BTC Takes a Breather in February; Crypto Summer to Begin in Q2?
Bitcoin recorded an unprecedented 40% rally in Jan. 2023, however, the vertical movement hasn’t carried into the first week of February. There’s no cause for alarm; corrections are a healthy sign, and long, vertical rallies are usually unsustainable.
This dip could take nervous bulls out of the market, enabling hodlers and investors to add to their existing positions. At the moment, the 20-day EMA is likely to act as strong support. BTC forming a consolidation zone near the $22,400 level wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.
Some analysts believe that an indication by the Federal Reserve to pause interest rate hikes could trigger a ”crypto summer.” Furthermore, the Bitcoin halving (set to take place in 2024) has historically been a bullish catalyst. The signs look good.
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CRYPTO NEWS WEEKLY ROUNDUP:
Ethereum Builds Up to Shanghai Hard Fork With First Testnet Since the Merge; PoS Withdrawals Coming Soon
On Feb. 1, Ethereum launched its first testnet since the Merge – Zhejiang. Zhejiang is a public withdrawal testnet that’s set to be followed by the Shanghai and Capella testnets on Feb. 7, at epoch 1350.
These testnets will allow users to test staked Ether withdrawals, an upgrade that’s set to go live with the upcoming Shanghai hard fork.
Since the Merge, users have been able to stake ETH on the PoS network, but these funds will remain locked until withdrawals are enabled. At the moment, devs at Ethereum are targeting a launch date in March 2023 for the Shanghai hard fork.
South African Retail Giant Now Supports BTC Payments Nationwide
Pick n Pay, the South African retail giant, now supports BTC payments at 1,628 stores across the country. To make purchases, shoppers need to use a Bitcoin Lightning Wallet and the CryptoQR app that links to the wallet.
After several years of limited testing, Pick n Pay announced plans to roll out Bitcoin payments in Nov. 2022. The company partnered with Electrum and CryptoConvert for the successful pilot phase, leveraging the Bitcoin Lightning Network to test the feature.
The move was made possible by South Africa’s financial watchdog, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), which recently reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial products, subjecting them to regulation for the first time.
Mastercard Partners With Binance to Launch Prepaid Crypto Card in Brazil
Mastercard, the credit card giant, has partnered with Binance, the biggest crypto exchange in the world, to launch the Binance Card in Brazil. Dock, an institution regulated by Brazil’s central bank, is responsible for issuing the Binance Card.
Brazil is the ideal market for a crypto card; the country leads the world in crypto usage and adoption, with 49% of Brazilians making at least one crypto transaction in the past year.
The Binance Card is currently undergoing beta testing. It offers users real-time conversion from 14 different cryptocurrencies to fiat at the point of sale, along with other benefits. In the near future, any Binance user in Brazil with a valid national ID will be able to make crypto payments using this card.
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