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Gamestop, Dogecoin and the male identity crisis
In recent years, two assets:GameStop shares AND Dogemoneta on the cryptocurrency side, they have become the symbol of a new form of reckless investment. Both have had several weeks where their price increased 100% or more without any fundamental value proposition. Sure, there have been catalysts for various GME and DOGE rallies – typically a pump signal from Roaring Kitty or Elon Musk – but there’s also a deeper, and somewhat troubling, explanation for what’s going on: a crisis of male identity.
I’ve weighed similar thoughts over the ten years I’ve been covering cryptocurrencies, but the new book The Trolls of Wall Street addresses the case explicitly. The book is mostly about the guys behind r/WallStreetBets, the Reddit forum where a community of mostly young people gathered to share stock research and advice and, over time, fueled some of the craziest rallies in history.
The book is about the stock market, but its insights also apply to cryptocurrencies, which is appropriate since the author, Nathaniel Popper, is a former Bitcoin reporter. Popper is sympathetic to his subjects and is quick to point out that, in many cases, the r/WallStreetBets audience was better informed than the hedge fund barons who belittled them. In exploring their lives and motivations, however, Popper also identifies a common thread that led many of the participants to make nihilistic financial gambles and, in some cases, to embrace some of the worst sexist and racist jokes on the Internet.
That common thread is the very human one of needing a place to belong and feel appreciated. The Trolls of Wall Street describes how many young people in the r/WallStreetBets forum, as is the case with any cryptocurrency forum, have lived unfulfilling lives and instead of starting a career or a family or doing the other things that come with being an adult, they have remained stalled and unable to thrive in the larger world. At the same time, young women are doing better than ever in terms of education, income and career advancement.
In this context, Reddit and crypto forums gave young people the chance to engage in inappropriate banter and express the kind of competitive, aggressive behavior that felt natural, even if the outside world wanted no part of it. It was also in these forums that great achievements such as overtaking billion-dollar hedge funds and building successful blockchains took place. They provided communities where men – and, of course, some women – could build something, for better or worse.
Which brings us back to GameStop and Dogecoin. Both are a terrible place to invest your money because they are building very little value, yet they still have legions of mostly young men who will support them anyway out of loyalty to their online community. That’s fine, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that most would be happier seeking more traditional forms of male validation instead. You may have a different opinion. If you want a longer version of the book, check it out my review and that of Leone Questions and answers with Popper.
Jeff John Roberts
jeff.roberts@fortune.com
@jeffjohnroberts
DECENTRALIZED NEWS
Uniswap Labs has acquired Crypto: The Game, a Survivor-style game played by 800 players that is achieving some success. (Fortune)
Eminent cryptocurrency lawyer Marvin Ammori It is going away Uniswap and the first will succeed him Coinbase attorney Katherine Minarik. (@ammori)
Used Fidelity International based in London JP MorganThe Ethereum-based private blockchain network for tokenizing shares of a money market fund. (CoinDesk)
Europe‘s New Crypto Regime, Setting Criteria for ‘Permissioned Stablecoins,’ Will Begin Next Month Circle he said the rules are excessive. (PIMENTS)
Bitcoin fell to $68,000 as cryptocurrency markets struggled to maintain momentum amid concerns over upcoming Fed and CPI news. (Bloomberg)
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How Ether Spot ETF Approval Could Impact Crypto Prices: CNBC Crypto World
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CNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and gives viewers a glimpse of what’s to come with high-profile interviews, explainers and unique stories from the ever-changing cryptocurrency industry. On today’s show, Ledn Chief Investment Officer John Glover weighs in on what’s driving cryptocurrency prices right now and how the potential approval of spot ether ETFs could impact markets.
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Miners’ ‘Capitulation’ Signals Bitcoin Price May Have Bottomed Out: CryptoQuant
According to CryptoQuant, blockchain data shows signs that the Bitcoin mining industry is “capitulating,” a likely precursor to Bitcoin hitting a local price bottom before reaching new highs.
CryptoQuant analyzed metrics for miners, who are responsible for securing the Bitcoin network in exchange for newly minted BTC. As outlined in the market intelligence platform’s Wednesday report, multiple signs of capitulation have emerged over the past month, during which Bitcoin’s price has fallen 13% from $68,791 to $59,603.
One such sign includes a significant drop in Bitcoin’s hash rate, the total computing power that backs Bitcoin. After hitting a record high of 623 exashashes per second (EH/s) on April 27, the hash rate has fallen 7.7% to 576 EH/s, its lowest level in four months.
“Historically, extreme hash rate drawdowns have been associated with price bottoms,” CryptoQuant wrote. In particular, the 7.7% drawdown is reminiscent of an equivalent hash rate drawdown in December 2022, when Bitcoin’s price bottomed at $16,000 before rallying over 300% over the next 15 months.
This latest hash rate drop follows Bitcoin’s fourth cyclical “halving” event in April, which cut the number of coins paid out to miners in half. According to CryptoQuant’s Miner Profit/Loss Sustainability Indicator, this has left miners “mostly extremely underpaid” since April 20, forcing many to shut down mining machines that have now become unprofitable.
CrypotoQuant said that miners faced a 63% drop in daily revenue after the halving, when both Bitcoin block rewards and transaction fee revenues were much higher.
During this time, Bitcoin miners were seen moving coins from their on-chain wallets at a faster rate than usual, indicating that they may be selling their BTC reserves“Daily miner outflows reached their highest volume since May 21,” the company wrote.
Among the sales of Bitcoin miners, whales and national governmentsBitcoin’s price drop in June also hurt Bitcoin’s “hash price,” a metric of Bitcoin Miner Profitability per unit of computing power.
“Average mining revenue per hash (hash price) continues to hover near all-time lows,” CryptoQuant wrote. “Hashprice stands at $0.049 per EH/s, just above the all-time low hashprice of $0.045 reached on May 1st.”
By Ryan-Ozawa.
News
US Congressman French Hill Doubles Down on Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance
US lawmaker French Hill has noted that Donald Trump will take a more pro-crypto approach than the current administration. The run-up to the presidential election has seen cryptocurrencies become an issue with lawmakers making huge statements ahead of the polls. Donald Trump has also been reaching out to the industry, making a pro-crypto case.
French Hill Backs Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance
Republican Congressman French Hill has explained the type of cryptocurrency regulatory framework he believes Donald Trump could adopt in the country. In a recent interview with CNBC, French Hill said that the recently passed FIT21 bill is the type of regulatory framework the Trump administration will adopt in the sector.
#FIT21 passed the House with 71 Democratic votes, it’s exactly the kind of digital asset regulatory framework former President Trump would support if re-elected.
See more on @SquawkCNBC🔽 photo.twitter.com/ceTmU4LApU
— French Hill (@RepFrenchHill) July 3, 2024
THE FIT21 Bill It is intended to protect investors and consumers in the market by establishing clear rules and powers for the various regulators in the sector. According to Hill, Trump will adopt it because it directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on the specific regulatory framework needed in the market.
“… for people who are innovating and starting a crypto token, a related business, custody of those assets, how to ensure consumer protection, so I think that framework is the right approach and that’s what I’m going to recommend to the President to pass, which is that we have not passed it between now and the end of this Congress.”
He also called Trump an innovative and pro-growth president in financial matters.
Cryptocurrency is going mainstream
This election cycle saw the cryptocurrency industry taking a place in mainstream issues following broader adoption across demographics. From candidates moving toward enthusiasts to recent pro-Congress legislation, cryptocurrencies have become a rallying point for officials. The U.S. regulatory landscape has been criticized for stifling growth due to frequent SEC LawsuitsThis has led executives to push for pro-cryptocurrency laws and raise money for pro-industry candidates.
Read also: Federal Reserve Predicts “AI Will Be Deflationary” to Stimulate Economy
David is a financial news contributor with 4 years of experience in Blockchain and cryptocurrency. He is interested in learning about emerging technologies and has an eye for breaking news. Keeping up to date with trends, David has written in several niches including regulation, partnerships, cryptocurrency, stocks, NFTs, etc. Away from the financial markets, David enjoys cycling and horseback riding.
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US Court Orders Sam Ikkurty to Pay $84 Million for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme
A federal court has ordered Jafia LLC and its owner, Sam Ikkurty, to pay nearly $84 million to cryptocurrency investors after ruling that the company was operating a Ponzi scheme.
The ruling, issued by Judge Mary Rowland in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, follows a lawsuit filed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2022 after the fund collapsed.
Judge Rowland found that Ikkurty, based in Portland, Oregon, did numerous false claims on his company’s hedge funds.
These included misleading statements about his trading experience and the promise of high and stable profits. Instead, Ikkurty used funds from new investors to pay off previous investors, a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.
The Ponzi Scheme
The court found that Ikkurty misappropriated investment funds for personal use without the knowledge of the investors. These funds were used for personal use and were reported as Fraudulent Investmentscausing significant financial losses to customers.
This non-transparent operation violated Transparency Commission regulations, which led to the imposition of a hefty fine to compensate defrauded investors and restore some public confidence in the financial system.
Judge Rowland emphasized that fraudulent activity such as this violates the law and undermines the integrity of modern financial markets. The $84 million award seeks to address the financial harm inflicted on investors and reinforce the importance of legal compliance in cryptocurrency trading.
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