Decentral Block Post

Bonk, a meme token modeled after Shiba Inu (SHIB) that launched on Dec. 25, 2022, and some traders believe the token’s trading volume is potentially driving Solana (SOL) price up. Over the past 48-hours, SOL price has gained to 34% and Bonk is up 117% in the past 24-hours according to data from CoinMarketCap. While the wider crypto market remains suppressed, traders are hoping that Bonk could present new opportunities during the downturn. 

According to the project’s website, Bonk is the first dog token on the Solana blockchain. Initially, 50% of the token supply was airdropped to Solana users with a mission to remove toxic Alameda-styled token economics. The airdrop resulted in more than $20 million in trading volume according to the Solana decentralized exchange, Orca.

High yield returns

Liquidity providers (LPs) stand to benefit from interacting with Bonk, and on Jan. 4, LPs are earning over 999% APR, which is much higher than the popular SOL / USD Coin (USDC) pairing.

While high yields do not always maintain such a high level, the current rates show a large market demand for Bonk. In addition to the increase in demand, Bonk also burned 1 billion of supply on Jan. 3.

Solana (SOL) bounces alongside Bonk

Blockchains like Solana benefit from increased usage. After the FTX collapse, Solana saw multiple projects leaving the ecosystem. On Jan. 4, Solana saw an 18.6% increase in 24-hour fees and a 15.8% increase in 24-hour daily active users.

Gold made a strong start to the new year and is trading close to a seven-month high on expectations that the United States Federal Reserve may slow down and hike rates only by 25 basis points in its next meeting on Feb. 1. 

Cryptocurrency markets have also shown a mild uptick but are yet to make a decisive move higher. One of the reasons could be renewed fears regarding Digital Currency Group’s liquidity issues, which again came into focus after Gemini co-founder Cameron Winklevoss penned an open letter to DCG CEO Barry Silbert on the alleged $900 million that Genesis owes Gemini.

Among all the gloom, Circle's chief strategy officer and head of global policy, Dante Disparte, sounded positive and said in a Jan. 2 post for The World Economic Forum that the current crisis in the cryptocurrency space may eventually prove to be a boon. Disparte believes that the crypto bear market of 2022 could start “a handover of crypto technology and blockchain infrastructure to steadier hands.”

Could cryptocurrencies break out of the slumber and start a sustained recovery as investors allocate fresh money to various asset classes? Let’s study the charts of the top-10 cryptocurrencies to find out.

BTC/USDT

Bitcoin (BTC) climbed above the moving averages on Jan. 4, indicating buying at lower levels. The next level to watch on the upside is $17,061 where the bears may mount a strong resistance.

Bitcoin (BTC) continued to work on cracking the $17,000 mark on Jan. 4 as an “extremely tight” trading zone held firm.

$17,000 "possible" thanks to CPI print

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD hitting $16,906 on Bitstamp, up $300 from the previous day’s low.

The largest cryptocurrency had benefited from a positive start to the year on Wall Street, this giving a broader boost to previously sideways crypto assets.

“Bitcoin trading with legacy markets yesterday,” Filbfilb, co-founder of trading suite Decentrader, began a summary of recent events by stating.

Analyzing the 12-hour chart, he argued that the 50-day moving average (MA) needed to hold for bulls, with the immediate range support and resistance levels at $15,500 and $18,000, respectively.

The S&P 500 index (SPX) fell 19.4% and the Nasdaq nosedived 33.1% in 2022, recording the worst performance since 2008. The crypto markets also had a horrendous year with Bitcoin (BTC) falling roughly 65% in 2022. In comparison, the United States dollar, which is perceived to be a safe haven, rallied nearly 9%, its best year since 2015.

There are several green shoots visible for the cryptocurrency sector for 2023. The U.S. dollar index (DXY), which usually moves in inverse correlation with Bitcoin may have topped out. This increases the likelihood that select cryptocurrencies may be close to forming a bottom.

Several traders miss buying at lower levels because they attempt to catch the bottom. Instead, long-term investors who believe in the crypto story may consider building a portfolio or adding positions in batches. Thus, they will have some skin in the game and not repent when the next bull move begins.

Could the U.S. dollar index continue its correction and will that benefit risky assets? Let’s study the charts to find out.

SPX

The bears tried to extend the correction last week but the bulls managed to defend the 3,764 level. This indicates that the bulls are trying to form a higher low in the S&P 500 index.

Jared Grey, CEO of the decentralized exchange Sushiswap, has plans to redesign the tokenomics of the SUSHI token, according to a proposal introduced on Dec. 30 in the Sushi's forum.

As part of the new proposed tokenomics model, time-lock tiers will be introduced for emission-based rewards, as well as a token burning mechanism and a liquidity lock for price support. The new tokenomics aims to boost liquidity and decentralization in the platform, along with strengthening "treasury reserves to ensure continual operation and development," noted Grey.

In the proposed model, Liquidity Providers (LPs) would receive 0.05% of swap fees revenue, with higher volume pools receiving the biggest share. LPs will also be able to lock their liquidity to earn boosted, emissions-based rewards. The rewards are forfeited and burned, however, if they are removed before maturity.

Also, staked SUSHI (xSUSHI) won't receive any share of the fee revenue, but emissions-based rewards paid in SUSHI tokens. Time-lock tiers will be used to determine emissions-based rewards, with longer time locks resulting in bigger rewards. Withdrawals before the maturity of time locks are permitted, but rewards will be forfeited and burned.

The decentralized exchange will use a variable percentage of the 0.05% swap fee to buy back and burn the SUSHI token. The percentage will change based on the total time-lock tiers selected. The proposal notes that:

Bitcoin’s (BTC) volatility remained subdued in the final few days of the last year, indicating that investors were in no hurry to enter the markets.

Bitcoin ended 2022 near $16,500 and the first day of the new year also failed to ignite the markets. This suggests that traders remain cautious and on the lookout for a catalyst to start the next trending move.

Several analysts remain bearish about Bitcoin’s near-term price action. David Marcus, CEO and founder of Bitcoin firm Lightspark, said in a blog post released on Dec. 30 that he does not see the crypto winter ending in 2023 and not even in 2024. He expects that it will take time to rebuild consumer trust but believes the current reset may be good for legitimate firms over the long term.

The bearish calls are an indication that the sentiment remains negative but there is also a silver lining to it. Usually, bear markets end after the last bull has turned bearish. With no more sellers left, the price action stabilizes and new buyers enter the market. That usually causes a reversal and starts a new up-move.

While Bitcoin remains range-bound, select altcoins are showing signs of strength. Let’s look at the charts and spot the important levels to keep an eye on.

Stepping into the year 2023, it's time to pause and reflect on the accomplishments and struggles the global crypto community witnessed over the last 365 days. Starting from the very beginning of 2022, no investment strategy could help recover the falling portfolios across traditional and crypto ecosystems. January 2022 inherited a slightly collapsing market, wherein investments made on 2021 all-time high prices resulted in immediate losses. 

For many, especially the new entrants, falling crypto prices were perceived as an end game. But what went widely unnoticed was the community’s resilience and accomplishments against a global recession, orchestrated attacks and scams and an unforgiving bear market.

As a result of falling prices, 2022 also inherited the 2021 hype around nonfungible tokens (NFTs), the Metaverse, iconic all-time highs for Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies.

Economies worldwide suffered massive inflation as the most influential fiat currencies succumbed to the ongoing geopolitical pressures. The fall of investor confidence in traditional markets seeped into crypto and the fall of ecosystems only aided the sour sentiments.

A year full of disruption

Amid poor market performance, the crypto community focused on strengthening its core. This meant releasing blockchain upgrades and introducing faster, cheaper and more secure features and capabilities — all driven by the consensus of the respective communities. As a result, 2022 was a milestone year for leading crypto ecosystems.

2022 was supposed to be the year crypto went mainstream, with a significant chunk of traditional venture capital firms betting heavily on the ecosystem in 2021. However, with one disaster after another, 2022 turned out to be a catastrophic year for the nascent crypto ecosystem. Some of the biggest names touted as pivotal to taking the crypto ecosystem forward turned out to be the orchestrators of its worst year in recent memory.

That said, quite a few protagonists rose to the occasion. These winners proved that crypto is not just about a few select individuals and companies but a vibrant ecosystem that can survive significant setbacks.

Let’s start with some of the biggest winners of the crypto ecosystem in 2022. The list includes individuals, companies and anonymous groups working for the betterment of the industry.

The winners

In a year that saw the multibillion-dollar collapses of the Terra ecosystem, FTX and Three Arrows Capital, it’s hard to pick winners. However, crypto has faced adversaries before, and 2022 was no different. Several positives came out of the year despite the collapse of several centralized entities.

Ledger and Trezor

When Satoshi Nakamoto created Bitcoin (BTC), a core idea was to give people financial sovereignty that made them less dependent on centralized intermediaries.

Investors have faced a tumultuous year in 2022 as stocks, bonds, and the cryptocurrency sector have all witnessed sharp declines. As of Nov. 30, the performance of a traditional portfolio comprising 60% stocks and 40% bonds has been the worst since 1932, according to a report by Financial Times.

The next big question troubling crypto investors is whether the pain in Bitcoin (BTC) is over or will the downtrend continue in 2023.

Analysts seem to be divided in their opinion for the first quarter of the new year. While some expect a drop to $10,000 others anticipate a rally to $22,000.

While the near-term remains uncertain, research and trading firm Capriole Investments said in its latest edition of the Capriole Newsletter that Bitcoin could copy gold’s explosive bull move in the 1970s and if that happens, Bitcoin could soar past $600,000 over the next few years.

Could Bitcoin and altcoins start a recovery in the short term? Let’s study the charts of the top-10 cryptocurrencies to find out.

Solana (SOL), the cryptocurrency once supported by Sam Bankman-Fried, pared some losses on Dec. 30, a day after falling to its lowest level since February 2021.

Solana price down 97% from November 2021 peak 

On the daily chart, SOL's price rebounded to around $10.25, up over 20% from its previous day's low of approximately $8. 

Nevertheless, the intraday recovery did little to offset the overall bear trend — down 97% from its record peak of $267.50 in November 2021, and down over 20% in the past week. 

But while the year has been brutal for markets, Solana now joins the ranks of the worst-performing tokens of 2022, namely FTX Token and LUNA, which are down around 98%. 

SOL price could recover 50%

However, the latest Solana price rebound hints at the possibility of more upside heading into 2023.

The developers of Dogecoin (DOGE) have denied rumors that the network is immediately switching to proof-of-stake (PoS), saying that they are merely planning to release a proposal on the topic. The repudiation came on Dec. 29, from the Twitter account of Michi Lumin, Principal Engineer for the Dogecoin Foundation.

Lumin stated that the Dogecoin Foundation does not have the power to upgrade the network without the consent of validators, explaining:

“It is not possible for, nor is it planned for, an individual, organization, or body to "move" or ‘shift’ or ‘change’ #dogecoin to PoS. All that can be done is: it can be outlined, perhaps coded, and given to the community (and validators) to decide to take up or not[…]the repeated sensationalist (to get views/follows) refrain of people saying that #dogecoin ‘is moving to PoS’ is ridiculous, and absolutely not how it works or can work. It will not and can not be done by edict, or force…”

The denial comes after the Rabid Mining Youtube channel had published a video on Dec. 28 titled “What if Dogecoin Moves to PoS?” It was shared on Twitter and Reddit with the comment, “DOGECOIN's Merge To POS Will Kill Scrypt Miners profits by over 60%.”

The video did not say that the Dogecoin team could change the network by “force.” However, it mentioned that “it looks like the Dogecoin Foundation actually has Vitalik on the board as an advisor, and they have it stated that they’re gonna move to proof-of-stake.” The video cautioned miners not to invest in scrypt miners because “all scrypt miners are gonna die” once Dogecoin adopts PoS.

Gold has been an outperformer in 2022 compared to the United States equities markets and Bitcoin (BTC). The yellow metal is almost flat for the year while the S&P 500 is down more than 19% and Bitcoin has plunged roughly 64%. 

The sharp fall in Bitcoin’s price has hurt both short-term and long-term investors alike. According to Glassnode data, 1,889,585 Bitcoin held by short-term holders was at a loss as of Dec. 26 while the loss-making tally of long-term holders was 6,057,858 Bitcoin.

In spite of gold’s good showing and Bitcoin’s dismal performance in 2022, billionaire investor Mark Cuban continues to favor Bitcoin over gold. While speaking on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, Cuban told Maher, “If you have gold, you’re dumb as fuck.” He advised Maher to “just get Bitcoin.”

Could Bitcoin lead a recovery in the final few days of the year or will the crypto markets close the year with a whimper? Let’s study the charts of the top-10 cryptocurrencies to find out.

BTC/USDT

Bitcoin has been stuck inside a tight range between $16,559 and the 20-day exponential moving average ($16,877) for the past few days. This indicates that both the bulls and the bears are lying low during the holiday season.

Amid the severe crypto downturn in 2022, the price of Dogecoin (DOGE) has held up much better than most of the top assets on the market.

DOGE is the third best performer in the top ten, dropping by 58% this year, beaten only by Ripple (XRP) and Binance Coin (BNB) which saw declines of 57.2% and 53.%.

Looking at the top 10 assets in terms of market capitalization as per Crypto Bubbles data, Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Cardano (ADA) and Polygon (MATIC) have all shed considerably more: 65.1%, 67.8%, 80.9 and 68.8% a piece over the past 12 months.

DOGE also comes in well ahead of other big names in top 20 such as Polkadot (DOT), Solana (SOL), Uniswap (UNI) and Avalanche (AVAX) which have all plunged, by 84%, 93.8%, 70.3% and 89.9% each.

Data from Intotheblock (ITB) also has interesting insights, with the majority (54%) of DOGE hodlers currently in the green at the current price of $0.07, while 3% are breaking even and 43% in the red.

Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and the crypto market had a rough 2022 from a price perspective, but traders are hopeful that 2023 will include bullish developments that push crypto prices higher. 

Despite the market-wide downturn, a handful of altcoins continued to make a positive contribution to the crypto space and thanks to Ethereum, the term altcoin is no longer a derogatory term.

Let’s explore the top altcoins that made a difference in 2022.

Ethereum fundamentals shone in 2022

Ether’s price hit a yearly high at $3,835 on Jan. 2 and has struggled to regain footing amidst the bear market and other macro factors. The Ethereum network is the top project in 2022 not because of Ether’s price action, but for its fundamentals and for completing the long-awaited mainnet upgrade. The Ethereum merge was completed on Sept. 15, 2022 and while many feared the merge to proof-of-stake (PoS) could cause issues, the transition was flawless.

The main advantage of PoS is that it is much more energy-efficient than proof-of-work (PoW) because it does not require expensive and energy-intensive hardware to validate transactions. This reduces usage costs for the end user and makes it a more sustainable and scalable solution for Ethereum's long-term growth. The Merge also reduced the Ethereum network’s energy consumption by over 99.9%.