It was a particularly bearish day for Bitcoin (BTC) and the broader market on Friday. Market sentiment towards FED monetary policy and a continued tech sell-off weighed on the crypto market.
For Bitcoin, a 10.4% tumble on Friday left Bitcoin at $36,000 levels. The only highlight of day was a recovery from $35,000 levels. Bitcoin had last visited $35,000 levels back in July 2021.
Things were not much better elsewhere. Ethereum (ETH) slumped by 14.4%, with Crypto.com Coin (CRO) down by 14.6%. The Friday meltdown saw as much as $280bn wiped out before a partial recovery. On the day, the crypto market cap fell by $200bn.
Central Bank and Regulatory Chatter Remain Key Drivers
Bitcoin and the broader crypto market have been in a downward spiral since November. From November’s ATH $68,979, Bitcoin was down by 47.1% to Friday’s close. The time of Bitcoin’s slump has coincided with increased regulatory chatter and a shift in the FED’s stance on inflation and monetary policy.
While the regulatory scrutiny has had a direct impact, FED forward guidance has hit both the global equity markets and the crypto market.
Earlier this year, IMF had raised concerns over the interconnectedness of the U.S equity markets and the crypto market. The IMF’s comments followed calls from the Bank of England for a global crypto regulatory framework. These are not only concerns over cryptos and financial stability, however. On Thursday, a U.S Congress subcommittee hearing gathered initial views from witnesses on the impact of Proof-of-Work protocols on the environment.
During the hearing, it was evident that there were two clear sides with no one sitting on the fence. While there was nothing negative to weigh on Bitcoin and the crypto market, lawmakers were certainly leaning towards the negative aspects of Bitcoin mining. With news of the SEC also planning to increase scrutiny, the crypto market is in for a tough time ahead.
For the crypto markets, however, it hasn’t just been UK and the U.S regulators that have been more active in the crypto space.
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