Will crypto keep coining money?
I am not a bitcoin maxi; I have not had fun staying poor.
But crypto generally, and bitcoin specifically, sits at a busy intersection that includes government policy, retail enthusiasm, and growing institutional adoption.
The rise of crypto has clearly extended its influence beyond the asset class as narrowly defined, and it’s become more entrenched in the traditional financial system and publicly traded securities. Most famously MicroStrategy — but also Tesla, MARA Holdings, Hut 8, and reAlpha Tech — are treating cryptocurrencies as a kind of “reserve asset” for their firms.
Barclays analysts have argued that Tesla, a trillion-dollar company, is now best compared to cryptocurrencies. For 2024 as a whole, the stock’s daily moves have been roughly as correlated with bitcoin as they are with the fluctuations of its Magnificent 7 counterparts. And crypto played a not insignificant role in facilitating the change in stock-market leadership within tech from semiconductors to software after the US election.
Simply, bitcoin is as good a barometer as any for assessing optimism surrounding the incoming Trump administration in the financial realm, and the willingness of individuals as well as institutions to embrace risk. It’s a one-stop shop for assessing the vibes: you could monitor trading and options activity across a host of speculative pockets of the stock market, or just look at this preeminent crypto instead.