Luc Jose A.

Solana seems to be drawing all the attention again, as the volumes of its decentralized applications (DApps) soared by 46% in just a week. In a market where projects sometimes struggle to maintain their momentum, this performance could herald a new dynamic for the network, particularly for its native cryptocurrency, SOL. At a time when the altcoin sector is undergoing a widespread correction, Solana stands out for its resilience, advanced technology, and growing adoption.

The American economy is going through a pivotal phase, where every word spoken by the Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome POWELL, is scrutinized with particular attention. Indeed, he has expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of reducing inflation to 2%, the Fed's target. This statement is not only crucial for traditional markets, but it could also be the catalyst for a new major rally in Bitcoin.

A combination of global economic fears and speculation surrounding a potential bubble in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector is shaking Bitcoin, leading to a loss of investor confidence. Yesterday, September 30th, Bitcoin recorded a drop. This decline is merely a symptom of a deeper malaise affecting the entire crypto market. Amid fears of a global recession and speculation about tech bubbles, investors are watching every move with apprehension.

Ethereum, the second largest blockchain in the world, is once again in the spotlight. As its network continues to gain popularity, particularly due to the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, a recurring issue has resurfaced: the surge in transaction fees. Indeed, with record volumes on decentralized exchanges (DEX) and an exponential increase in the number of active addresses, Ethereum is facing growing congestion that directly impacts its users.

As the crypto sector appears to be entering a maturation phase, Grayscale's new report for the fourth quarter of 2024 unveils key trends to watch. With the rise of decentralized artificial intelligence platforms, the tokenization of traditional assets, and significant changes within major cryptos, this report outlines a valuable roadmap for understanding the upcoming developments.

Amid revolutionary announcements, technological evolutions, and regulatory turbulence, the crypto ecosystem continues to prove that it is both a territory of limitless innovations and a battlefield of regulatory and economic strife. Here is a summary of the most significant news from the past week regarding Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance, Solana, and Ripple.

Amid a period of global economic volatility, Saudi Arabia has made a decision that could redefine energy and geopolitical balances. As the price of a barrel of oil reached 100 dollars, Riyadh chose to significantly increase its oil production, a maneuver aimed at lowering crude prices in international markets.

Traditional finance is closely monitoring the fluctuations in the crypto market. These last few days could well redefine the future of these assets in the United States. Indeed, Bitcoin ETFs based in the land of Uncle Sam have experienced a record week, with over $1.1 billion in inflows. These figures reflect the increased confidence of institutional investors, as well as the growing influence of Bitcoin-backed financial products in American portfolios.

While the entire market appeared to be sinking into a slowdown phase in recent weeks, the trading volumes of decentralized exchanges (DEX) on the Solana, Base, and Sui networks have surged significantly. This unexpected resurgence is partly fueled by the performance of memecoins and the general optimism surrounding global economic decisions. In a context where every decision made by major financial players can create waves, this increase is drawing the attention of keen observers.

As the cryptocurrency market begins a new phase of acceleration, Ethereum seems to be at the center of attention. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization has just crossed significant technical levels, generating renewed interest among investors and analysts.

As the battle for supremacy between Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) continues to dominate discussions within the crypto community, a new element is changing the game. Analyst Leon WAIDMANN from the Onchain Foundation has revealed that Ethereum may have greater growth potential than Bitcoin in the context of transitioning to spot Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). This analysis is based on data from Grayscale's products, a leader in crypto management, which has recently converted its trusts into ETFs.

The early return of Changpeng ZHAO, founder of Binance, to the forefront after his surprise release on Friday, September 27, 2024, has shaken the crypto market. After serving a prison sentence for regulatory violations, CZ is released two days ahead of schedule, which immediately impacted the prices of Bitcoin and BNB. This release comes at a time when Binance, the global leader in crypto exchanges, is trying to recover from sanctions imposed by U.S. authorities.

The global financial landscape continues to transform at a dizzying pace. And Bitcoin, once seen as a risky bet, has gradually established itself as an asset of choice for large institutional investors. Among them, BlackRock, the largest asset manager in the world, marks a new milestone in the adoption of Bitcoin. With new strategic acquisitions, this company has seen its Bitcoin holdings reach nearly $24 billion, thereby confirming its key role in the evolution of the crypto ecosystem.