a record $62.9 billion in cumulative net inflows since January 2024. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF recorded a 19th consecutive day of inflows on May 9.

Other News: Coinbase acquired Deribit for $2.9 billion, expanding its derivatives offerings. New Hampshire passed a law allowing state investment in cryptocurrencies. France’s rumored crypto ban was mentioned on X but lacks credible confirmation and should be treated as speculative. (Grok)

Blockchain News

Meta’s Blockchain Push: Meta is reportedly exploring a blockchain-based payment system, potentially offering low-cost digital transfers. This follows their unsuccessful Diem project, signaling renewed interest in blockchain integration.

Crypto in Education: Animoca Brands’ Yat Siu highlights blockchain’s potential in education, particularly through DeFi student loan financing. Ripple’s $25 million donation to a crypto education fund underscores growing academic influence.

XRP and Interoperability: XRP is expanding into multichain interoperability, connecting with Cosmos and EVM sidechains. With 200+ financial partners, it aims to bridge traditional finance and crypto ecosystems.

Avalanche and Web3 Gaming: Avalanche’s John Nahas emphasizes blockchain as seamless backend infrastructure for gaming, citing examples like Gunzilla Games’ “Off the Grid,” which leverages blockchain for user ownership.

Policy Shifts: The Trump administration is driving a pro-crypto agenda, with plans to integrate blockchain into financial systems. Bank regulators are exploring blockchain-based payment systems, a stark contrast to previous skepticism.

Robinhood’s Blockchain Platform: Robinhood is developing a blockchain-based platform for trading tokenized US securities in Europe, potentially partnering with Arbitrum or Solana.

Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade: Ethereum’s latest upgrade introduces features like smart wallets and lower fees but has raised concerns about a new attack vector that could allow hackers to drain funds.

Other Developments: Brave is integrating Cardano into its browser wallet, and MBS Global plans a $9 billion blockchain financial hub in the Maldives.

For real-time updates, platforms like Cointelegraph or CryptoSlate on X are active sources,

News

Crypto market slows down, nearing a top

Market Picture

The crypto market slowed down but continued to move upwards over the weekend, reaching $3.35 trillion. For the past few days, it has been trading in the region of the highs since early February. Ethereum and Dogecoin have been the stars of this movement, adding around 40% in seven days, although the former's contribution is certainly more significant.

The crypto market's sentiment is consolidating in the greed zone, leaving the corresponding index at 70 for the last three days. This is a good basis for continued gains: not too hot to take profits and not too cold to leave traders on the sidelines.

Bitcoin rallied above $105.5k on Monday morning, entering the area of highs where it has twice failed to hold over the past six months. The impressive corrective pullback from late January to early April, in our opinion, created substantial margin for a new wave of growth. Therefore, we will not be surprised if, along with the positive dynamics of stocks, BTCUSD will move to the renewal of historical highs already this week.

News Background

On the weekly bitcoin chart, after the upward breakout of the ‘bull flag’ pattern, a further rise to $182,000 is possible, given the growth before the downward consolidation. Cointelegraph presented such a scenario.

Significant inflows into spot bitcoin ETFS in the US continued for the third week in a row. According to SoSoValue data, weekly net inflows into spot BTC-ETFS totalled $921 million, bringing the total to $41.16 billion since bitcoin-ETFS were approved in January 2024.
Inflows into spot Ethereum-ETFS in the US broke after two weeks, recording a small net outflow of $38.2 million to $2.47 billion since last July.

Cryptoquant noted that the strategy firm's pace of bitcoin purchases exceeds the rate at which miners are issuing new coins. The firm's holdings alone imply an annual deflation of the asset of 2.23%.

Public mining companies sold about 70% of mined bitcoins in April against a falling mining profitability, TheMinerMag calculated. Since March, miners seemed to be moving away from the HOLDing strategy that had prevailed last year.

Over the years, Coinbase has considered investing a significant portion of its savings in bitcoin, following the example of Strategy, but abandoned the idea because of the risks, said Brian Armstrong, head of the exchange. (FxPro)

News

Markets

ASX futures are pointing up 97 points/1.2% to 8364

AUD -0.0% to US63.70¢

Bitcoin -1.6% to $US102,525
Wall St:
Dow +2.8% S&P +3.3% Nasdaq +4.4%
VIX -3.51 to 16.03
Gold -0.03% to $US3235.57 an ounce
Brent oil +1.8% to $US65.03 a barrel
Iron ore +3.2% to $US100.00 a ton
10-year yield: US 4.47% Australia 4.36%

News

May 12, 2025

Investors ramp up crypto spree as bitcoin nears record high

Australian investors have pounced on the plunge in bitcoin earlier this year and have been ramping up exposure to the cryptocurrency in a bold bet that could pay off handsomely, with analysts tipping prices to hit $US200,000 this year.

The world’s largest digital asset crossed the key $US100,000 level last week for the first time since February. Bitcoin extended that rally on Monday to trade near $US105,000, just shy of its record of around $US109,000 on January 20 – the day US President Donald Trump was inaugurated.

It represents a stunning turnaround for the cryptocurrency, which traded as low as $US74,000 in early April amid Trump’s escalating trade war. But sentiment started to shift as traders hunted for alternatives to US assets as they questioned the stability of the world’s largest economy.

“Bitcoin appeared to benefit from capital rotation associated with ‘sell-America’ positioning and growing scepticism around US monetary dominance,” Global X investment analyst Justin Lin told The Australian Financial Review after upgrading his year-end price target to $US200,000.

The trend was reinforced by a resurgence in global bitcoin exchange-traded funds in April, with investors adding $US2.9 billion ($4.5 billion) to those vehicles. That marked a sharp reversal from February and March, when more than $US5 billion in total was pulled from the space.

A further $US1.58 billion of flows moved into global bitcoin ETFs in the first eight days of May, according to US-listed crypto exchange Coinbase.

In Australia, local ETFs have attracted $148 million in inflows so far this year – more than double compared to the same period in 2024.

And unlike the US, Australian investors have been consistent buyers throughout this year. Local bitcoin ETFs experienced $6.9 million of inflows in March and $20.5 million in new flows in April, according to Global X.

Trump gala

The second-largest digital token, ethereum, has also been swept up in last week’s rally, surging as much as 33 per cent in its steepest weekly gain since 2021, when low interest rates fuelled the pandemic-era crypto boom.

While ether has benefited from easing global trade tensions, the token was boosted by a network upgrade designed to reduce fees, improve network efficiency and enable more complex wallet functionalities – moves seen as necessary to fend off competition from faster-growing rivals like solana.

Trump has become an advocate of digital assets during his second term by rolling back legal actions against many companies in the sector, establishing a bitcoin reserve, easing regulation and even launching his own memecoin.

The president is due to host a private gala dinner on May 22 with the top 220 holders of the Trump memecoin, an event that could mark a “turning point” for the broader cryptocurrency market, according to Global X’s Lin.

“[The event’s] symbolic value is significant,” he said. “It could serve as a launchpad for broader crypto-friendly rhetoric and possibly renewed regulatory commitments. Any such pivot would inject momentum into the sector.” (AFR) *Full article and coverage via subscription to The Australian Financial Review.

News

Cryptocurrency Movies

Here’s a concise rundown of notable cryptocurrency-themed movies and documentaries, blending education and entertainment, based on their relevance to blockchain, Bitcoin, and digital currencies:

Documentaries

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopters like Daniel Mross, exploring Bitcoin’s origins, volatility, and potential to disrupt finance. Insightful for understanding the early crypto community. Available on various streaming platforms.

Banking on Bitcoin (2016)
Chronicles Bitcoin’s ideological roots and its impact on financial systems, featuring interviews with key crypto figures. Great for grasping Bitcoin’s societal implications. Available on Netflix and other platforms.

Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018)
Explores blockchain’s broader applications beyond cryptocurrency, demystifying the technology’s potential. Funded and distributed via blockchain, it’s a unique watch. Available on Prime Video.

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
A 60-minute dive into the history of money and Bitcoin’s role in challenging centralized finance. Features experts like Vitalik Buterin. Streamable on platforms like YouTube.

Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King (2022)
A Netflix documentary investigating the mysterious death of QuadrigaCX CEO Gerry Cotten and the $250 million in missing investor funds. Gripping for scam enthusiasts.

Biggest Heist Ever (2025)
A Netflix documentary detailing the 2016 Bitfinex hack, where 120,000 Bitcoin (worth over $4 billion) were stolen. Focuses on Heather Morgan (aka Razzlekhan) and Ilya Lichtenstein. A fresh take on crypto crime.

Feature Films

Crypto (2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, and Kurt Russell. Follows a Wall Street banker uncovering a cryptocurrency-fueled money laundering scheme in his hometown. Critically mixed but engaging for drama fans. Available on Google Play and Prime Video.

Silk Road (2021)
A crime drama about Ross Ulbricht and the dark web marketplace Silk Road, where Bitcoin was the primary currency. Explores the legal and ethical complexities of crypto in illicit markets. Available on streaming services like Fandango.

Dope (2015)
A coming-of-age comedy-drama where high schoolers use Bitcoin for a dark web drug transaction. Not crypto-centric but an early mainstream nod to Bitcoin’s cultural presence. Streamable on Netflix.

Bitcoin Heist (2016)
A Vietnamese action-comedy about undercover agents chasing a crypto hacker, “The Ghost.” Blends suspense and humor, offering a lighthearted take on crypto crime. Available on Prime Video.

Why Watch These?
These films range from educational documentaries to thrilling fictional tales, reflecting crypto’s rise, scandals, and societal impact. Documentaries like Banking on Bitcoin and Trust Machine are ideal for learning about blockchain’s mechanics and potential, while thrillers like Crypto and Silk Road dramatize the risks and allure of digital currencies. For 2025, Biggest Heist Ever is a must-watch for its fresh perspective on a massive crypto theft.

Where to Watch

Most are available on Netflix, Prime Video, Google Play, or Fandango. Check specific platforms for availability in your region. (Grok)

News

Bitcoin Movies On Netflix

Netflix currently offers a few movies and documentaries focused on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Here are the most notable ones available as of my last update:

Bitconned (2024) - A true-crime documentary about three individuals who exploited the cryptocurrency market, scamming millions from investors to fund lavish lifestyles. It dives into the darker side of crypto with a focus on the Centra Tech scam. [IMDb: 6.5]

Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King (2022) - This documentary explores the mysterious death of Gerald Cotten, founder of the QuadrigaCX exchange, and the $250 million in investor funds that vanished. It follows investors turned amateur detectives unraveling the scandal. [IMDb: 6.3]

Hotel Bitcoin (2024) - A Spanish comedy film where four friends discover a fortune in lost bitcoins, sparking a chaotic adventure to protect their windfall and friendships. It’s a lighter, fictional take on Bitcoin’s allure.

Biggest Heist Ever (2024) - A documentary covering the Bitfinex hack, where a couple, dubbed the "Bitcoin Bonnie and Clyde," allegedly laundered nearly 120,000 bitcoins. It’s a deep dive into one of crypto’s most infamous crimes.

Crypto Boy (2023) - A Dutch drama about a young man drawn into the world of cryptocurrency after a fallout with his father, exploring themes of ambition and deception. It’s more character-driven than educational.

Notes:

Availability may vary by region, so check Netflix in your area.

Some older Bitcoin documentaries, like Banking on Bitcoin or The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin, are not currently on Netflix but may be available on other platforms like Amazon Prime or YouTube.

For a broader list, posts on X also mention Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It and The Blockchain and Us, but these are not confirmed on Netflix at this time. (Grok)

News

Memecoins Today:

Memecoins are seeing significant activity today, May 13, 2025, with several coins rallying and ongoing controversies shaping market sentiment. Here's a concise overview based on recent developments:

Market Performance:

Dogwifhat (WIF), Book of Meme (BOME), and FLOKI are extending double-digit rallies, driven by a risk-on sentiment in crypto markets following US-China tariff reductions. Technical indicators suggest potential for further gains.

Moo Deng, a Solana-based memecoin, surged 153% in the past 24 hours, fueled by institutional demand for SOL and retail interest after Bitcoin’s rally above $103,000.

FLOKI is highlighted on X as a top performer, with posts suggesting it could lead the memecoin rally alongside DOGE, SHIB, and PEPE.

Political and Controversial Developments:

Trump’s $TRUMP Memecoin: The coin remains in the spotlight due to a May 22 dinner for top holders at Trump’s Virginia golf club, sparking ethical concerns and political backlash. The coin surged over 50% after the announcement, reaching a $2.7 billion market value, though 764,000 investors have lost money compared to 58 wallets profiting significantly.

Melania’s $MELANIA Memecoin: Launched January 19, it saw sniper traders earn $99.6 million by buying minutes before its public announcement. The team recently sold $1.5 million in tokens, amid a weakening memecoin market.

Legislative Pushback: Senate Democrats blocked stablecoin legislation due to controversies surrounding Trump’s crypto ventures. Proposed bills, like the End Crypto Corruption Act, aim to ban presidents and officials from issuing digital assets to curb potential conflicts of interest.

Market Sentiment:
X posts reflect active interest in memecoins, with users seeking recommendations and shilling coins like FLOKI and letsBONK. However, some posts highlight the speculative nature, describing pump-and-dump cycles.

Discussions on memecoins hit a year-to-date high, shifting focus from Bitcoin and layer-1 protocols, though some argue the memecoin frenzy is cooling as stablecoins gain traction on Solana.

Broader Context:

Memecoins face criticism for lacking intrinsic value, with some viewing them as celebrity-driven schemes. However, advocates suggest AI agents could drive a “memecoin renaissance” by adding utility.

The $TRUMP token’s performance has been lackluster compared to its peak, with onchain activity spiking after the dinner announcement but still down 79% from its all-time high.

Critical Note: While memecoins are rallying, their volatility and speculative nature carry significant risks. The political ties to certain coins, especially $TRUMP, raise ethical and legal questions, potentially influencing market stability. Always verify information, as X posts can contain unverified claims, and memecoin investments are highly speculative. (Grok)

Bull Market: Def

"Bull market" describes a financial market where prices are rising or are expected to rise. It commonly refers to the stock market but can be applied to anything that is traded, such as bonds, real estate, currencies, and commodities.

Markets and Cryptos

May 10, 2025
Sydney, Australia

Markets:

ASX futures up 12 points/0.2% to 8261
AUD +0.1% at US64.09¢
Bitcoin +1.8% to $US103,152
Dow -0.3%
S&P -0.1%
Nasdaq -0.00%
Gold +0.6% to $US3326.57 an ounce
Oil +1.7% at $US63.92 a barrel
Iron ore +0.5% at $US97.00 a tonne

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Bitcoin. $102,887.02 USD. - 0.18%
Ethereum. $2,331.30. +6.50%
Tether $1 USD -0.10%
XRP. $2.35. +1.83. +2.4%
BNB. $638.149. +2.35%
Solana. $172.18. +6.56%
USD Coin. $1 USD -0.17%
Dogecoin: $0.2045 USD +5.52%
TRON. $0.2562 USD +3.06%
Cardano $0.7801 USD +2.20%
Wrapped Bitcoin $102,930.51 -0.28%

News

Crypto News

Bitcoin Surges Past $100,000: Bitcoin reclaimed the $100,000 mark for the first time since February, driven by optimism around a U.S.-UK trade deal announced by President Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The deal, which includes a 10% U.S. tariff on UK goods and reduced UK tariffs, has fueled a broader market rally. Bitcoin was trading at $102,700 late Thursday, with analysts noting potential support at $100,000 and resistance near $107,000.

Other Cryptocurrencies Rally: Ether surged over 14% to $2,050.46, its highest since late March, while Solana and Dogecoin gained 10% and 12%, respectively. The total crypto market cap rose 2.5% to $3.09 trillion.

Stablecoin Bill Blocked: The GENIUS Act of 2025, aimed at regulating stablecoins, was stalled in the U.S. Senate on May 8 by Democratic lawmakers, citing concerns over President Trump’s ties to the crypto industry, including his family’s World Liberty Financial stablecoin venture.

German Seizure of Crypto Assets: German authorities seized €34 million ($38 million) in cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, and Dash, from the eXch platform, linked to laundering funds from Bybit’s $1.4 billion hack in February 2025.

SEC and Ripple Settlement: The SEC and Ripple filed a joint letter on May 8 to dissolve an August 2024 injunction against Ripple and return $75 million of $125 million in penalties held in escrow.

Trump’s Crypto Ventures: World Liberty Financial, a Trump-affiliated firm, unveiled a stablecoin and secured a $2 billion deposit deal with an Emirati fund. However, Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren, are pushing back against crypto legislation, alleging corruption tied to Trump’s crypto ventures.

Bitcoin Investment Moves: Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) announced a $180 million Bitcoin purchase, adding 1,895 BTC, while a new whale withdrew $50 million in Bitcoin from Binance.

Ethereum Upgrades: Ethereum’s Pectra protocol upgrade went live on May 7, boosting investor interest. Analysts predict ETH could hit $5,925 in 2025, with long-term forecasts up to $15,575 by 2030.

Market Sentiment: The crypto market is in a transitional phase, with Bitcoin down 14% from its January 2025 high of $109,079. Analysts like Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick forecast Bitcoin reaching $120,000 by Q2 2025 and $200,000 by year-end. (Grok)

News

A sharp crypto market awakening

Market Picture

TThe crypto market has added about 5.8% to its capitalisation over the past 24 hours, bringing it to $3.24 trillion. This is roughly the area where the market has been consolidating for most of February. A pause halfway to the area of historical highs above 3.50 looks like a logical respite. Back in November, the market surged without major pauses—but this time, the momentum appears more measured, with less of the earlier excitement.

The crypto market sentiment index reached 73, which is only a couple of steps away from extreme greed and is the highest since late January. Often, this is a working sentiment for continued growth.

Bitcoin has been reaching levels above 104000 this morning, adding an impressive 5% in the last 24 hours and 33% in 30 days. At current highs, all eyes are on how soon it will reach the all-time highs, which are less than 6% away, and whether or not it can overcome them outright. While similar rallies have broken records in the past, we still expect some consolidation near the highs before any decisive move higher.

The rocket of the last few days has certainly been Ethereum, which soared 23% in the last 24 hours, strengthening twice as fast as Bitcoin over the month. The technique worked perfectly. ETHUSD stomped around the 50-day moving average for a long time and rose in value by a third in less than two days to $2380. The rise to 2700 looks like an ‘easy part’ of the growth. Further upside will already have to be fought for.

News Background

On May 8, bitcoin's realised capitalisation reached a record $890.74 billion, which could indicate that BTC is poised for significant growth, CryptoQuant noted. The metric is the aggregate value of all coins in circulation based on the quotes at which they were last transferred.

Ethereum shows the best weekly performance in the top 20 cryptocurrencies. Nansen notes the accumulation of ‘smart money’ by institutions like Wintermute.

U.S. banks can perform crypto transactions on customer requests, provide custodial services through third parties, and generate tax returns on digital assets. This is stated in a clarification from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

Payments company Stripe has launched a product called Stablecoin Financial Accounts. It will allow businesses in 101 countries to hold balances in dollar-denominated Stablecoins and receive and send fiat and cryptocurrencies. (FxPro)

Best Quotes Of The Day

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

"Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Markets and Cryptos

Markets:

April 23, 2025

ASX futures up 103 points/1.3% to 7939
AUD -0.7% at US63.68¢
BTC +4.5% to $US91,358
Dow +2.7%
S&P +2.1%
NAS +2.5%
Gold -1.5% to $US3371.27 an ounce
Oil +1.5% at $US67.22 a barrel
Iron ore -0.7% at $US98.65 a ton

Cryptos Today:

Bitcoin $91,075.31 USD +4.29%
ETH $1,695.23 USD +7.53%
Tether $1.00 USD -0.02%
XRP $2.16 USD +3.57%
BNB $607.70 USD +1.95%
Solana $144.34 USD +5.47%
USD Coin $0.9994 USD -0.08%
Dogecoin $0.1728 USD +9.13%

Cryptos and Markets

April 16, 2025 (Australia)

Cryptos Today:

Pi Network. $0.6621. -10.94%
XRP. $2.13. -1.40%
Bitcoin. $84,961.00. -0.96%
Dogecoin. $0.1561. -2.73%
Shiba . $0.000012. -2.16%
Pi Network [IOU... pi. $0.6600. -10.62%
MEMES. $0.000110. +12.36%
Solana. $129.75. -1.81%

Markets

April 16, 2025

Australian dollar +0.25% to 63.44 US cents at 6.20am AEDT

Wall Street: S&P 500 -1.16%, Dow Jones -0.38%, Nasdaq -0.05%

Europe: Stoxx +1.2%, FTSE +1.41%, DAX +1.43%, CAC +0.86%

Bitcoin -0.78% to $US84,112 on Bitstamp at 6.23am AEDT

Spot gold +0.52 at $US3227.75 per ounce at 6.24am AEDT

US oil +0.02% to $US61.52 a barrel at 6.26am AEDT

Brent crude +0.05% to $US64.85 a barrel at 6.26am AEDT

Iron ore +0.13% at $US100.08 per tonne (Tianjin 62% grade)

Best Quotes Of The Day

Media

"The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason." Hunter S. Thompson

Crypto, Fintech, Markets, News and Politics via Media Man

March 12/13, 2025

The crypto bounces back from extreme fear

Market picture

The cryptocurrency market bounced 2% in the last 24 hours to $2.67 trillion. So far, the situation looks like a small rebound after the collapse. We should not talk about the beginning of recovery as long as the market is below its 200-day moving average of $2.83 trillion.

Sentiment in the crypto market has shifted from dread to fear at 34. The indicator was last higher more than three weeks ago, indicating that now is a good time to buy. However, it's worth paying attention to the nervous stock market before considering investments in more volatile cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin was climbing above $83,000 on Tuesday, hitting resistance in the form of the 200-day moving average. If a long-term trend line is repurposed as resistance, that's a worrisome bearish fact.

Ethereum ended Tuesday with growth and was trading near $1900 at the start of Wednesday, but this is a timid rebound within the steep peak the coin has been in since February 24th and the broader downtrend of the past three months.

News Background

CryptoQuant states a sharp drop in open interest in Bitcoin and Ethereum futures, suggesting a ‘leverage washout’ and a chance of market stabilisation. The Kobeissi Letter admits a wave of short position unwinding in risk assets after extreme fear levels are reached.

Clearstream, the post-trading arm of Deutsche Börse, will offer cryptocurrency settlement and custody services to institutional clients as early as next month, starting with Bitcoin and Ethereum. It then plans to add support for other cryptocurrencies and services for staking, lending and brokerage.

Glassnode notes that Solana fell below its realised price of $134 for the first time in three years. The metrics show the average cost for investors to purchase the coin.

According to Arkham Intelligence, on 11 March, bankrupt exchange Mt. Gox transferred 11,501 BTC (~$905 million) to an unknown address. Mt. Gox-related addresses hold a total of 35,915 BTC worth $2.89bn. (FxPro)

News

SEC vs Ripple Case: Negotiations Underway for Settlement

Recent developments indicate that the legal dispute between Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could be nearing a conclusion. Reports suggest that Ripple's legal team is currently negotiating more favorable terms related to a $125 million fine and an injunction on XRP sales to institutional investors. The anticipation of a settlement has led to increased interest and speculation within the cryptocurrency community regarding the outcome and its potential impact on XRP. (Grok)

News

U.S. Plans Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Acquisition

Senator Cynthia Lummis has reintroduced the BITCOIN Act, which proposes that the United States government purchase one million Bitcoins over five years to create a strategic reserve. This legislative move reflects a growing acknowledgment of Bitcoin as a digital asset for national economic strategy, garnering support from both traditional financial sectors and cryptocurrency advocates. Alongside this, there is an ongoing debate about the implications, risks, and potential benefits of such a reserve. (Grok)

News

Trump's Crypto Banking Deregulation

President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to sign an executive order that would reverse regulations set by the Biden administration aimed at restricting banking activities for cryptocurrency firms. This move could impact how crypto companies interact with the Federal Reserve, potentially leading to greater integration of cryptocurrencies within the traditional financial system. (Grok)

News

Rumble's Strategic Bitcoin Acquisition

Rumble, a video platform and competitor to YouTube, has announced the purchase of 188 Bitcoins for approximately $17.1 million. This acquisition is part of Rumble's strategy to integrate Bitcoin into its treasury management, aiming to hedge against inflation and participate in the growing trend of corporate cryptocurrency adoption. The move reflects a broader acceptance of Bitcoin as a legitimate financial asset among companies. (Grok)

News

Trump Predicts Market Surge Amid Economic Indicators

President Trump has publicly stated his belief that the U.S. financial markets are poised for significant growth, making his comments at an event with business leaders. This optimistic forecast follows recent economic indicators showing inflation cooling to levels not seen in years, despite mixed responses from markets regarding Trump's economic policies including tariffs. (Grok)

News

Ethereum's Lowest BTC Ratio Since 2020 Triggers Liquidation Risk

The Ethereum Foundation faces potential liquidation of over $100 million in assets if Ethereum's price drops to $1,100, amidst a historic low in the ETH/BTC trading ratio not seen since May 2020. This financial maneuver is part of Ethereum's strategy to manage its treasury through decentralized finance (DeFi), highlighting both the risks and innovative approaches to crypto-asset management in a volatile market. (Grok)

News

Gold funds burst out of the blocks in 2025 as returns rocket

Australian gold funds are shaping up for a bumper year as mining companies start to capitalise on record prices, helping the stocks to finally catch up to the performance of the precious metal.

Portfolio managers were left frustrated last year after a jump in production costs held back ASX-listed gold producers from riding the rally in the spot prices to record levels. The VanEck Gold Miners exchange-traded fund climbed nearly 20 per cent in 2024 versus a 38 per cent rally for the gold price in Australian dollars.

But easing cost inflation that has plagued the mining sector for the last three years and an ongoing surge in prices has seen the trend reverse course. VanEck’s Gold Miners ETF is up 17 per cent already this year while the Aussie dollar spot price has climbed 6.3 per cent.

Local fund managers are bullish that gold has much further to run after the US dollar price climbed above $US2942 an ounce for the first time and the Australian dollar gold price breached $4500 an ounce.

Victor Smorgon Partners’ Resource Gold Fund returned a chunky 13.3 per cent in January and portfolio manager Cameron Judd believes the valuations of ASX gold stocks still don’t reflect the outlook for the yellow metal.

“Gold’s performance in times of uncertainty or crisis could see it push towards $US3600,” Mr Judd said. “Despite the strong gold price performance and fundamentals supporting further appreciation, gold miners are trading at discounted valuations on the ASX.”

Wall Street’s biggest banks believe a $US3000 price tag is imminent. Citi said it was possible within the next three months, while JPMorgan has a year-end target of $US3150. Bank of America said on Thursday that gold could reach $US3500 an ounce if investment demand rises 10 per cent this year.

The unprecedented surge in the gold price has been fuelled by investors seeking safe haven assets as US President Donald Trump unleashes aggressive trade and geopolitical policies. There are fears the president will accelerate inflation, forcing central banks to raise rates in a way that damages global growth.

Victor Smorgon’s top holdings include ASX-listed Vault Minerals and the world’s largest gold miner, US-based Newmont, which recently acquired Newcrest. The fund also owns Australia’s biggest gold miner Northern Star, which agreed to buy rival De Grey in a $5 billion deal. (AFR) *Full article and coverag via subscription to The Australian Financial Review.

News

Australia

Northern Star paying top dollar for gold rival

Northern Star has offered $5 billion to buy De Grey Mining, with De Grey shareholders to vote on the offer on 16 April. De Grey is the company behind the Hemi gold prospect in Western Australia, which is thought to hold at least 11 million ounces of gold and which is slated to produce 530,000 ounces annually in its first decade of operation. KPMG, which was engaged to provide an independent assessment of Northern Star's offer, has valued DeGrey at between $4 billion and $4.79 billion, inclusive of a premium for control. It concludes that the offer is "fair and reasonable and therefore is in the best interests of De Grey shareholders, in the absence of a superior proposal". (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

March 12, 2025

Crypto market tumbles after stocks

Market picture

Crypto market capitalisation has been falling to $2.5 trillion following the rumbling fall of the US stock market. It is dipping below the peaks of early 2024 and late 2021. Previously, a similar decline would complete a corrective pullback, attracting buyers. However, the chances of such an outcome are now lower than in previous years due to the powerful influence of traditional financial companies, which has strengthened the link between the crypto market and stock dynamics.

For now, though, we can argue that there is less terror in crypto. The Fear and Greed Index is at 24 (+4 points for the day), while the low point was a week earlier at 10.

Bitcoin slipped towards $76.5K in the early hours of Tuesday but has popped above $80K at the time of writing, approaching Monday’s consolidation levels. A bearish pattern persists on the daily timeframes, which suggests a strengthening sell-off after a failure under the 200-day moving average. The scenario of a pullback to the $70-74K area still looks the most probable for us. This is all the truer as the consolidation and rebound in early March has taken the short-term oversold stance out of the market.

Ethereum is trying to find a pivot point after falling towards $1750 at the start of Tuesday. These were the lowest values in the last 17 months. On weekly timeframes, the RSI oscillator hit its lowest point since mid-2022 - near the bottom of the bear market. Does this signify an opportunity for the recklessly bold or a breakdown in the leading altcoin? We will find out in the coming days.

News Background

According to CoinShares, global crypto fund investments fell by $876 million last week after record outflows of $2.911 billion a week earlier. Investments in Bitcoin fell by $756 million; in Ethereum, by $89 million. Investments in Solana rose by $16 million, in XRP by $6 million, and in Sui by $3 million.

As a result of another recalculation, Bitcoin mining difficulty increased by 1.43% to 112.15T. The growth did not compensate for a 3.15% drop two weeks ago. However, the figure came close to the all-time high of 114.17T reached in January.

Strategy (former MicroStrategy) intends to raise $21bn through the sale of preferred shares as part of its At-The-Market program. The proceeds will be used to buy Bitcoin and other corporate purposes. (FxPro)

News

March 11, 2025

US Senator And Congressman Introduce Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bills To Buy One Million BTC

Speaking at the “Bitcoin for America” summit, lawmakers announced their plans to create a federal bitcoin reserve that would see the U.S. buy one million BTC.

Today at the Bitcoin Policy Institute’s “Bitcoin for America” summit in Washington DC, U.S. Senator from Wyoming Cynthia Lummis announced that she is going to reintroduce her strategic Bitcoin reserve legislation in the Senate today.

“I am so pleased to announce that today I will be reintroducing The Bitcoin Act,” Senator Lummis stated. “And I’ll be joined here shortly by Senator Justice of West Virginia, who is one of the cosponsors. And we have several other additional cosponsors. And a lot of it is a result of the excitement that’s been building.” (Bitcoin Magazine). *Full article via Bitcoin Magazine

News

XRP wins Media Man 'Crypto Of The Month' award

News

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6317 USD (up $0.0020 USD)
Iron Ore Apr Spot Price (SGX): $100.60 USD (up $0.15 USD)
Oil (WTI): $67.70 USD (up $1.14 USD)
Gold: $2,931.74 USD (up $13.03 USD)
Copper (CME): $4.8425 USD (up $0.0500 USD)
Bitcoin: $82,880.91USD (up 0.32% in last 24 hours)
Dow Jones: 41,350.93 (down 82.55 points)

News

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Company Of The Month' award

News Media

Australia

Peter Dutton More Crypto Friendly And Switched On Than Albanese (Media Man Group)

News

"Dutton A Genuine Contender" (Sky News Australia)

March 10, 2025

ASX futures are pointing up 69 points, or by 0.9 per cent, to 8011.

All US prices are as of 4.15pm Sunday in New York:

Bitcoin -3.7% to $US83,138
On Wall St: Dow +0.5% S&P +0.6% Nasdaq +0.7%
VIX -1.5 to 23.37
Gold -0.1% to $US2909.10 an ounce
Brent oil +1.3% to $US70.36 a barrel
Iron ore +0.3% to $US100.70 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.3% Australia 4.4%

January 10, 2025

ASX futures up 33 points or 0.4%

AUD -0.3% to 61.98 US cents
UK pound -0.4% to $US1.2309
Bitcoin -2.9% to $US91,275 at 7.23am AEDT
US markets closed for Jimmy Carter’s funeral
Stoxx 50 +0.4% FTSE +0.8% DAX -0.1% CAC +0.5%
Spot gold +0.3% to $US2671.00/oz at 1.55pm in New York
Brent crude +1.2% to $US77.08 a barrel
Iron ore +1% to $US97.40 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.69% Australia 4.48% Germany 2.56%
US prices as of 1.59pm in New York

Markets and Commodities

October 10, 2024

Australian Dollar: $0.6710 USD (down $0.0040 USD)

Iron Ore Nov Spot Price (SGX): $105.15 USD (unchanged - public holiday)

Oil Price (WTI): $73.36 USD (down $0.55 USD)

Gold Price: $2,607.14 USD (down $15.75 USD)

Copper Price (CME): $4.4080 USD (down 0.0605 USD)

Bitcoin: $60,908.07 USD (down 2.11% in last 24 hours)

Dow Jones: 42,512.00 at 4.20pm NY time (up 431.63 points on yesterday's close)

X - Grok Ramps Up Cryptocurrency News Coverage With Major Donald Trump Launch With World Liberty Financial (WLFI); Media Man - Excellent Timing For News Cycle And U.S Election; Some Mainstream Media Will Have Little Choice But To Cover; X And Online News Sending News Global: Media Man

News

Trump to Launch Crypto Token Sale

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is set to launch a cryptocurrency token sale through his project named World Liberty Financial (WLFI) on Tuesday, October 15th, 2024. This initiative marks Trump as the first U.S. president to introduce a personal cryptocurrency. The token sale will be exclusive to accredited investors and will integrate with the Ethereum mainnet via the Aave protocol. Trump has announced an exclusive online event on Monday, October 14th at 8 AM EST to discuss the project further. This move into cryptocurrency by Trump has sparked discussions about its potential impact on the crypto market and its timing with political events. (Grok)

News

Trump's Crypto Token Launch

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is set to launch a cryptocurrency token sale through his project, World Liberty Financial, on Tuesday, October 15th, marking him as the first U.S. president to introduce a personal cryptocurrency. The token sale will begin with an exclusive event on Monday, October 14th at 8 AM EST, detailing the project's implications for finance. The cryptocurrency will be integrated with the Ethereum mainnet via the Aave protocol. Trump has also been accepting cryptocurrencies like XRP for his campaign, indicating a broader engagement with digital currencies. This initiative has generated significant interest and discussion within financial and cryptocurrency communities. (Grok)

Newswires

Trump Media stock soars after sudden reversal in election odds

October 13, 2024

Shares of Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, have jumped over the past week as betting markets started tilting toward former President Donald Trump.

On Friday, the stock surged 4.8% to close at $25.28, up 53% from last Friday's closing price.

That coincided with a broad improvement in Trump's odds of victory on top betting sites. For example, Vice President Kamala Harris was in the lead last weekend on PredictIt, then was tied by Wednesday, and was overtaken by Trump the following day.

Similarly, Harris had a slight edge on Oct. 4 on Polymarket, but lost it over the weekend, with Trump widening his lead throughout the following week. As of now, it shows 55% for Trump and 44.7% for Harris.

And on Kalshi, Harris and Trump were largely neck and neck, but Trump began pulling ahead by mid-week and now leads 53% versus 47%.

Meanwhile, renowned data scientist Thomas Miller, a professor at Northwestern University, also told Fortune's Shawn Tully on Thursday that Trump’s odds surged over the past week, giving him a two-vote electoral college lead.

He maintains that his model, which is guided by political betting data, is a much better forecaster than following the individual polls.

While nationwide opinion polls haven't seen a dramatic reversal, with Harris clinging to a narrow lead, polls in the key swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania show her advantage shrinking while Trump has held onto leads in other battlegrounds like Georgia and North Carolina.

Trump Media shares have already been on a wild ride this year, acting like a barometer of Trump’s election prospects. The stock skyrocketed following Trump’s first debate with President Joe Biden in June and again after Trump survived an assassination attempt in July.

But after Biden stepped aside and Harris took his place in the presidential race, Trump Media stock tumbled. Shares sold off further last month as the end of the lockup period approached, allowing company insiders to sell their shares.

Then last month, Trump said he would not sell his stock, dampening speculation that he would cash them out to cover legal or campaign expenses. Since hitting a low on Sept. 23, Trump Media stock has leapt 115%.

Trump owns about 59% of the outstanding shares, meaning his stake is now worth nearly $3 billion. (Wires, A.I News)

News Flashback By Popular Demand

Crypto And Politics

Gonzo Bitcoin Scribes With Gonzo, A.I And Grok

Wrestling With Crypto, BTC News And Power To The People; President Trump Looking For A Win-Win-Win situation

And The Crowd Roars Wild For Crypto Friendly Polies

In Case You Missed It

By A. Media Scriber. With assistance from A. Bot (Grok Chapter)

July 28, 2024

Trump vs Harris on cryptocurrency

For The U.S And World Wrestling Crypto Heavyweight Title

The Trumper Will continue to promote and lift bitcoin

Trump planning to establish a U.S. bitcoin stockpile, set up a crypto advisory council akin to Wrestlers Court

Former (to some) President Donald Trump on Saturday body slammed Vice President Kamala Harris over the Biden administration’s approach to cryptocurrency regulation and announced a sweeping set of industry-friendly policies, as he sought to win over the bitcoin mob.

Speaking at a major crypto conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Bitcoin 2024 (WrestleMania for Cryptos) Trump sought to hog tie Harris to the Biden administration’s rugged regulatory approach to the digital asset industry. Though Harris hasn’t taken a public position and her team is ramping up outreach to the crypto world, Trump said she is “against crypto.”

Every Babyface Needs A Villain/Heel

Trump endorsed an array of policies to boost crypto firms.

Bullet Points

Have the U.S government hold a stockpile of bitcoin, creating a crypto advisory council, installing a crypto-friendly Securities and Exchange Commission chair and ock blocking the Fed Reserve from creating its own digital currency.

“I pledge to the bitcoin community that the day I take the oath of office, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ anti-crypto crusade will be over,” he said.

“The moment I’m sworn in, the persecution stops and the weaponization ends against your industry.”

Trump’s grand and most welcome appearance at the Bitcoin 2024 conference cemented his embrace of the crypto industry, which is lobbying hard in downtown Washington and planning to spend more than a whopping $160 million to sway this year’s elections. And you thought that stakes were high in WWE's 'Money In The Bank'. How about a crypto title Triple H? Matt Cardona had the Internet Title - we know.

The emergence of Harris after Joe may have been caught in a sleeper hold is likely to complicate his pitch and may throw a ring spanner in the world. Her campaign is showing signs of opening up to the industry, and some Democrats are pushing her to break from the Biden administration’s more skeptical approach.

Trump vowed to terminate SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who has pursued a series of high-profile crypto enforcement actions and has sternly warned that digital asset trading poses big investor risks. Trump also pledged to enact policies to support stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency pegged to other assets like the dollar.

“We will have regulations, but from now on the rules will be written by people who love your industry, not hate your industry,” he said.

Trump was offered raucous applause and crowd pop, including when he vowed to sack Gensler.

“I didn’t know he was that unpopular,” Trump said.

Trump heaped praise on the crowd, calling them “highly intelligent,” and criticized crypto skeptics like Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), whom he singled out by name.

“The Biden-Harris administration’s repression of crypto and bitcoin is wrong, and it’s very bad for our country,” he said.

Trump himself is a former crypto critic, but he did not acknowledge his past comments in his particular speech. He penned in 2019 that he was “not a fan of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which are not money, and whose value is highly volatile and based on thin air.”

Trump started embracing the crypto industry in May. He has since cashed in on his crypto stance, hosting crypto executives at fundraisers and his Mar-a-Lago resort.

Ahead of his speech on Saturday, Trump participated in a fundraiser at the bitcoin conference with an $844,600 asking price to attend a VIP reception, roundtable and to snap a mug shot er photo with the former president, according to an online invitation. A lower-tier ticket that went for $60,000 per person or $100,000 per couple allowed attendees to just attend the reception and get a snap a pic with The Trumpster.

Trump, who appeared on stage Saturday afternoon after an extensive delay, singled out several figures in the crypto world at the start of his speech. They included the Winklevoss twins, whom he dubbed “male models with a big beautiful brain,” Rep. French Hill of Arkansas, who is vying to lead the House Financial Services Committee next year, and David Bailey, who organized the conference.

So fans, you got the winning ticket, your Trump collectables, now you've heard The Hulkster's promo at the RNC. Now we just need the traditional title of President Of The United States, and Commander In Chief sounds good as crypto gold too.

A bullet proof boss, crypto friendly, freedom of speech, and pro actively draining the swamp while giving back power to the people. This trend may just catch on globally. We might need an NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) type group, and they can lock horns with the NWO, much like the famed World Championship Wrestling vs New World Order tussles of the past. DT For The Win! Some of the names change, but the ultimate goal largely remains the same - Freedom!

Special thanks: Bitcoin Magazine/Bitcoin 2024/Bitcoin 2024

Team Donald Trump

WWE, TKO Group, NWA

Hunter S. Thompson (the late)

Grok, X Corp

Trump Trading Cards

The Readers - that means you sport!

News

Bitcoin 2024 (via Grok)

The anticipation around Bitcoin in 2024 is palpable, driven by several key events and trends:

Bitcoin Halving: Scheduled for April 2024, this event reduces the reward for mining new blocks by half, from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC. Historically, halving events have led to significant price increases due to the reduced supply of new bitcoins entering the market. Analysts and enthusiasts expect this trend to continue, potentially pushing Bitcoin's price to new heights.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs: The potential approval of spot Bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) in the U.S. is seen as a major catalyst. Such financial products could bring a flood of institutional money into Bitcoin, enhancing its liquidity and acceptance as an investment vehicle. This move could significantly impact Bitcoin's price by making it more accessible to retail and institutional investors who prefer regulated investment products.

Macroeconomic Factors: With concerns over inflation, economic stability, and monetary policies, Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as a hedge against inflation or currency devaluation. Predictions of interest rate cuts and increased money printing by major economies like the U.S. and China could further bolster Bitcoin's appeal as a "digital gold."

Price Predictions: Various analysts and platforms have made bold predictions for Bitcoin's price in 2024.

Predictions range from $60,000 to as high as $524,000, with many expecting a significant bull run post-halving. These forecasts are based on historical patterns post-halving, increased adoption, and the potential for Bitcoin to be seen as a safe-haven asset.

Community Sentiment: On platforms like X, there's a mix of cautious optimism and outright bullishness.

Discussions highlight the potential for Bitcoin to reach six figures or even higher, driven by the halving, ETFs, and macroeconomic conditions. However, there's also acknowledgment of potential corrections or sideways movements post-halving, as seen in past cycles.

Technological and Network Developments: Beyond price, Bitcoin's underlying technology continues to evolve. The introduction of Ordinals and BRC-20 tokens on Bitcoin's network represents innovation in NFTs and DeFi directly on Bitcoin, potentially increasing its utility and thus, value.

Market Sentiment and Events: The Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, featuring high-profile speakers, underscores Bitcoin's growing mainstream acceptance and its role in global financial discussions. Such events not only boost visibility but also might influence market sentiment positively.

Given these points, Bitcoin in 2024 is expected to be at the center of financial innovation, regulatory discussions, and investment strategies. While the exact price trajectory remains speculative, the combination of halving, potential ETF approvals, and global economic conditions sets the stage for what many in the community anticipate could be one of Bitcoin's most significant years yet. However, as with any investment, especially in cryptocurrencies, there's inherent volatility and risk involved, which should be considered alongside the optimism. (Grok)

News via Grok

Zurich Cantonal Bank Launches Crypto Trading

September 9, 2024

Zurich Cantonal Bank (ZKB), Switzerland's fourth-largest bank, has introduced trading services for Bitcoin and Ethereum, marking a significant step in integrating cryptocurrencies into traditional banking. This service allows clients to trade these cryptocurrencies through ZKB's existing eBanking and Mobile Banking platforms, offering 24/7 trading capabilities. Additionally, ZKB provides custody services for these digital assets, enhancing security. This move represents a notable advancement in the adoption of cryptocurrencies by mainstream financial institutions, potentially influencing broader acceptance and use of digital currencies in financial markets.

News

BTC via Grok

Here's a summary based on the latest information available up to September 7, 2024:

Price Movement: Bitcoin experienced a notable drop following the release of U.S. jobs data, with prices dipping by as much as 6.5% to around $52,600. However, there's been a slight recovery, indicating some volatility but also resilience around certain support levels.

Market Sentiment: There's a mix of caution and optimism. The market saw increased volatility with significant price drops across major cryptocurrencies, but there's also mention of a potential for recovery or stabilization, with some traders pointing out that the market might be setting up for further movements based on current support and resistance levels.

Technical Analysis: Various posts discuss Bitcoin's price action within a channel, with more tests at the lower end suggesting a potential for either a breakout or a strong bounce back. Negative funding rates and a lack of significant liquidations on the downside indicate a cautious market where shorts are confident at high-time-frame support levels.

Market Structure: There's an observation of thin order books between the current price and higher levels like $57,000, suggesting potential for rapid movements if buying pressure increases significantly.

Institutional Interest: The mention of Barclays targeting MicroStrategy stock for Bitcoin exposure highlights ongoing institutional interest in Bitcoin, albeit indirectly through stocks of companies with significant Bitcoin holdings.

ETF Impact: There have been outflows from Bitcoin ETFs, which might reflect profit-taking or a shift in investor sentiment, possibly influenced by macroeconomic data or regulatory news.

Future Outlook: While there's immediate concern over the recent dip, the broader sentiment includes watching for how Bitcoin reacts at current support levels, with some anticipation for potential upward movements if certain psychological or technical levels are breached.

This summary reflects a snapshot of Bitcoin's market dynamics as of early September 2024, characterized by typical crypto market volatility, technical analysis speculation, and ongoing interest from both retail and institutional investors. Always remember, the crypto market can be highly speculative, and sentiments can shift rapidly based on new information or broader market trends. (Grok)

News

Trump 2024 (via Grok)

Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign has been marked by several notable events and strategic shifts:

Campaign Events and Focus: Trump has been actively campaigning across key battleground states, with recent activities including a rally in Mosinee, Wisconsin, where he spoke on various issues like the economy, education policy, and international relations. His campaign schedule has included themed events focusing on economic policy, crime, national security, and immigration, indicating a broad-based approach to appeal to different voter concerns.

Strategic Adjustments: There's been a noticeable shift in campaign strategy, particularly in response to Kamala Harris's rise in the Democratic ticket. Trump has scaled back campaigning in states like New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Virginia, focusing instead on states with higher electoral impact like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Arizona. This suggests a strategic pivot to consolidate support in crucial swing states.

Policy Promises: Trump has made significant promises, including ending the Russia-Ukraine war before his potential inauguration, abolishing the U.S. Department of Education, and preventing World War III. These pledges aim to appeal to voters looking for strong, decisive action on both domestic and foreign policy fronts.

Public Sentiment and Campaign Style: Trump's rallies continue to draw crowds, although there have been observations of smaller turnouts in some instances compared to previous campaigns. His style remains confrontational, with direct attacks on his opponents and frequent use of social media to engage with supporters directly.

Legal and Political Challenges: The campaign has not been without controversy, including legal challenges and criticisms over his handling of previous events like the Afghanistan withdrawal. Trump's campaign has responded to these by focusing on his past achievements and painting his opponents as less competent or patriotic.

Fundraising and Support: Despite legal battles, Trump's campaign has managed to maintain significant financial support, though there have been fluctuations in fundraising success. His campaign has also been described as ramping up its ground game, suggesting an intensified effort to mobilize voters at the grassroots level.

Media and Public Perception: Social media posts reflect a mix of staunch support and criticism, with some users highlighting perceived weaknesses in Trump's campaign strategy or health, while others rally behind his policies and persona. The campaign's use of media, including Trump's own social media presence, plays a crucial role in shaping his narrative.

Engagement with Key Demographics: Efforts like announcing a "Black Americans for Trump" coalition indicate a strategy to broaden his voter base, addressing criticisms of past campaigns where he struggled with certain demographics.

Trump's 2024 campaign, therefore, is characterized by a blend of continuity in his aggressive campaign style, adaptation to new political realities with Harris as his opponent, and a focus on policy promises that aim to resonate with a wide swath of American voters, particularly in swing states crucial for electoral victory.

Bitcoin Surpasses $63,000

X And Grok Right On The Money For Crypto, Bitcoin Coverage In Near Real Time With Timelines And Accountability, X/Grok Motivated To Perform: Awaiting Mad Monday Following Bullish Weekend: Media Man

October 12, 2024

News

Bitcoin's price surged to $63,000, marking a significant recovery from $58,000 the previous day. This increase has led to optimism among cryptocurrency enthusiasts, with many predicting further gains and suggesting a shift from a bearish to a bullish market sentiment. Despite the price increase, the Fear and Greed Index indicates a market sentiment of fear, suggesting caution among investors. Analysts and investors are discussing potential price targets, with some forecasting Bitcoin could reach $100,000 soon. The discussions also highlight the weakening of previous resistance levels, indicating Bitcoin might easily surpass its August highs upon revisiting those levels.

News/Profile via Grok

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin, often abbreviated as BTC, is the first and most widely recognized decentralized cryptocurrency. It operates on a technology called blockchain, which is a public, distributed ledger that records all transactions across a network of computers without requiring a central authority or bank. Here's a deeper dive:

Creation and Purpose: Introduced in 2009 by an individual or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin was designed as an electronic payment system based on cryptographic proof instead of trust, allowing online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through financial institutions.

Decentralization: Unlike traditional currencies, Bitcoin isn't issued or backed by any government or central bank. Transactions are verified by network nodes and recorded in blocks, which are linked and secured using cryptography.

Mining and Supply: New bitcoins are created through a process called mining, where miners solve complex mathematical problems to add transactions to the blockchain. This process also secures the network. The total supply of Bitcoin is capped at 21 million coins, making it deflationary by design.

Use Cases:
Store of Value: Often referred to as "digital gold," Bitcoin has become an investment asset, seen by many as a hedge against inflation due to its fixed supply.

Transaction Medium: While it started as a medium of exchange, its use in transactions has varied with its volatility, though it's still used for purchases, especially in niche markets.

Speculative Trading: Bitcoin's price volatility has attracted traders looking for profit through price movements.

Current Status (as of October 2024):
Price: The price of Bitcoin hovers around $63,000 to $64,000 USD, showing slight fluctuations but maintaining a robust market presence.

Market Sentiment: From posts on X, there's a sentiment around Bitcoin as not just digital currency but as a foundational technology for trustless systems, indicating its broadening perception from just a cryptocurrency to a pivotal blockchain technology.

Challenges and Considerations:
Volatility: Bitcoin's price can experience significant swings, which might deter its use as everyday currency but increases its allure for traders.

Regulation: Governments worldwide are still grappling with how to regulate cryptocurrencies, affecting its adoption and legality in various jurisdictions.

Energy Consumption: The mining process, particularly with the proof-of-work consensus mechanism, consumes substantial energy, leading to environmental concerns.

Cultural Impact: Bitcoin has not only influenced finance but also culture, becoming a symbol of financial freedom and resistance against traditional financial systems for many. Its mention in media, from documentaries to financial news, underscores its integration into broader societal discussions.

Bitcoin continues to evolve, influencing and being influenced by technology, economics, and global regulations. Its journey from an obscure digital currency to a recognized asset class illustrates the profound impact of blockchain technology on finance and beyond. (Grok)

News

Cryptocurrency News/Profile via Grok

Cryptocurrency refers to a type of digital or virtual currency that utilizes cryptography for security. Here's a breakdown of what it entails based on general knowledge and recent insights up to October 2024:

Definition and Function: Cryptocurrency operates on decentralized technology, typically a blockchain, which is a distributed ledger enforced by a network of computers. This technology ensures that transactions are secure, verified, and maintained without the need for a central authority like banks or governments.

Cryptocurrencies function as a medium of exchange, allowing direct transactions between parties.

Security and Anonymity: The use of cryptography makes cryptocurrencies extremely difficult to counterfeit or double-spend. While transactions can be pseudonymous, meaning they are not directly linked to personal identities, most cryptocurrencies provide a level of transparency where transaction details are public but not necessarily the identities behind them.

Market Dynamics: The cryptocurrency market has shown both significant growth and volatility. For instance, Bitcoin has experienced notable fluctuations, with its price and market cap often leading the crypto market's sentiment. Events like regulatory news, technological developments (like Ethereum's upgrades), and macroeconomic factors influence these markets.

Types and Use Cases: Beyond Bitcoin, there are thousands of cryptocurrencies, often referred to as altcoins, each with different functionalities. Ethereum introduced smart contracts, enabling decentralized applications (dApps) and decentralized finance (DeFi). Other cryptocurrencies focus on privacy, scalability, or specific use cases like supply chain management.

Public Perception and Adoption: Despite growing awareness, the adoption of cryptocurrencies as everyday currency remains limited. The complexity, regulatory uncertainties, and the lack of user-friendly infrastructure compared to traditional financial systems pose hurdles. However, there's increasing interest in cryptocurrencies as investment vehicles or speculative assets.

Regulatory Landscape: Governments around the world are grappling with how to regulate cryptocurrencies. Some countries are embracing crypto with regulatory frameworks, while others impose bans or severe restrictions. This regulatory dance impacts market stability and investor confidence.

Technological Developments: The blockchain technology underlying cryptocurrencies continues to evolve. Concepts like proof-of-stake (PoS) versus proof-of-work (PoW), scalability solutions, and interoperability between blockchains are at the forefront of innovation, aiming to address issues like energy consumption and transaction speeds.

Challenges: Cryptocurrencies face challenges like scalability, security (despite cryptography, there are still vulnerabilities in surrounding ecosystems like exchanges), regulatory scrutiny, and the risk of being used for illicit activities due to their pseudonymous nature.

Future Outlook: The future of cryptocurrencies might see them becoming more integrated into the financial system, either as a parallel system or evolving into something new with further technological advancements. The narrative around cryptocurrencies often oscillates between them being the future of money and speculative bubbles, reflecting the speculative and innovative nature of the space.

From the sentiment on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), there's a mix of enthusiasm for the potential of cryptocurrencies to revolutionize finance and skepticism regarding their stability, utility, and environmental impact. The conversation around cryptocurrencies continues to evolve, reflecting both their promise and the significant challenges they face in mainstream adoption. (Grok)

Donald Trump Bitcoin Conference Keynote
https://youtube.com/watch?v=9UxAUryUKXM&ab_channel=BitcoinMagazine

Donald Trump delivers his keynote address at the Bitcoin Conference 2024. In a groundbreaking speech at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, former President Donald Trump outlines his vision for a crypto-friendly America. Trump promises to end the current administration's "anti-crypto crusade" and positions himself as the first major party nominee to accept Bitcoin donations. He pledges to fire SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, create a Presidential Crypto Advisory Council, and keep all government-held Bitcoin. Trump's address covers a wide range of topics, from energy policy to inflation, connecting them all to the future of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in America. He vows to make the U.S. the "crypto capital of the planet" and a "Bitcoin superpower," promising regulatory clarity and economic prosperity for the industry.

This video is a must-watch for anyone interested in the intersection of politics and cryptocurrency. Lower your time preference and lock-in your Bitcoin 2025 conference tickets today!!! (Credit: Bitcoin Magazine
@BitcoinMagazine
/Bitcoin 2024)

Click Here: http://b.tc/conference/2025 #djt

Websites

Bitcoin Magazine
https://bitcoinmagazine.com

Bitcoin Magazine:

NEWS: DONALD TRUMP TO SPEAK AT BITCOIN 2024 CONFERENCE IN NASHVILLE
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/donald-trump-to-speak-at-bitcoin-2024-conference-in-nashville

Bitcoin Magazine YouTube
https://youtube.com/@BitcoinMagazine

Donald Trump to Headline Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville

July 11, 2024

Former President Donald Trump has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at the upcoming Bitcoin 2024 conference set to take place in Nashville, Tennessee.

This news comes as a significant development for the event, known for its major industry announcements and influential speakers. The conference, which has previously been hosted in Miami, has established itself as a platform for groundbreaking news within the cryptocurrency space.

Bitcoin 2021, the inaugural conference, made headlines when El Salvador officially declared Bitcoin as legal tender. The subsequent Bitcoin 2022 and Bitcoin 2023 conferences continued the trend of notable moments, including a powerful speech by U.S. Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in support of the Bitcoin industry.

This year, the shift of the conference location from Miami to Nashville signifies its increasing prominence on the global stage. With two former U.S. Presidential candidates, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump, slated to speak, Bitcoin 2024 is anticipated to be a pivotal event that could potentially impact the future trajectory of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency policies in the United States.

Donald Trump’s participation in the conference is especially noteworthy considering his recent engagements with the Bitcoin community. Earlier this year, Trump met with prominent U.S. Bitcoin miners, including representatives from CleanSpark, where he reiterated his support for Bitcoin mining both domestically and internationally. In a statement, Trump pledged to prioritize the development of Bitcoin and crypto initiatives in the United States and safeguard the rights of the nation’s 50 million crypto holders if re-elected as president.

As Trump embarks on his presidential campaign, his alignment with the Bitcoin industry stands in contrast to the position of his potential rival, President Joe Biden, who has shown less enthusiasm towards the cryptocurrency sector. While Biden’s participation in Bitcoin 2024 remains unconfirmed, the event could underscore the divergent approaches of the two candidates towards Bitcoin and its implications for U.S. policies.

For additional details on the Bitcoin 2024 conference and to secure a discounted ticket using a promotional code, interested individuals can visit the official event website. Bitcoin Magazine, a subsidiary of BTC Inc, the organizer of the largest Bitcoin conference, The Bitcoin Conference, will be overseeing the event.

Websites

Bitcoin 2024
https://b.tc/conference/2024

Bitcoin Magazine
https://bitcoinmagazine.com

Market, Commodities and Financial News

Snapshot via Media Man

July 29, 2024

ASX futures up 60 points or 0.8% to 7938 near 3am AEST

AUD +0.2% to 65.48 US cents

Bitcoin -0.6% to $US67,636

Dow +1.6%

S&P +1.1%

Nasdaq +1%

FTSE +1.2%

DAX +0.7%

CAC +1.2%

Gold +1.0% to $US2387.19 an ounce

Brent oil -1.5% to $US81.13 a barrel

Iron ore +2.5% to $US102.40 a tonne

Cryptocurrency News via Media Man and FxPro

July 8, 2024

Crypto Bargain-hunters are back

Market picture

Bargain hunters are showing themselves in full force in crypto. Cryptocurrency market capitalisation rose 3.6% in 24 hours to $2.11 trillion, climbing back to the top of the range of the past five days. It will take the market to rise another 2% before we can say that the bear attack has been repelled. Until then, we can only talk about consolidation after the sell-off.

Bitcoin rebounded to $57.3K after a couple of dips to $54K, sticking to its descending channel that has been in force since March, but the price is very dangerously stuck at the bottom of this corridor. This situation makes us fear an acceleration of the sell-off with a potential target in the $50-51K area, where the crypto market was stagnant in February.

Ethereum trades at $3050 and remains below the 200-day moving average but has not given up trying to climb higher. Here, ETH has a strong support line, which also attracted buyers in April and May. More on the bulls' side is that the RSI on daily timeframes rises from oversold territory. These are promising technical signals, but the sustained sell-off from the US and German governments and the overhang of selling from Mt Gox lenders is clearly undermining the confidence of too many buyers.

News background

According to CoinShares, investments in crypto funds rose by $441 million last week for the first time after three weeks of outflows. Bitcoin investments increased by $398 million, Solana by $16 million, Ethereum by $10 million.

Recent price declines, driven by potential selling pressure from Mt Gox and the German government, were probably seen as a buying opportunity. Inflows into BTC accounted for only 90% of the total inflows, as investors chose to invest in a much broader set of altcoins. The most notable of these was Solana, which has received $57 million in investments since the beginning of the year, making it the most efficient altcoin in terms of flows, CoinShares noted.

German authorities continue to transfer Bitcoins to exchanges. On 8 July, two 250 BTC transfers were made to Coinbase and Bitstamp platforms. Transactions of 700 BTC and 500 BTC followed to unidentified Arkham numbers.

The Bitstamp exchange promised to distribute the payments from Mt Gox "as soon as possible," despite having a 60-day deadline. So far, only Japanese BitBank and SBI VC Trade addresses have been distributed coins. The three remaining recipients - Bitstamp, Kraken and BitGo - are still awaiting their turn. The trustee has 94,771 BTC (~$5.4bn) left to send.

Bitfinex points out signs of a potential end to the market correction. Short-term investor selling is potentially close to exhaustion. Meanwhile, the funding rate for perpetual BTC contracts has turned negative for the first time since 1 May.

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#ETH #BTC #Bitcoin #TON #Ripple #ETH #mining #USD #Blockchain #BitcoinNews #Bitcoins #SOL #Toncoin #EtherNews #Coinshares #Ethereum #Bullion #Ether #Altcoins #Tethereum #Blockchains #currency #cryptocurrency #cryptonews #resources #CryptocurrencyNews #BNB #DOGE #market #trading #bitcoincafe #bitcoinpr #bitcoinewsmedia #FxPro #AlexKuptsikevich #GregTingle #trends #trending #buzz #PR #newsbiz #newswire #newsfeed #newsfeeds #trends #X #media #mediaman

(Image: A.I)

Websites

FOX Business - Cryptocurrency

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The Australian Financial Review - Cryptocurrencies

CoinTelegraph CoinDesk.com Bitcoin.com - News

Bitcoin - Wikipedia Cryptocurrency - Wikipedia

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Blockchain Directory vis Media Man Group

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Finance / World Business News

Euro, Gold, Crypto and more via Media Man and FX Pro

A strong current account surplus may not help euro

The eurozone's current account surplus climbed to a six-month high of 31.9bn in December. Analysts, on average, had expected a decline to 20.3 bn from 22.5 bn the previous month. The current level was seen in the eurozone during the relatively benign pre-Covid period and sometime before Natural Gas prices spiked in the second half of 2021.

The normalisation of the surplus is good news for the single currency, as it means more net capital inflows into the region. But this growth has been fuelled by falling imports, which can be the result of lower commodity and energy prices (which is a very good thing), but also partly indicative of a slowdown in domestic demand. This threatens to translate into economic contraction in the coming months.

The euro area experienced periods of severe import contraction in late 2008 and early 2010, and in both cases, the economy experienced a severe downturn. Back in 2008, all this was accompanied by the collapse of the euro.

Gold

Gold rises but within a downward channel

Gold rallied for the fourth consecutive session to reach $2023, recovering almost all the losses suffered the week before on the back of the inflation report. Gold's ability to rally suggests continued domestic demand, as some investors are clearly rushing to buy back any losses.

At the same time, however, we note that since the beginning of the year, gold has been characterised by solid selloffs on the news, forming a smooth downtrend. In the context of this downtrend, a rise to $2040-2045, which is the upper boundary of the bearish range, looks quite acceptable.

The area around $2035 - the highs of two weeks ago - also appears to be a crucial intermediate level. Confident buying from this level would be the first important signal that the recent correction is over and that gold is ready to make a fresh assault on the highs.

Much more important, however, will be the behaviour of gold as it approaches the $2050 level, where the reversal of the decline in late January took place.

Consolidation at this level would confirm the breakdown of the downtrend and set the stage for a move towards $2100 and the subsequent renewal of historic highs.

However, as long as gold is trading within the downtrend, there is a greater chance of a breakdown or even an acceleration of the downtrend.

Among the fundamental factors, the potential for growth could be provided by the fall in the dollar if Fed officials show a softening of their position, bringing the start of interest rate cuts closer.

On the bearish side, equities could come under pressure following the optimistic rally in the tech giants and the news of a sharp slowdown in economic activity. We also do not rule out the possibility that the recent support measures for the Chinese stock market and property sector will cool demand for gold as a safe-haven for investors from that part of the world.

Cryptocurrency

Crypto market growth halted amid capital inflows

Market picture

The crypto market has corrected 0.46% in the last 24 hours, fluctuating within a narrow range without a clear direction. Bitcoin is down 1% but up 3.7% over seven days, Ethereum is flat for the day but up 10.6% over the week. The top coins are mixed with BNB +2% and Solana -2.5%.

Bitcoin is currently drawing its fourth daily candle with opening and closing levels close to each other. Such sideways consolidations are characteristic of strong bull markets, as opposed to corrective pullbacks on smoother rallies.

Ethereum hit local highs on rumours of a positive regulatory decision before the end of March. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffarth bet 4 ETH that the SEC will not approve a spot Ethereum ETF next month.

According to data from CoinShares, investment in crypto funds rose by a record $2.452 billion last week, following inflows of $1.116 billion the previous week.
Bitcoin investments increased by $2.424 billion, Ethereum by $21 million, Cardano lost $6 million, and Solana lost $1.6 million.

Since the beginning of the year, crypto funds have seen inflows of an impressive $5.2 billion, with total AUM rising to $67 billion, the highest since December 2021.

News background

Bitcoin will see institutional support in the next three to six months, according to Coinbase. Bitcoin ETFs could eventually become a major competitor to gold funds.
According to IntoTheBlock, there is an 85% chance that Bitcoin will reach a new all-time high within the next six months. Five factors could contribute to this: the halving of the price, ETFs, monetary easing, the US election, and companies accumulating BTC as part of their treasuries.

Former CIA contractor Edward Snowden, who has been living in Russia since 2013, called bitcoin the most significant achievement of the financial system in the entire existence of money and means of exchange.

Amberdata admitted that Ethereum will outpace Bitcoin in terms of growth due to more constructive deflationary policies. The supply of ETH has been decreasing since September 2022, thanks to the update of The Merge, as well as the implementation of a mechanism to burn part of the commissions. During this time, around 0.36 million ETH, or 0.3% of the total supply of 120 million coins, have been removed from circulation.

Via Roy Morgan Research and Media Man social media

Copper, gold, and Bitcoin rise; Iron ore and oil fall; ASX to fall in response to selling on Wall Street; US vetoes Arab-backed UN resolution demanding ceasefire in Gaza; Assange's lawyers warn that he risks 'flagrant denial of justice' if he is tried in US

Latest updates on Key Economic Indicators

21 February 2024

Roy Morgan Summary

Australian Dollar: $0.6550 USD (up 0.0011 USD)
Iron Ore Mar Spot Price (SGX): $120.85 USD (down $6.40 USD)

Oil Price (WTI): $78.27 USD (down $1.02 USD)

Gold Price: $2,024.37 USD (up $6.43 USD)

Copper Price (CME): $3.8595 (up $0.0465 USD)

Bitcoin: $52,059.35 (up 0.35% in last 24 hours)

New report reveals Roy Morgan is one of Australia's leading data companies - with in-depth information on millions of Australians based on their Helix Personas

Market Research Update

20 February 2024

Roy Morgan Summary

Roy Morgan leads the way as one of Australia's leading data companies. A special in-depth report into Australia's leading data companies interviewed Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and Executive Chairman Gary Morgan about the role the company plays in compiling data and building profiles of different Australians. One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family".

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.: 38,582.12 at 3.22pm NY time (down 45.87 points on Friday's close)

Roy Morgan wins three-year contract to deliver domestic tourism statistics for Austrade

21 February 2024

Roy Morgan Summary

From 2025, Roy Morgan will provide Austrade with the world's best practice survey methodology, big data integration and modelling techniques to deliver accurate domestic tourism statistics. Roy Morgan has reimagined the future of domestic tourism statistics to move Austrade and its stakeholders to the forefront of tourism intelligence with a new platform that will drive the future of Australia's tourism industry, which is estimated to be worth in excess of $160 billion. Portia Morgan, the Head of Client Services at Roy Morgan, says that using face-to-face interviewing, which is the gold-standard for surveying the population, enhanced with big data and cutting-edge data science techniques, Roy Morgan will be delivering a future-proofed system that will be cost effective, reliable, and accurate. She adds that Roy Morgan has been delivering survey-based tourism insights via its Holiday Tracking Survey for 20+ years and the company is thrilled to be working with Austrade and the broader industry to provide a deeper of understanding of how many people are travelling, where they go, what they do and how they spend their valuable tourism dollars.

Anti-mining PM pushes BHP's cash offshore

Roy Morgan Summary

It is somewhat hypocritical of the federal government to flag possible support for Australia's nickel industry, given that Labor's anti-mining legislation may jeopardise the expansion of BHP's copper operations in South Australia. BHP is still likely to proceed with an expansion, but the previously touted investment of between $10bn and $15bn is now only a 50 per cent chance. The new labour laws in the government's industrial relations reforms mean that BHP is now more likely to redirect much of this capital investment to its criticals minerals projects in other countries; rival miner Rio Tinto is already doing this.

More than 2.7 million New Zealanders now read newspapers and magazine audiences surge to over 1.7 million

21 February 2024

Roy Morgan has released its readership results for New Zealand's newspapers and magazines for the 12 months to December 2023. The data shows that 2.73 million New Zealanders aged 14+ (64.4%) now read or access newspapers in an average 7-day period via print or online (website or app) platforms. In addition, 1.71 million New Zealanders aged 14+ (40.3%) read magazines, whether in print or online either via the web or an app. The New Zealand Herald is still the nation's most widely-read publication, with a total cross-platform audience of 1,720,000 in the 12 months to June 2023 - almost five times as many as the second placed Dominion Post with a readership of 341,000. Meanwhile, New Zealand's most widely read magazine is still the driving magazine AA Directions, which had an average issue readership of 379,000 during the year to December (an increase of 63,000 on a year ago).

These are the latest findings from the Roy Morgan New Zealand Single Source survey of 6,254 New Zealanders aged 14+ over the 12 months to December 2023.

New report reveals Roy Morgan is one of Australia's leading data companies - with in-depth information on millions of Australians based on their Helix Personas

Market Research Update

20 February 2024

Roy Morgan Summary

(Credit: Roy Morgan Research)

Roy Morgan Summary

One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family". Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.

(Credit: Roy Morgan Research)

Media Man

Warrner Bros

Profile

In 2010, the Warner Bros. Pictures Group broke the all-time industry worldwide box office record with receipts of $4.814 billion, which surpassed the prior record of $4.010 billion (set by the Studio in 2009). Warner Bros. also established a new industry benchmark for the international box office with a total of $2.93 billion (marking a record third time of crossing the $2 billion threshold) and retained its leading domestic box office ranking with receipts of $1.884 billion. 2010 also marked the 10th consecutive year Warner Bros. Pictures passed the billion dollar mark at both the domestic and international box offices. Warner Home Video was, once again, the industry’s leader, with an overall 20.6 percent marketshare in total DVD and Blu-ray sales. The companies comprising the Warner Bros. Television Group and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group remain category leaders, working across all platforms and outlets, and are trendsetters in the digital realm with video-on-demand (transaction and ad-supported), branded channels, original content, anti-piracy technology and broadband and wireless destinations.

The Warner Bros. Pictures Group brings together the Studio’s motion picture production, marketing and distribution operations into a single entity. The Group, which includes Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures International, was formed to streamline the Studio’s film production process and bring those businesses’ organizational structures in line with Warner Bros.’ television and home entertainment operations.

Warner Bros. Pictures produces and distributes a wide-ranging slate of some 18-22 films each year, employing a business paradigm that mitigates risk while maximizing productivity and capital. Warner Bros. Pictures either fully finances or co-finances the films it produces and maintains worldwide distribution rights. It also monetizes its distribution and marketing operations by distributing films that are totally financed and produced by third-parties. The Studio’s 2011 slate includes “Sucker Punch,” “The Hangover Part II,” “Green Lantern,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” “Happy Feet 2” and “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”

Warner Bros. Pictures International is a global leader in the marketing and distribution of feature films, operating offices in more than 30 countries and releasing films in over 120 international territories, either directly to theaters or in conjunction with partner companies and co-ventures.

New Line Cinema, part of Warner Bros. Entertainment since 2008, coordinates its development, production, marketing, distribution and business affairs activities with Warner Bros. Pictures to maximize film performance and operating efficiencies. Highlights of New Line’s 2011 release slate, distributed by Warner Bros., include “Horrible Bosses,” “Final Destination 5,” “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” and “New Year’s Eve.”

The Warner Bros. Television Group oversees and grows the entire portfolio of Warner Bros.’ television businesses, including worldwide production, traditional and digital distribution, and broadcasting. In the traditional television arena, WBTVG produces primetime and cable (Warner Bros. Television and Warner Horizon Television), first-run syndication (Telepictures Productions) and animated (Warner Bros. Animation) programming, which is distributed worldwide by two category-leading distribution arms/operations (Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution and Warner Bros. International Television Distribution).

Among the primetime series produced by divisions of the Warner Bros. Television Group are “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Mentalist,” “Mike & Molly,” “Fringe,” “Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Nikita,” “The Middle,” “Southland,” “The Closer,” “Rizzoli & Isles,” “Supernatural,” “The Bachelor,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew” and many more. Also produced by the company are first-run syndicated programs such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “TMZ” and “Extra,” among others, as well as animated shows “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated” and “Young Justice.”

WBTVG is an innovative leader in developing new business models for the evolving television landscape, including ad-supported video-on-demand, broadband and wireless, and has digital distribution agreements in place with all of the broadcast networks. Internationally, the Studio is one of the world’s largest distributors of feature films, television programs and animation to the worldwide television marketplace, licensing some 50,000 hours of television programming, including more than 6,000 feature films and 50 current series, dubbed or subtitled in more than 40 languages, to telecasters and cablecasters in more than 175 countries.

WBTVG provides original shortform programming for the broadband and wireless marketplace through its Studio 2.0 digital venture, and its digital media sales unit is devoted specifically to multiplatform domestic advertiser sales for both broadband and wireless. WBTVG continues its strategic expansion into digital production and distribution with the launch of several advertiser-supported entertainment destinations, including TheWB.com, a premium, video-on-demand interactive and personalized network and KidsWB.com, a premium destination built around youth-oriented immersive entertainment.

The final component of WBTVG is broadcasting: The CW Television Network, launched (in partnership with CBS) in September 2006 with quality, diverse programming, is targeted to the 18–34 audience.

Warner Bros. Animation’s combined classic and contemporary library currently boasts 14,000 animated episodes and shorts which air on domestic broadcast networks, as well as cable networks and in direct-to-video releases around the world. The classic library includes such brands as Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears as well as such beloved characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, Tweety, Taz, Tom and Jerry, Popeye, Batman, Superman, the Flintstones, the Jetsons and Scooby-Doo.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video (Warner Home Video), digital distribution (Warner Bros. Digital Distribution), interactive entertainment/videogames (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment), direct-to-consumer production (Warner Premiere), technical operations (Warner Bros. Technical Operations) and anti-piracy (Warner Bros. Anti-Piracy Operations) businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. WBHEG is responsible for the global distribution of content through DVD, electronic sell-through and transactional VOD, and delivery of theatrical content to wireless and online channels. It is also a significant worldwide publisher for both internal and third party videogame titles.

In 2010, Warner Home Video dominated the U.S. market as the number one company in total sell-through video (DVD and Blu-ray combined) with 20.6% marketshare, theatrical catalog, TV on DVD, non-theatrical family and animation, Blu-ray and VOD. WHV has been the number one studio in overall DVD sales 14 consecutive years, and is also the leading studio in the international home video space.

With more than 3,700 active licensees worldwide, Warner Bros. Consumer Products licenses the rights to names, likenesses and logos for all of the intellectual properties in Warner Bros. Entertainment’s vast film and television library. With a global network of offices and agents in key regions throughout the world, including North America, Latin America, Asia and Europe, WBCP maintains an ongoing commitment to expand and build the power of its core brands’ recognition in the international marketplace through strong and creative merchandising, promotional marketing and retail programs.

DC Entertainment’s DC Comics has been in continuous publication for more than 60 years, and is the leading comic book publisher in the industry and the creator of some of the world’s most recognized icons. DC’s characters continue to headline blockbuster feature films, live-action and animated television series, direct-to-video releases, collectors’ books, online entertainment, digital publishing, countless licensing and marketing arrangements and, most recently, graphic novels. DC continues to attract new readers and fans all over the world with its signature characters Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Justice League leading the way.

Warner Bros. International Cinemas provides a true state-of-the-art movie experience to audiences in Japan with more than 60 multiplex cinemas and more than 600 screens internationally. One of the pioneers in multiplex development for the international marketplace, WBIC is continually exploring new markets for expansion. (Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment)

Press Release

09 August 2010

MICROGAMING SET TO LAUNCH THE LORD OF THE RINGS™: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING ONLINE VIDEO SLOT GAME

First Title to Utilize Proprietary Cinematic Spins™ Technology Allowing Players to Experience the Film with Every Spin

ISLE OF MAN – Microgaming today announced the imminent launch of a new flagship game, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Online Video Slot Game. This slot game is the first to utilise Microgaming’s new Cinematic Spins™ technology, allowing gamers to see clips from the films with every spin.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a new online slot game that is part of a multi-year licensing agreement Microgaming signed with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution in 2009. The company is developing a series of cutting-edge, graphic rich video slots based on this popular movie trilogy and will use animation material, themes, and characters, from the trilogy of The Lord of the Rings™ motion pictures that include The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. These online slot games will be available to adults only in countries where online gaming is permitted.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the first online video slot to use Microgaming’s Cinematic Spins™ state-of-the-art gaming technology. This allows movie clips to act as moving backgrounds behind the reels during spins providing players an unprecedented level of excitement and immersion.

Win sequences and expanding wilds also use cinematic clips, instead of traditional animated graphics. The slots feature famous scenes from the film including Ringwraiths during the attack at Weathertop, Balrog in the Mines of Moria, and Uruk-hai in the woods of Middle-earth. Players will also enjoy seeing characters from the films that include Frodo, Aragorn, Saruman and the deadly Black Riders.

Roger Raatgever, CEO Microgaming comments: “Microgaming has always been ahead of the curve with innovative offerings, but this game really does push the boundaries of what an online slot can do. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring looks and feels like an extension of the big screen film experience and we’re confident that our operators will see a great deal of demand from their players, when the game is released. This is an important deal for Microgaming and highlights our commitment to partner with the right brands, at the right time. The Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful and well loved brands on the planet and we are excited about combining this widespread appeal with Microgaming’s groundbreaking software.”

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy generated $3 billion in worldwide box office receipts and was nominated for a total of 30 Academy Awards®; of which they won 17, including Best Picture.

- Ends -
Notes to editors:
*Cinematic Spins is a trademark held by Microgaming

© 2010 New Line Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc.

For further information please contact:
Duncan Skehens / Laura Moss/ Lyndsay Haywood
Lansons Communications
020 7490 8828
DuncanS@lansons.com / LauraM@lansons.com / LyndsayH@lansons.com
Warner Bros. Digital Distribution

Peter Binazeski
818-977-5701
peter.binazeski@warnerbros.com
About Microgaming (www.microgaming.com)
Since the company developed the first true online Casino software over a decade ago, it has led the industry in providing innovative, reliable gaming solutions. Thanks to an unrivalled R&D programme, that averages 60 games per year and a unique ‘partnership’ approach to working with operators; Microgaming software powers over 160 market-leading online gaming sites.
The company’s front and back-end software supports multi-player, multi-language games - over 500 of them, all uniquely branded and provides platforms for land-based and wireless gaming. Microgaming powers the world’s largest Progressive Jackpot Network and has paid out over €265million. In May 2009 it created the biggest ever online jackpot winner with a single payment win of €6.37m.

As a founding member of eCOGRA, Microgaming is at the forefront of an initiative focused on setting the highest standards in the gaming industry, and leads in the areas of fair gaming, responsible operator conduct and player protection. Microgaming has been awarded eCOGRA’s Certified Software Seal following a rigorous onsite assessment to ensure that the development, implementation and maintenance of the software is representative of industry best practice standards Microgaming licensees are therefore eligible to apply for the eCOGRA Safe & Fair Seal.

About Warner Bros. Digital Distribution
Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) manages Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group's (WBHEG) electronic distribution over existing, new and emerging digital platforms, including pay-per-view, electronic sell-through, video-on-demand, wireless and more. WBDD also oversees the WBHEG's worldwide digital strategy, partnerships in digital services and emerging new clients and business activities in the digital space.

News

2009

With Time Warner sitting on $7 billion in cash, the Marvel deal has ignited rumours of a second wave of consolidation in the media industry. Dream Works Animation, home of Shrek, is seen as a potential takeover candidate, as is MGM with its huge library of classic films. The games firms Electronic Arts and Take Two Interactive, with its Grand Theft Auto franchise, are also being touted as potential buys.

Profile

Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Warner Bros. Pictures, or simply Warner Bros.) is one of the world's largest producers of film and television entertainment.

It is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank, California and New York City. Warner Bros. has several subsidiary companies, including Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Home Video, TheWB.com and DC Comics. Warner owns half of The CW Television Network.

Founded in 1918 by Jewish immigrants from Poland, Warner Bros. is the third-oldest American movie studio in continuous operation, after Paramount Pictures, founded in 1912 as Famous Players, and Universal Studios, also founded in 1912.