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Is Bitcoin’s future in circular economies or national reserves?

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Bitcoin is seeing unprecedented adoption with the US establishing a “strategic Bitcoin reserve,” but some prominent Bitcoin advocates believe the project is getting away from its roots.

Earlier this year, Jack Dorsey, a Bitcoin proponent and founder of Twitter, said that he believed if Bitcoin becomes just a form of “digital gold” then the project has failed. He said that a national Bitcoin reserve may be “good for the nation-state, but I don’t necessarily know if it’s good for Bitcoin.” 

Dorsey contended that Bitcoin needs to return to the white paper and work on becoming a form of peer-to-peer cash that can be transacted globally if it wants to become a success.  

Around the world, a number of “circular Bitcoin economies” have been working at just that — developing local economies that use Bitcoin as currency in an attempt to showcase its viability and what the future of BTC can look like.  

The Bitcoin white paper put forward a cash system. Source: Bitcoin.org

Bitcoin circular economies and Wall Street 

The Bitcoin Federation calls a Bitcoin circular economy a “local economic ecosystem where Bitcoin (BTC) is used increasingly as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and a store of value.” That is, a place where Bitcoin fulfills the three roles of currency, as it is understood. 

There are diverse Bitcoin communities and circular economies all over the world, but their goal is similar in that they all believe that Bitcoin is the superior form of money and that it should be used “as a means of payment for goods and services and for settlement of other financial obligations.”

Related: Failure or 5D chess? El Salvador IMF deal walks back Bitcoin adoption

This approach of using Bitcoin as a currency diverges from the prevailing attitude in the United States, where crypto advocates view it as a reserve asset to be hoarded — akin to digital gold. President Donald Trump told the Nashville Bitcoin conference in July 2024, “Never sell your Bitcoin.”

In a March 17 lecture at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, Strategy CEO and Bitcoin maximalist Michael Saylor likened the digital currency to an investment asset. A significant stake, per Saylor, would allow the holder — such as the United States government — to exert control over the digital economy in another iteration of “manifest destiny.” 

When asked whether mass adoption by a nation like the US takes Bitcoin away from its founding principles, Isa Santos, founder of the Bitcoin Isla project in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, said:

“Yes, but that’s the beauty of Bitcoin. It’s for your enemies too.” 

Stelios Rammos, the founder of Bitcoin crowdfunding project Geyserfund, said that good or bad, adoption by governments was “inevitable.” 

“Bitcoin is for everyone, and its truest founding principle is being permission-less money. The adoption of Bitcoin by governments was inevitable, and if there was a button we could press to say ‘governments are banned from Bitcoin,’ then it wouldn’t be Bitcoin anymore,” he told Cointelegraph.

Still, he believes that the Bitcoin community has a core set of values that promotes grassroots adoption of Bitcoin over government welfare, adding that Bitcoin is at a stage where Bitcoiners should be more concerned about how it’s adopted rather than whether it’s adopted.  

Circular economies will have a huge role to play in bringing about a future where Bitcoin is held and used by everyday people, and not just held as a pure asset within digital vaults at large banks and governments,” said Rammos. 

Still, both said that there were tangible benefits to government Bitcoin adoption. Santos said that adoption from a large country like the US could still be a positive in that many look to the US as a leader in the financial world. 

Rammos said that the US adopting Bitcoin will raise awareness about the seminal cryptocurrency, which benefits the entire network and has knock-on effects for circular economies worldwide.

What does Bitcoin do for these communities?

Bitcoin circular economies are present all over the world. They have gained particular ground in developing economies where the local currency is unreliable as a store of value. 

In Cuba, where inflation is runaway and salaries are at unlivable lows, Bitcoin and Bitcoin circular economies have allowed locals to protect their savings. 

In rural Peru, where most people are unbanked i.e. do not have a bank account or access to financial services, Bitcoin has provided a way for locals to save their money and pay for school and everyday expenses.

There are challenges, however. Namely, Bitcoin’s notorious volatility makes it difficult to sell as an instrument for savings to rural communities, according to Valentin Popescu, co-founder of Motiv — a Bitcoin education and advocacy group in Peru. 

Bitcoin communities also face challenges of growing outside the group of Bitcoin expats and enthusiasts who are already present. Bitcoin advocates flocked to El Salvador, where Bitcoin Beach provided the first prototype for a Bitcoin circular economy. However, this did not translate into locals actually using Bitcoin.

Related: ‘Bitcoin hasn’t had the widespread adoption we hoped for’ — Nayib Bukele

Bitcoin circular economies proliferate worldwide. Source: Geyser Fund

Aside from the victories and challenges facing these communities, many of them also offer financial education programming and community-building initiatives. 

Santos said that “each circular economy has its own unique features. They have to cater to the needs of the communities that make them.” She said that one common factor among such communities is volunteering. 

Bitcoin Ekasi, a Bitcoin circular economy in South Africa, supports the local Surfer Kids community project by paying coaches’ salaries in Bitcoin while simultaneously onboarding local shops and vendors to accept Bitcoin payments. 

Rammos said that these communities can put lesser-known locations on the map, attracting tourism through “Bitcoin expats” who want to come to spend their Bitcoin and grow the local economy. 

“Ultimately, the local populations gain from being a Bitcoin circular economy as much as the Bitcoin network benefits from having them, it’s a true symbiosis,” said Rammos. 

Whether it is Wall Street or Main Street that drives Bitcoin adoption, the end goal for the organizers running these communities is to have Bitcoin fully integrated into the financial world.

Rammos concluded, “There will be a point in the hopefully not-so-distant future, where we won’t need the term circular economies anymore, it will just be the Bitcoin economy, or just, the economy.”

Magazine: Arbitrum co-founder skeptical of move to based and native rollups: Steven Goldfeder

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Coin Market

Bitcoin falls below $80K — Will PI, OKB, GT and ATOM outperform BTC and altcoins?

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Last week, Bitcoin (BTC) began showing early signs of decoupling from the US stock markets. Bitcoin was relatively flat over the week, while the S&P 500 plunged by 9%. The sell-off was triggered following US President Donald Trump’s April 2 global tariff announcement, which escalated further on April 4 as China retaliated with new tariffs on US goods. Even gold was not spared and was down 1.9% for the week.

Alpine Fox founder Mike Alfred highlighted in a post on X that a gold bull market is bullish for Bitcoin. During previous cycles, gold led Bitcoin for a short while, but eventually, Bitcoin caught up and grew 10 times or more than gold. He added that it would not be any different this time.

Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360

Although the short-term outperformance of Bitcoin is an encouraging sign, traders should remain cautious until further clarity emerges on the macroeconomic front. If the US stock markets witness another round of selling, the cryptocurrency markets may also come under pressure.

A handful of altcoins are showing strength on the charts, but waiting for the overall sentiment to turn bullish before jumping could be a better strategy. If Bitcoin breaks above its immediate resistance, what are the top cryptocurrencies that may follow it higher?

Bitcoin price analysis

Bitcoin bulls have failed to push the price above the resistance line, but they have not ceded much ground to the bears. This suggests that the bulls have kept up the pressure.

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The 20-day exponential moving average ($84,241) is flattening out, and the relative strength index (RSI) is just below the midpoint, signaling a balance between supply and demand.

This advantage will tilt in favor of the bulls on a break and close above the resistance line. There is resistance at $89,000, but if the level gets taken out, the BTC/USDT pair could ascend toward $100,000.

The $80,000 is the vital support to watch out for on the downside. If this level cracks, the pair could plummet to $76,606 and then to $73,777.

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

The pair has been consolidating between $81,000 and $88,500. The moving averages on the 4-hour chart are sloping down marginally, and the RSI is just below the midpoint, signaling the continuation of the range-bound action in the near term. 

If buyers push the price above $85,000, the pair could rally to $88,500. This level could attract sellers, but the pair may jump to $95,000 if the bulls prevail. 

The bears will be back in the driver’s seat if the price breaks below the $81,000 to $80,000 support zone. The pair may then dump to $76,606.

Pi Network price analysis

Pi Network (PI) has been in a strong downtrend since topping out at $3 on Feb. 26. The relief rally on April 5 shows the first signs of buying at lower levels.

PI/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Any recovery is expected to face selling at the 20-day EMA (0.85), which remains the key short-term level to watch out for. If the PI/USDT pair does not give up much ground from the 20-day EMA, it indicates that the bulls are holding on to their positions. That opens the doors for a rally above the 20-day EMA. The pair could then jump to the 50% Fibonacci retracement level of $1.10 and next to the 61.8% retracement level of $1.26.

The $0.40 level is the critical support on the downside. A break and close below $0.40 could sink the pair to $0.10.

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

The 4-hour chart shows that the bears are defending the 50-simple moving average, but a minor positive is that the bulls are trying to keep the pair above the 20-EMA. If the price rebounds off the 20-EMA, the bulls will attempt to kick the pair above $0.80. If they do that, the pair could travel to $1.20.

On the contrary, a break and close below the 20-EMA suggests that the bears have kept up the pressure. The negative momentum could pick up on a break below $0.54. The pair may then retest the vital support at $0.40.

OKB price analysis

OKB (OKB) turned up sharply on April 4 and closed above the moving averages, indicating that the bulls are attempting a comeback.

OKB/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The up move continued, and the bulls pushed the price above the short-term resistance at $54 on April 6. The OKB/USDT pair could reach the resistance line of the descending channel, which is likely to attract sellers. If the price turns down sharply and breaks below $54, the pair may oscillate inside the channel for a few more days.

On the other hand, if buyers do not give up much ground from the resistance line, it increases the likelihood of a break above the channel. The pair could climb to $64 and then to $68.

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

The pair will complete an inverted head-and-shoulders pattern on a break and close above the neckline. The up move may face selling at the resistance line, but on the way down, if buyers flip the neckline into support, it increases the possibility of a break above the resistance line. If that happens, the pair could start its march toward the pattern target of $70.

Sellers will have to fiercely defend the neckline and quickly pull the price below the 20-EMA to prevent the rally. The pair may drop to the 50-SMA and thereafter to $45.

Related: Solana TVL hits new high in SOL terms, DEX volumes show strength — Will SOL price react?

GateToken price analysis

GateToken (GT) has been finding support at the 50-day SMA ($22.05) for a few days, which is an important level to watch out for.

GT/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The flattish moving averages and the RSI just below the midpoint do not give a clear advantage either to the bulls or the bears. A break and close above $23.18 could push the price to $24. This remains the key overhead resistance for the bears to defend because a break above it could catapult the GT/USDT pair to $26.

This positive view will be invalidated in the short term if the price breaks and maintains below the 50-day SMA. The pair may sink to $21.28 and then to $20.79.

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

The pair turned down from the resistance line of the descending channel pattern, indicating selling on rallies. The break below the moving averages suggests the pair may remain inside the channel for some more time.

Buyers will gain the upper hand on a break and close above the resistance line. Such a move suggests that the corrective phase may be over. The pair could rally to $23.18 and then to $24.

Cosmos price analysis

Cosmos (ATOM) is trying to form a bottom but is facing selling at $5.15. A minor positive in favor of the bulls is that they have not allowed the price to break below the moving averages.

ATOM/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

If the price rebounds off the moving averages with force, it signals buying on dips. That improves the prospects of a break above the $5.15 resistance. If that happens, the ATOM/USDT pair could surge toward $6.50 and then to $7.17.

Contrarily, a break and close below the moving averages suggests a possible range formation in the near term. The pair could swing between $5.15 and $4.15 for a while. Sellers will be back in command on a slide below $4.15.

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

The bulls and the bears are witnessing a tough battle at the 20-EMA on the 4-hour chart. If the price remains below the 20-EMA, the pair could tumble to the 50-day SMA and later to $4.15. Buyers are expected to fiercely defend the $4.15 level.

Instead, if the price stays above the 20-day EMA, it signals solid demand at lower levels. The bulls will then try to push the pair to $5.15. A break and close above this resistance could start a new up move.

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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Stablecoins are the best way to ensure US dollar dominance — Web3 CEO

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Stablecoins are the single best tool for the United States government to maintain the US dollar’s hegemony in global financial markets, according to LayerZero Labs CEO and founder Bryan Pellegrino.

In an interview with Cointelegraph, the CEO of LayerZero Labs, which created the LayerZero interoperability protocol recently chosen by Wyoming to be the distribution partner for the Wyoming stablecoin, said that the cross-border accessibility of dollar-pegged tokens makes them an obvious choice to drive US dollar demand. Pellegrino added:

“Stablecoins for the US dollar are the single best tool — the last Trojan Horse or vampire attack on every single other currency in the world — whether it is Argentina, whether it is Venezuela, whether it is all of the countries that have massive inflation.”

The CEO said he expects support for stablecoins on both the federal and state levels to grow because of the obvious boost stablecoins give to the US dollar in foreign exchange markets and the financial moat stablecoin-driven demand will create around the US dollar’s global reserve currency status.

Stablecoin market overview. Source: RWA.XYZ

Related: Certain stablecoins aren’t securities, SEC says in new guidance

US government looks to stablecoins to protect US dollar

Pellegrino cited Tether’s emerging role as one of the largest buyers of US Treasury bills in the world as evidence of the demand for US debt instruments from stablecoin issuers.

Tether recently became the seventh-largest holder of US Treasuries, beating out Canada, Germany, Norway, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at the White House Crypto Summit on March 7, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would leverage stablecoins to extend US dollar hegemony and indicated this would be a top priority for officials in 2025.

According to a 2023 report from Chainalysis, over 50% of all the digital asset value transferred to countries in the Latin American region, including Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, and Venezuela was denominated in stablecoins.

The low transaction fees, relative stability, and near-instant settlement times for dollar-pegged stablecoins make these real-world tokenized assets ideal for remittances and stores of value for residents in developing countries suffering from high inflation and capital controls.

Magazine: Bitcoin payments are being undermined by centralized stablecoins

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Bitcoin price drops below $80K as stocks face 1987 Black Monday rerun

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Bitcoin (BTC) turned up volatility into the April 6 weekly close as fears of a stock market crash contrasted with bullish BTC price targets.

BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

CNBC’s Cramer: 1987 crash not “off the table yet”

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD dropping below $80,000 on the day, down 3% since the start of the week.

The days in between had seen several bouts of flash volatility as US trade tariffs and recession concerns stoked major losses across risk assets.

US stocks in particular recorded significant losses, with both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite Index finishing the April 4 trading session down nearly 6%.

“Trump’s tariff announcement this week has wiped out $8.2 TRILLION in stock market value — more than was lost during the worst week of the 2008 financial crisis,” author and financial commentator Holger Zchaepitz summarized in a response on X.

Bloomberg World Exchange Market Capitalization chart. Source: Holger Zschaepitz/X

The poor close caused some to wonder how the coming week would open, with comparisons to the “Black Monday” 1987 crash surfacing across social media.

“It’s tough to build a new, weaker, world order on the fly,” Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s “Mad Money” segment, argued on X over the weekend.

“Frantically trying to do it but don’t see anything yet that takes the October 87 scenario off the table yet. Those who bottom-fished are sleeping with the fishes …so far.”

S&P 500 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Cramer had previously warned over a 1987 scenario playing out live on air, but subsequently reasoned that control mechanisms in the form of market circuit breakers “could slow things down.”

Bitcoin circles also saw some daring predictions of how markets would behave in the short term. Max Keiser, the popular yet controversial Bitcoin supporter, even called for BTC/USD hitting a giant $220,000 before the end of the month.

“A 1987 style mega crash will push Bitcoin to $220,000 this month as trillions in wealth seek the ultimate safe haven: Bitcoin,” he wrote in part of an X response to Cramer. 

Bitcoin resists copycat BTC price dive

Among traders, the diverging sentiment over Bitcoin and stocks was increasingly apparent.

Related: Bitcoin crash risk to $70K in 10 days increasing — Analyst says it’s BTC’s ‘practical bottom’

After withstanding the worst of the tariff shock last week, many argued that the coming days could even result in pronounced BTC price upside.

$BTC#Bitcoin: Ofcourse we can go lower first. However I think we will see the last push of this cycle soon. pic.twitter.com/dp6otpgE16

— Crypto Caesar (@CryptoCaesarTA) April 5, 2025

Bitcoin is gearing up for a breakout next week — the $150K run might just be starting!$BTC #Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/jNWNoiHnwo

— @CryptoELlTES (@CryptooELITES) April 5, 2025

“$BTC Volatility going lower and lower while the $VIX (Volatility Index) on Stocks has closed at the highest level since the Covid Crash in 2020,” popular trader Daan Crypto Trades acknowledged in his latest analysis.

“This is pretty unheard off and due to this compression I’m pretty confident a large move for crypto is going to occur next week as well. Whether it’s up or down comes down to whether stocks can find a bottom early in the week or not I’m assuming.”

BTC/USD vs. VIX volatility index chart. Source: Daan Crypto Trades/X

Fellow trader Cas Abbe suggested that recent $76,000 lows on BTC/USD may end up as a classic fake breakdown.

“This looks no different than the post-ETF dump and August 2024 crash,” he told X followers. 

“I’m waiting for a weekly reclaim of $92,000 to confirm the uptrend.”

BTC/USDT 1-week chart. Source: Cas Abbe/X

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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