Coin Market

How blockchain can address Austria’s energy crisis

Published

3 years ago

July 25, 2022

In the future, energy communities should make a greater contribution to the energy transition.

Climate change has become one of the biggest global challenges for humanity. At the same time, the dependence on hydrocarbon energy sources such as coal, oil and natural gas is still strong.

Supply lines around these energy sources are further vulnerable to geopolitical tensions. Due to the current sanctions against Russia, experts now expect rising electricity prices and negative effects on the energy market in Europe.

The Austrian government understands the urgent need for the energy transition and has set the ambitious goal of being climate neutral by 2040. Alternative solutions to fossil energy have been slow to emerge and, for the most part, are not yet efficient enough on a large scale. But there are promising approaches — especially in the form of decentralized renewable energies or blockchain technology in peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading.

There are already pilot projects in Austria dealing with P2P trading on the energy market. At the forefront are blockchain scale-up Riddle&Code and Austria’s largest energy provider Wien Energie, which founded a joint venture in 2020 called Riddle&Code Energy Solutions.

As of April 1 of this year, Kai Siefert is the new head of the joint venture. He was formerly an IT strategist at Wien Energie and worked on the energy tokenization platform MyPower in Vienna. Cointelegraph auf Deutsch caught up with Siefert to ask how we can combat the energy crisis with the help of blockchain.

From pilot project to solar tokenization

Wien Energie and Riddle&Code have been working together for a long time. Back in 2017, the companies launched the first project called Peer2Peer in Quartier where they tokenized photovoltaic solar systems so that consumers can participate in energy production.

Later, at the end of 2018, when Siefert was still Wien Energie’s IT strategist, his team developed a blockchain strategy together with Astrid Schober, head of IT at Wien Energie, and focused on the topic of energy tokenization with security tokens and utility tokens.

This resulted in the MyPower platform. First, Wien Energy and Riddle&Code tested the decentralized trading of self-generated solar power via blockchain in a smart city project with 100 participants. Everything went smoothly, and in 2021, a tokenization platform for photovoltaic plants was launched. Riddle&Code tokenized the largest solar plant in Austria and gained 1,000 customers who, as part of its advertising campaign, bought energy vouchers issued by Wien Energie in the form of tokens, which could be used to pay electricity bills.

Now MyPower tokenizes solar photovoltaic assets across the whole of Austria, allowing consumers to benefit from partial ownership and invest in renewable energy sources.

Demand for renewable energy is huge

According to Siefert, the concept of energy sharing is very much in demand at the moment. Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the coronavirus crisis, electricity prices are skyrocketing. Rising energy prices can be mitigated with cheaper renewable energies, smart information technology and energy sharing.

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With blockchain-based energy sharing, jointly generated electricity is fed into the grid, distributed and sold directly to flats — all without an intermediary. Kilowatt-hours not consumed can also be sold to other energy communities, and thus, consumers earn or save money.

Energy sharing can enable direct energy trading between energy consumers (energy producers and end-consumers), who can use this approach to take control of their generation and demand. People who rent instead of owning their homes can actively participate in the energy transition and benefit from the proceeds. This gets consumers more involved in their own generation and puts local value creation at the center.

“You don’t need to buy natural gas from Russia or oil from Saudi Arabia to create energy here in Europe,” Siefert said. “The sun comes virtually for free and reliably produces electricity. But many people can’t participate because they don’t have their own house, but live in a rented flat or simply don’t have the means to buy a large solar system. However, we can divide these plants into small digital asset tokens so that private investors with little capital can also participate.”

Renewable energies “are coming into focus”

In Austria, there are already small renewable energy communities such as Erneuerbare-Energie-Gemeinschaften (EEG). Such energy communities (in Austria and according to the Renewable Energy Expansion Act) are nonprofit-orientated legal entities intended to decentralize the generation, distribution and consumption of renewable energy mainly for the public benefit. Such EEGs still play a small role in production, local and regional distribution, and consumption of renewable energy and are often not very profitable.

However, things are starting to develop. According to Siefert, the demand for EEGs has already increased enormously due to rising energy prices, and Riddle&Code Energy Solutions offers technical solutions for setting up and onboarding such EEGs. “We can also connect them to decentralized marketplaces with our system,” Siefert said. This is already possible with the Renewable Energy Expansion Act, which has been in force since 2021 and is a European Union directive that has been transposed into national law.

Siefert noted an “increasing interest in interesting in renewable energies” — in Austria, Europe and worldwide. Companies working in the field of renewable energies “are now coming into focus,” as they are benefiting “from the large investments favored by climate policy worldwide,” Siefert said.

Real-time data signed and encrypted on the blockchain

At the moment, P2P energy trading is not yet allowed in Austria. Everything works on the basis of the current electricity market infrastructure, and billing data is made available by the grids 24 hours after it has been measured.

But Riddle&Code Energy Solutions can already take this data in real-time. A dongle that can be connected directly to the smart meter reads data live from the customer interface and sends it via a trusted gateway — signed and fully encrypted on the blockchain. From there, this data can be read out immediately. Customers can see every quarter of an hour how their credit grows in kilowatt-hour tokens.

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This data cannot be used for billing yet, but it helps to incentivize the right consumption behavior. Thanks to such data, the customer can see how much green energy they have on the grid from the community installation and, for example, use this time to turn on the washing machine or charge an electric car. This, in turn, has an indirect effect on the bill because customers then pay less if they use more electricity from their own shared forms.

“Our goal is that everyone can participate in energy sharing,” Siefert said. “But private P2P trading is currently not possible in Austria until legal regulation is created. That is why I would like to see more freedom here from the government side and more speed in the expansion of renewables. Austria can become one of the leading nations in the EU and worldwide in terms of P2P energy trading and the development of energy communities.”

Coin Market

Bitcoin 'breaking out' as it retakes $87K after early April slump

Published

48 minutes ago

April 21, 2025

Bitcoin prices appear to be breaking out of an extended period of consolidation as the asset climbs to its highest level since late March.

Bitcoin (BTC) surged above $87,400 on April 21, its highest price since March 28, according to TradingView. It has climbed by more than $3,000 from an intraday low of just over $84,000 on April 20.

The asset has now gained 16% since its 2025 low of just below $75,000 on April 9, and the distance from its peak price has been reduced to 20%.

While a 2.4% daily gain is not out of the ordinary for Bitcoin, it has moved the asset to the upper bounds of a range-bound channel that began in early March.

“Bitcoin is breaking out,” while Nasdaq futures are down 1%, observed Scott Melker, aka “The Wolf Of All Streets.”

BTC/USD 4-hour chart. Source: Tradingview

“The narrative in both gold and Bitcoin is aligning for the first time in years,” commented the Kobeissi Letter on X, observing gold’s recent all-time high and Bitcoin’s breakout.

“Gold has hit its 55th all-time high in 12 months and Bitcoin is officially joining the run,” it stated before adding:

“Gold and Bitcoin are telling us that a weaker US Dollar is more uncertainty is on the way.”

The US dollar Index (DXY), which is a measure of the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, has declined 10% since the beginning of this year as global trade tensions escalate.

The move was also observed by “Geiger Capital,” which also observed the decline in tech futures and the USD, adding that Bitcoin was “decoupling.”

– Tech futures down
– Dollar down
– Gold new ATH
– Bitcoin breaking out/decoupling

Realize where we are. pic.twitter.com/XqZRlEHj39

— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) April 21, 2025

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Coin Market

Over 13K institutions exposed to Strategy as Saylor hints at BTC buy

Published

6 hours ago

April 20, 2025

Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor hinted at an impending Bitcoin (BTC) purchase by Strategy and said that more than 13,000 institutions now have direct exposure to the company.

The company’s most recent acquisition of 3,459 BTC, valued at over $285 million at the time of purchase, on April 14, brought Strategy’s total holdings to 531,644 BTC, valued at over $44.9 billion.

Saylor followed up on the BTC chart, which he typically posts on Sundays to signal an imminent BTC acquisition, with a breakdown of investor exposure to the company. The executive wrote in an April 20 X post:

“Based on public data as of Q1 2025, over 13,000 institutions and 814,000 retail accounts hold MSTR directly. An estimated 55 million beneficiaries have indirect exposure through ETFs, mutual funds, pensions, and insurance portfolios.”

Strategy’s growing popularity among retail and institutional investors is significant due to the company siphoning capital from traditional financial markets and into Bitcoin. Increased capital flows translate into the company accumulating and holding more BTC, slowly increasing the price of the supply-capped digital asset.

Strategy’s chart of Bitcoin acquisitions. Source: SaylorTracker

Michael Saylor’s stock market-to-BTC pipeline

Strategy issues corporate debt and equity to finance its Bitcoin acquisitions, giving holders indirect exposure to BTC and feeding capital from traditional financial markets into the Bitcoin market.

In December 2024, Strategy was added to the Nasdaq 100, a weighted stock market index that tracks the 100 largest companies by market capitalization on the Nasdaq exchange.

The inclusion of Strategy in the Nasdaq 100 will draw in even more capital to BTC from passive investors holding the tech-focused index in their portfolios.

Strategy’s stock is currently trading at around $317. Source: TradingView

In February 2025, Bitcoin analyst Julian Fahrer reported that 12 US states had exposure to Strategy, including California, Florida, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, and Utah.

Bloomberg exchange-traded fund (ETF) analyst Eric Balchunas recently said that inflows from Bitcoin ETFs and institutional inflows from companies like Strategy have shored up the Bitcoin market against dumping by short-term speculators.

The analyst added that Bitcoin ETFs recorded approximately $2.4 billion in capital flows year-to-date, helping to cushion the price of the digital asset.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

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Coin Market

Bitcoin prepares for launch from $85K, BNB, HYPE, TAO and RNDR could follow

Published

7 hours ago

April 20, 2025

Bitcoin (BTC) has risen roughly 1% for the week, indicating a balance between supply and demand. Analysts expect a quiet easter weekend but are divided about the next directional move in Bitcoin.

Network economist Timothy Peterson said that the US High Yield Index Effective Yield has gained over 8%. There have been 38 such instances since 2010, and Bitcoin has risen 71% of the time three months later. Bitcoin recorded a median gain of 31% and the worst loss of -16%. Based on historical data, Peterson anticipates Bitcoin to trade between $75,000 and $138,000 within 90 days.

Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360

Not everyone shares a bullish view. Bloomberg’s Senior Commodity Strategist Mike McGlone said in a post on X that Bitcoin and the S&P 500 Index may drop toward their respective 200-week simple moving average, which historically acts as a floor during major corrections. Bitcoin’s 200-week SMA is close to $46,000.

What are the critical support and resistance levels in Bitcoin? What cryptocurrencies may rally if Bitcoin breaks above its overhead resistance?

Bitcoin price analysis

Bitcoin has stayed above the 20-day exponential moving average ($83,704) for the past several days, but the bulls have failed to challenge the 200-day simple moving average ($88,098).

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The failure to start a rally could put pressure on the BTC/USDT pair in the near term. If the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bulls have given up. That opens the gates for a drop to $78,500 and subsequently to the vital support at $73,777.

If buyers want to prevent the downside, they will have to swiftly push the price above the 200-day SMA. That indicates the corrective phase may be over. The pair may surge to $95,000 and eventually to the psychological level of $100,000.

BTC/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair has been trading inside a tight range between $83,000 and $86,000. Failing to break above the overhead resistance may have tempted the short-term bulls to book profits, pulling the price below the moving averages. Trading inside the range is likely to remain random and volatile.

A break and close below the range could start a downward move to $80,000 and then to $78,500. On the other hand, a break and close above $86,000 could propel the pair to $89,000.

BNB price analysis

BNB (BNB) is facing resistance at the downtrend line, but a positive sign is that the bulls have not ceded ground to the bears.

BNB/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The moving averages have flattened out, and the RSI is near the midpoint, indicating a balance between supply and demand. If buyers drive the price above the downtrend line, the BNB/USDT pair could rally to $644.

Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down sharply from the downtrend line, it signals that the bears are active at higher levels. A break below $576 could keep the pair inside the triangle for some more time.

BNB/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair has reached the downtrend line, where the bears are expected to pose a strong challenge. The crucial support on the downside is the 50-SMA and then $576. If the price rebounds off the support, it indicates buying on dips. That increases the likelihood of a break above the downtrend line. The pair may then climb to $620.

On the contrary, a break and close below $576 signals that the buyers have given up. That could pull the price down to $566, extending the stay inside the triangle for a while longer.

Hyperliquid price analysis

Hyperliquid (HYPE) rose and closed above the $17.35 overhead resistance on April 19, but the bulls are facing selling at higher levels.

HYPE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

If the price turns up from $17.35, it suggests that every minor dip is being bought. That clears the path for a rally to $21 and thereafter to $25.

Alternatively, a break and close below $17.35 signals that the bears are trying to trap the aggressive bulls. The next support on the downside is the 20-day EMA ($15.32). If the price rebounds off the 20-day EMA, the bulls will again try to overcome the obstacle at $17.35.

The optimistic view will be negated in the near term if the HYPE/USDT pair turns down and breaks below the moving averages.

HYPE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair has dropped to the breakout level of $17.35. If the price rebounds off $17.35 and rises above $18.54, it signals that the bulls have flipped the level into support. That enhances the prospects of a rally to $21.

Conversely, if the price skids below $17.35, it suggests that the bears are trying to regain control. The 50-SMA is the critical support to watch for on the downside because a break below it indicates that the bulls are losing their grip. The pair may then descend to $14.65.

Bittensor price analysis

Bittensor (TAO) broke above the moving averages and has reached the downtrend line, where the bears are expected to mount a strong defense.

TAO/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

If the price turns down from the downtrend line, the TAO/USDT pair is likely to find support at the 20-day EMA ($249). A solid bounce off the 20-day EMA improves the prospects of a rally above the downtrend line. The pair could then surge to $360.

Contrarily, if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bears remain in control. The pair may then slump to the $222 support, where the buyers are expected to step in.

TAO/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The RSI has risen into the overbought zone, suggesting a short-term pullback is possible. If the price rebounds off the 20-EMA, it signals a positive sentiment. That increases the possibility of a break above the downtrend line. There is minor resistance at $313, but it is likely to be crossed.

Contrarily, a break and close below the 20-EMA indicates that the short-term buyers are booking profits. That may pull the pair to the 50-SMA.

Render price analysis

Render (RNDR) has broken out of the overhead resistance at $4.22, signaling that the bulls are attempting a comeback.

RNDR/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

A close above the $4.22 level will complete a bullish double-bottom pattern. There is resistance at $4.83, but it is likely to be crossed. The RNDR/USDT pair could then travel toward the pattern target of $5.94.

The 20-day EMA ($3.72) is the crucial support to watch out for on the downside. A break and close below the moving averages indicates that the markets have rejected the breakout above $4.22. That could open the doors for a drop to the support at $2.50.

RNDR/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair has cleared the overhead hurdle at $4.22, indicating an advantage to buyers. However, the bears are unlikely to give up easily and will try to pull the price back below the breakout level. If the price rebounds off $4.22 with strength and rises above $4.48, it signals that the bulls have flipped the level into support. The pair may then start an up move toward $5.

Instead, if the price turns down and breaks below the moving averages, it suggests that the breakout may have been a bull trap. The pair may then drop toward the critical support at $3.60.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.