Bitcoin at $96,366!

The Fear & Greed Index stands at 46 – Fear, as Bitcoin remains volatile amid economic and regulatory developments shaping the market.

Grayscale Analyst Predicts New Bitcoin All-Time High in Q1

• A weak U.S. job market and increasing regulatory support could push Bitcoin to a new all-time high as early as Q1 2025, according to Zach Pandl from Grayscale.
• The U.S. economy added only 143,000 new jobs in January, falling short of expectations.
• A weaker job market could force the Federal Reserve to ease monetary policy, which would be bullish for Bitcoin.
• Pandl expects Bitcoin to trade with an upward trend, as long as stock markets remain stable.

At the same time, crypto-friendly legislation is gaining traction. A new U.S. bill proposes strict regulations for stablecoins, potentially boosting trust in the crypto market.

Hawk Tuah Girl Speaks Out After Memecoin Collapse

After two months of silence, Haliey Welch, better known as the “Hawk Tuah Girl”, has addressed the HAWK memecoin fiasco, claiming she was also a victim of fraud.

• Welch says the development team assured her that HAWK was a long-term project with a charitable purpose.
• However, after launching on December 4, 2024, the token’s value crashed by 91% within a day.
• Investors filed class-action lawsuits, alleging false promises of growth and community involvement.
• Welch insists she is working with lawyers to support affected investors.

The incident highlights the risks of the memecoin hype, especially when celebrities with little financial expertise get involved.

Tornado Cash Developer Released Pending Appeal

Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev has been released from pretrial detention in the Netherlands to prepare his appeal after being convicted of money laundering.

• In May 2024, Pertsev was sentenced to 5 years and 4 months in prison for allegedly facilitating crypto money laundering worth billions.
• The court granted him release under electronic monitoring, allowing him to work on his appeal case.
• The U.S. government is also prosecuting Tornado Cash developers, accusing them of enabling illicit transactions.
• Critics warn that the prosecution of open-source developers could set a dangerous precedent for crypto projects.

 MicroStrategy Rebrands to “Strategy” – Focus on Bitcoin

MicroStrategy has officially rebranded to “Strategy”, emphasizing its commitment to Bitcoin investments.

• The company currently holds over 471,000 BTC, valued at more than $45 billion.
• While it remains active in business intelligence, its primary focus is now on Bitcoin.
• Other firms, including Metaplanet and Semler Scientific, have also adopted Bitcoin as a treasury reserve and plan to expand their holdings.

The growing trend of companies adopting Bitcoin could further establish BTC as a strategic asset in corporate balance sheets.