[Mastercard](https://www.mastercard.co.uk/en-gb.html) has obviously decided to broaden its cryptocurrency sector by going on a hiring spree. According to their ads on LinkedIn.com, the UK and Irish branches of the global card operator plan to hire crypto training directors, managers of blockchain and digital assets, senior data scientists and others.

Even though it’s still not official, it seems that with crypto hiring, Mastercard is recognising digital assets as an important part of the payments world. 

“We are seeing this fact play out on the Mastercard network, with people using cards to buy crypto assets,” the company said previously.
Users, especially in the UK are rapidly making use of crypto cards in order to trade with cryptocurrencies, make a profit and convert crypto to traditional currencies for spending.

To be clear, this data is not of any individuals — it's anonymised and in aggregate — but the trend is unmistakable.
The company already supports several cryptocurrencies on its network and has previously partnered with Wirex and BitPay. 

## Crypto adoption to happen ‘very soon’

However, the current discovery isn’t something we should be surprised by. On the recent webinar during Avalanche’s Powering Business with Blockchain series, the Mastercard’s VP of new product development and innovation, Harold Bossé stated that the global adoption of [blockchain](/news/category/blockchain-news) technology and cryptocurrencies will happen “sooner rather than later”.

“There are millions of individuals today consuming and sending digital assets around the world,” Bossé said. 
“They are early adopters and new adopters, but we have switched toward mass markets, and that will be a very important aspect for financial institutions to move into the space.”

Still, he commented that crypto sector stands before numerous challenges such as lack of knowledge among the management, speed, costs, regulations, etc. All of this is halting companies who perhaps would like to enter the market. Since Mastercard is clearly hiring professionals for its crypto segment to extend its payment services offering, there is no question that this could energize the dying credit card market. 




Mastercard crypto hiring spree in the UK

Why did the share price of NFT Investments go into decline?

British blockchain company [NFT Investments Plc](https://www.nftinvest.pro/) recently announced it was withdrawing its £96 million offer to acquire Pluto Digital. This resulted in the fall of the NFT Investments share price.
The company, which specialises in investing in non-fungible tokens (NFTs),  decided to pull out, claiming, however, that the reasons were not of a financial nature.

 “The company is well-positioned to take advantage of the recent market correction in the blockchain and digital assets sectors by investing at attractive valuations,” the company’s CEO Jonathan Bixby stated.

When talking about NFTs, we are referring to a digital asset that denotes real-world objects such as music, fan memorabilia, sports, art, in-game items, and videos. They are traded online, paid for with cryptocurrency, and generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos.

## Focusing on Building Global Metaverse Company

On 24 January 2022, the company signed a non-binding letter of intent for the proposed acquisition. Its shares were then suspended from trading while waiting for the negotiations to be done.
The company then said it intends to build a world-important metaverse company with this acquisition and boost NFT investments within the non-fungible tokens sector as the Pluto Ventures division has heavily contributed to NFT gaming.

In the meantime, from November to March, the whole blockchain sector went through a month-long bear market, with a total market cap falling more than 40% from its record.

After the company said, in April, that it would not continue with the buy-out, it returned to active market trading. That resulted in NFT Investments' share price (NFT.PL) immediately plunging from 2.4 to 1.75 on the Aquis Stock Exchange. During the last year, NFT Investments' share price has been traded from 2.275, reaching a record of 3.6, and then turning south to 1.325. At the time of writing, the price stood at 1.45.

The company has a market capitalisation of £14 million and around 1,003 million issued shares.

## Still Optimistic on Blockchain

Bixby, however, claims he still feels optimistic about the blockchain industry, especially the NFT sector that, in his words, “continues to show strong growth”.

“Despite volatile market conditions, we secured a stake in seven companies that have high growth potential and are equipped to make an impact on the blockchain sector," he said, hinting that maybe the whole story on possible further acquisitions ain’t over.

 "The NFT sector continues to show strong growth and we have a cash-rich balance sheet to take advantage of new investment opportunities to generate long-term value for shareholders and deliver a sustained increase in net asset value, which currently amounts to 3.43p per share," he added.

The company definitely did its best in only one business year. It raised £35 million before expenses through a flotation on the Aquis Stock Exchange Growth Market.
After that, it invested approximately £5.8 million in seven media start-ups and technology businesses engaged in NFTs and cryptocurrencies.

The company also gained around £1.73 million from the acquisition of NFT gaming company Kodoku Studios Ltd.
The truth is, as the metaverse grows, uses for NFTs will grow as well. Backed by blockchain, NFTs offer immutable records of originality, uniqueness, and ownership that may prove better than old methods.

The shares of the companies investing in the NFT sector will probably rise in the long-term since these companies have a bigger exposure to the whole sector, enabling equity investors to speculate on the sector's growth.


NFT Investments' Share Price Waits for the Right Moment

Chia Network, one of the "greenest" blockchains, recently became a partner of the Blockchain Association. It's a move that will, most probably, have a reasonable impact on Chia coin price prediction. 

“Together, we'll work to educate policymakers on the growth and application of the Chia blockchain and represent the needs of our development community and farmers around the world,” the company [said](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220518005432/en/Chia-Network-Joins-the-Blockchain-Association-to-Amplify-Policy-Efforts) after the industry lobbying group confirmed its plans to add new members.

The move came as a logical sequel to the last week's stablecoin [Terra collapse](/news/article/luna-price-prediction). It will probably make crypto lobbyists even busier.
According to Gene Hoffman, president and chief operating officer of Chia Network, the company intends to establish an accommodating structure for the future of DeFi. Therefore, a partnership with the Blockchain Association will enable both parties to develop both legal and institutionalised systems through which crypto technology and blockchain will be adopted more quickly. 

By this contract, Chia Network XCH is obliged to participate with the Blockchain Association in "regulatory analysis and insight". It will also create a platform to amplify the continued growth, development, and application of the Chia blockchain and technologies”. Furthermore, this eco-friendly cryptocurrency keeps representing “the needs of its farmer and developer communities within the industry and to regulatory stakeholders”.

## Bullish Chia Coin Price Estimates

This seems to be the essential catalyst for the Chia coin price prediction because even though investments in energy-conscious tokens are rising over the years, the overall crypto market has been, for some time, on a roller coaster ride. However, analysts agree that Chia (XCH) crypto price prediction is the most encouraging, and this partnership can only help.

At the time of writing, XCH was trading at $33.59, according to Coinmarketcap.com. Its market cap stands at $134.9 million and is fully diluted to approximately $841 million, which looks like a promising future for a currency.

The cryptocurrency recently also confirmed a partnership with Stably to launch a new dollar-pegged stablecoin, dubbed USDS, to support its product 'Offers' within the Chia blockchain.

Not long ago, California-based Chia also had a "long and friendly" conversation with the SEC about the company's operations, where it was determined that while the SEC has many concerns regarding crypto projects, most of them do not apply to Chia. 

With SEC’s blessing and a growing DeFi operation, Chia has a case for a bullish Chia coin price prediction.

## Chia Price Forecast

Chia coin's price prediction shows that despite the bullish perspective on the Chia price forecast for June-July, Chia price could find itself in a temporary fall and hover around $35.

However, later in the year, the coin price could end its descent with strong growth to around $61, at which level the coin should stay by the end of the year.

For 2023, analysis hints that Chia crypto price will go through the tightening coming with a $136 upside potential breakout offering, but afterward jump above $200.

In 2024, Chia Network is predicted to reach approximately $232, while the price of 1 Chia is expected to rocket to $338 in 2025.


Chia Coin Price Prediction - Where Next?

If you've been searching for a Bitcoin Code review, this article might help.

Nowadays, seeing how much profit it earned some individuals, many people want to get into crypto. Of course, when talking about cryptocurrencies, the first that comes up to one's mind is bitcoin.

The possibility of growing a passive income by trading [bitcoins](/coins/btc) has become very attractive lately. However, numerous auto trading platforms already have bad reviews, so people are being much more cautious about investing. It is hard to evaluate which trading platform is legit and which is a scam.
Bitcoin Code is an auto trading platform for cryptocurrencies that promises "insane returns" and "great profits" with "just a few minutes of work".

As we already mentioned, there is no real way to be sure whether something is a scam or not. The Bitcoin Code is known and has its own growing community of users who claim the scheme has been more than lucrative.

We have witnessed the evolution of different auto trading platforms, such as Bitcoin Revolution, which also has trading robots doing everything for the client.

With Bitcoin Code, everything seems pretty much the same. The user deposits money and then activates the live trading feature and sets stop-loss limits. 

The bots do everything else, such as market analysis, placing orders, and performing transactions.

## What is the Bitcoin Code?

The Bitcoin Code is usually described as an automated trading platform that trades for the client. 

The math seems simple - buying low, selling high. With only a $250 deposit and relying on a sophisticated, 99.4% accurate algorithm, the robot tracks the crypto market and trades 0.01 seconds ahead of market movements.

There is an option of performing manual trades as well, but it's available only to clients with intermediate knowledge of how manual trading works.

## Is it a Scam?

As we already mentioned, it is easy to believe that one can get rich over the night by investing only $250. However, everyone with a little bit of "Poirot" in them can see that Bitcoin Code is a scam.

Everything, including a photo of Bitcoin Code's alleged creator Steve McKay, is fake.

The photo of the alleged multi-millionaire who "has featured on the cover of Forbes magazine" and claims his team can help you "earn a guaranteed $13,000 in exactly 24 hours", is a photo of a rented actor from e-gig website [Fiverr](https://www.fiverr.com/banjoman15).

Also, if you try and look it up on Google, most search results will give the Bitcoin Code good reviews and claim it's the "real deal".

However, if you ask Facebook, things are definitely darker than it looks. Back in 2018, the company had to remove fake Daily Mirror ads stating Martin Lewis, of Money Saving Expert, had made a fortune from Bitcoin Code.

Mr. Lewis is now suing Facebook, which was paid to publish the fake adverts.

Steve McKay, therefore, never has been on "Dragon's Den" or in Forbes. This is a group of crypto scammers, and Steve McKay doesn't exist.
Every trading scheme with his name turned out to be an investment scam that is better to avoid.

However, this scheme isn't illegal per se. Because the client willingly gives their assets (whether it's $250 or even more) and is warned about the potential risks of trading – this cannot be charged as illicit activity.

The only real advice would be that if you want to try legit cryptocurrency trading, you should try some free demos with virtual money and do your own research before making any investment.


Bitcoin Code Review: Scam or Legit?

COTI crypto (“currency of the Internet”), a Layer-1 platform that operates on the Proof-of-Trust (PoT) consensus, has recently turned bullish and left everybody asking – for how long?

As the first enterprise-grade blockchain platform for payments, COTI integrates a so-called directed acyclic graph (DAG) data structure with the demands linked with traditional finance, such as fees, latency, and so on. A DAG is a data structure that enables more efficient and scalable transactions. 

Here, each transaction is confirmed by two previous transactions. It makes a more efficient, transparent, and, therefore, safer network of trust than a traditional blockchain.

## Why is COTI trending?

According to [CoinMarketCap](https://coinmarketcap.com/), COTI crypto is currently trading at $0.19 with a volume of $22,185,025 over a day. However, not long ago, COTI recorded a price of $0.33 and analytics claimed this was only the beginning. During the last month, COTI crypto has witnessed both plunges and jumps, demonstrating the token's volatility. There are good reasons to watch this cryptocurrency.

The first one includes expecting the forthcoming MultiDAG 2.0-layer launch. This will enable the COTI protocol to develop the new tokens on top of its Trustchain. This will also ensure that the COTI mainnet creates a governance token for COTI’s treasury. This new token will act as one more enterprise-driven token built on its Trustchain.

Another reason for its rally is its announced partnership with Cardano’s first NFT Gaming platform dubbed Revelar.

This cooperation includes Revelar implementing COTI stablecoin Djed to ensure a more secure and balanced way to buy and sell NFT game assets on the Revelar platform. Moreover, the Djed stablecoin will ensure the COTI’s presence in new tokenomic models.

Revalar’s integration with Djed is only a part of a bigger plan to create new NFT payment options, such as fiat-backed payment integrations to Cardano.

Shahaf Bar-Geffen, CEO of COTI, said that “by integrating Djed to their platform, Revlar is giving their developers and gamers more stable payment options".

## COTI price performance

COTI crypto's uniqueness lies in the fact that it consistently pays for all the features and makes sure both buyers and sellers are protected within a stable framework. This allows COTI to save time and increase processing speed.

According to CoinMarketCap, COTI crypto rose by 1.77% at the time of writing, with a live market cap of US$199,294,662 and 1,05B COTI coins in circulation.

As we already mentioned, COTI operates a cross-chain bridge and, through reproducing, the bridge constantly processes delayed transactions involving ERC-20 and COTI native tokens.

COTI crypto has been trading almost at a similar price as the ERC-20 version. Both tokens were listed on some of the biggest exchanges, such as Crypto.com, Celsius, Huobi, 1inch, and Coinbase. This also triggered the price surge.

Analysts say that the community built around COTI and Cardano also boosted trading volumes, seeing an almost twentyfold rise since last June.

With these metrics in mind, the conclusion stands that the COTI crypto race won’t be coming to its end anytime soon.

More [Business & Markets news](/news/category/crypto-business-news).


COTI Crypto: Bullish Trend Coming?

What's new with Chia crypto? Well, one of the “greenest” blockchains, Chia Network, recently confirmed it had launched a native, peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange service for its wallet users.

The cryptocurrency, which can brag about being the most sustainable and energy-efficient, said it partnered with Stably to launch a new dollar-pegged stablecoin, dubbed USDS, to support its product 'Offers' within the Chia blockchain.

Offers is the one that enables peer-to-peer asset exchange within the Chia crypto ecosystem, meaning it is possible that tokens that run on the Chia blockchain can be swapped without running through the exchange. 

However, there is a need for two parties – the Maker who makes the offer and the Taker who receives it. Both parties are not required to fully trust each other since the offer is valid only in its original form. Any try to change it - will annul it.

## ‘Offers’ is immutable and secure

Chia also added that as well as being immutable, its new service allows trading in a completely secure manner. That means that both parties control their private keys and their assets.

Furthermore, Offers is simultaneous, meaning the Maker's and Taker's transactions must happen within the same block. This way, one type of Maximum Extractable Value (MEV) gets discarded, so one cannot re-order transactions or increase fees.

In Chia, all transactions conducted within a single block happen simultaneously.

Offers is also non-custodial since it eliminates the need for Over-the-Counter (OTC) desks and other intermediaries who ask their users to submit assets before finishing the transaction. In this case, neither Taker nor Maker has to send their funds to a mediator.

Also, Offers is commission-free since there is no need for escrow services or third parties. There are only Chia blockchain transaction fees included.

Additionally, it is important to stress that a Maker can make an offer for multiple assets on both ends.

## Using Proof of Space and Time (PoST)

Chia crypto is also unique since it uses a new method of trading. Rather than leaning on Proof of Stake (PoS) or Proof of Work (PoW), it uses an even more decentralised protocol called Proof of Space and Time (PoST). This means one must prove he spent a certain amount of time keeping the reserved space unchanged. 

The fintech corporation Stably will also provide wrapped [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) and [Ether](/coins/eth) for the Chia blockchain.

Chia head Gene Hoffman confirmed the main focus was on meeting “critical security and compliance needs to make peer-to-peer transactions safer and easier”.

He explained that the launch of Offers was a first step in meeting those needs and that partnering with Stably to provide US$-pegged stablecoins and wrapped cryptocurrencies was "integral to that process".

Hoffman added that the new partnership would help Chia crypto “hook up” with its “core community of early adopters – entrepreneurs and developers”.

“The stablecoins are a great way for a business to put dollar value into a Chia wallet to buy carbon credits," Hoffman concluded.

Last year, this San Francisco-based startup, created by BitTorrent founder Bram Cohen managed to raise $61 million in a Series D funding of around $500 million. After that, a series of events happened. The most important was Chia partnering with the World Bank in the initiative, which will enable the [Climate Warehouse](https://www.theclimatewarehouse.org/about) “to facilitate the transparent sharing and reporting of climate project information and its issuances”. 
 
 
 



Chia Crypto: Peer to Peer Trading

Founded as Atomic Swap in 2017 by Konstantin Gladych, CEO and co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange Changelly, [Atomic Wallet](https://atomicwallet.io/) is often chosen as one of the best wallets.

Described as among the most secure platforms within the crypto-space, Atomic Wallet can brag about supporting more than 500 cryptocurrencies, its improved speed, privacy, and anonymity. It is convenient for both new and existing crypto traders.

According to reports, the Atomic Wallet is optimal for beginners because it is free. It is unique since it enables buying crypto straight through the wallet even if one doesn't own other cryptocurrencies. This is different from some other crypto wallets, which demand users to already have crypto previously bought on some other exchange and then sent to the wallet to begin trading. Furthermore, the Atomic Wallet enables users to store, swap, or exchange almost any coin and token since the Atomic Swap exchange is connected with the wallet. However, it allows the integration with other crypto exchanges for an extra fee.

## Spotlights

The Atomic Wallet’s best features include its price and coin support as well as its security and the, already mentioned, possibility to buy cryptos straight through the wallet with a bank card. The wallet is free, but there are some network transaction fees. The Atomic Wallet's easy-to-use interface makes it an excellent solid option for crypto enthusiasts to securely and anonymously deal with their portfolios.

Alongside allowing users to swap, exchange, or convert crypto-based assets, Atomic Wallet enables traders to win rewards in different ways, like staking and cashback programs.

The exchange is decentralised, so all of the crypto assets are stored on the blockchain. Private keys are also encrypted and stored on private ledgers containing a 12-word recovery phrase as a backup in case a device is lost or stolen.

## Protection
 
Atomic Wallet is protected by the user-created password needed to access the wallet. However, to do so, the user may need to confirm every transaction and confirm private keys.

To back up the password, the user has to remember (or write down) a randomly generated 12-word phrase used to recover access to the wallet if needed.

All data kept on the users' device or sent when making a transaction is fully encrypted.

Atomic Wallet uses so-called AES and TLS encryption for secure transactions. No data is kept on servers, and Atomic Wallet does not keep nor can access users' private keys.

## Supported Operating Systems

Atomic Wallet supports numerous operating systems such as Windows, MacOS, and Linux. 

Most Linux users favor Atomic Wallet as it supports popular Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora. The mobile version of Atomic Wallet can be downloaded from both the Google Store and the App Store for Android and iOS devices.

### Cons

Only a few cryptocurrencies ([Bitcoin](/coins/btc), Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple's XRP, and Bitcoin Cash) can be bought in the wallet by using bank cards. Also, Atomic Wallet is not hardware-compatible such some other wallets.


Atomic Wallet - Best Choice for Crypto Beginners

In July 2021, the US internet sales behemoth [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/) shook the crypto market after letting out a blockchain and cryptocurrency lead job advertisement.

The ad specified that the company wanted someone to develop the case for crypto, drive the vision and product strategy, and gain leadership buy-in and investment.

According to sources, the directive for this advertisement came from the headman - Jeff Bezos himself - and it meant more than merely looking into options. Allegedly, Bezos was (and still is) interested in implementing cryptocurrencies into Amazon's business, particularly [Bitcoin](/coins/btc), [Ethereum](/coins/eth), Cardano, and Bitcoin Cash. After that, according to reports, the company would develop its native token as well.

Still, even though there were plenty of rumors, they were never officially confirmed. Amazon did, however, hint that it plans to jump into the creation of Amazon cryptocurrency, and the year 2022 was on everybody's mouth.

## Who will be Amazon’s Crypto Head?

According to the job ad, the company searched for "an experienced product leader" to develop a roadmap for Amazon blockchain and cryptocurrency strategy.

It stated that the successful candidate would leverage expertise in blockchain, distributed ledger, central bank digital currencies, and cryptocurrency to drive the concept forward.

This step seems logical since other big fintech companies, such as Facebook, Visa, and Google, also recruited whole teams of experts charged with creating a new blockchain and crypto-related workspace.

## When Could Amazon Launch?

As we already mentioned, there were no official details on Amazon's possible launch date. However, 2022 was the year everyone mentioned when discussing the digital currency that would be standing shoulder to shoulder with Bitcoin and Ethereum.

There is already something called Amazon Coin; a virtual currency that can be bought on Amazon's website and then be used to purchase apps, games, and in-app items from the Amazon Appstore. Each Amazon Coin is worth $0.01 and can be bought in cheaper stacks on the Appstore app, Fire tablets, and the Amazon website. Still, it is not an Amazon cryptocurrency, per se, since these coins are non-refundable after purchase.

In the case of the actual company's cryptocurrency, the users should use it to shop on the Amazon website, trade with it, and, eventually, exchange it for other tokens.

Nowadays, the global finance industry deals with trillions of dollars daily, serving billions of users. However, the whole sector has problems with bureaucracy, high costs, frequent fraud, and constant delays. Third parties such as payment networks, stock exchanges, and money transfer services deal with crime daily. Therefore, the costs of regulation are rising as end-users ultimately bear the burden.

## Amazon to Sell NFTs Soon

Amazon admitted mulling similar projects in the past, even though these projects were rather understated than the one which wraps the Amazon cryptocurrency nowadays.

Amazon already has 'Amazon Managed Blockchain' service that, according to its webpage, "makes it easy to join public networks or create and manage scalable private networks using the popular open-source frameworks Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum”.

However, the most recent reports show that Amazon is not even near adding cryptocurrencies as the payment option for its retail services but is interested in the Web3 space. Recently, company Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy commented that even though developing an Amazon coin is not planned for the near future, there is a possibility for the company to sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on its e-commerce platform.


Status Quo on Amazon Cryptocurrency Development

[Quantum Blockchain Technologies](https://quantumblockchaintechnologies.co.uk/) share price (AIM: QBT) came into the investors' focus last month as the company announced great results due to its AI and mining operations.

Stocks of this blockchain investment company jumped over 20% after the group revealed it filed a patent application for a pioneering new Bitcoin mining algorithm that runs on a quantum computation model and is qubit-based.

The company said it plans to conduct further aggressive R&D and investment tactics within the blockchain sector, including crypto mining and other apps.

The Quantum Blockchain Technologies' share price will very likely depend on the professional recently appointed by the company to lead an AI research group and find the optimal way of mining Bitcoin.

Usually, investors are eager to give money when they believe their profit will come faster. With quantum computers, some exact calculations are conducted much more quickly than home computers would do them. Nowadays, there are concerns that quantum computers could be grinding crypto mining operations needed to create new blocks. That would mean that these computers would be privileged before other miners and therefore present a threat to proof-of-work blockchain consensus by disturbing the decentralization and security of those blockchains.

However, this also means that the whole process would come to a new level, with the mining process becoming increasingly automated. In the end, this would present more significant profits for the stockholders. Along with the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) miner, this technology will most likely increase the hashing speed compared to other ASIC announced by competitors.

## Quantum Hopes for More Speed Increase

Quantum Blockchain Technologies' share price could keep its bullish trend for a while. The company has confirmed plans to create new partnerships with other start-ups within the blockchain and cryptocurrency space.

QBT CEO Francesco Gardin confirmed impressive progress in all R&D areas and added the expectation is "higher performance than originally estimated".

Gardin said results will be verified before any "cooling techniques", which could allow for further increases in speed, are implemented.
Still, as we already mentioned, some analysts advocate theories about quantum computers posing a serious challenge to the [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) blockchain security.

According to the last reports, approximately 25% of the active Bitcoins are exposed to a possible quantum attack, meaning they are usually stored in an exposed wallet. And even though transferring tokens to a new p2pkh address would temporarily help, one may still be affected if all the people who hold vulnerable coins do the same. 

That would bring us to a situation where, in the case of a major hack such as Mt. Gox, the price of Bitcoin (and therefore of Quantum Blockchain Technologies share price) would plunge together with the investors' confidence.

Quantum computers could act in the way they destroy the Bitcoin transaction process because of their speed. However, there is a cure for that as well. A new type of cryptography dubbed 'post-quantum cryptography' is expected to be intrinsically immune to quantum attacks. However, these types of algorithms are still in diapers and are still being studied.

At the time of writing, the price of Quantum Blockchain Technologies shares stood at 2.84 GBX, down by 1.90%.



quantum blockchain technologies share price 

Quantum Blockchain Technologies Share Price Analysis

Last year wasn’t easy for [Argo Blockchain](https://argoblockchain.com/) stock. Even though today the price hovers around 73p, back in April 2021, the price was as high as 240p.
Also, if we’re looking at year-to-date results, we can see the price further followed a bearish cycle plunging by 18.11%.
Regardless, that kind of cycle would mean long-term profit for some investors in Argo Blockchain stock – if bought now.

## Mining Rates Concerns

However, let’s look back at what could be the main reason for the underperformance of Argo Blockchain stock.
First of all, there are particular worries regarding the mining rates drop. In February, 37 Bitcoin fewer were mined than in January. That represents a loss of £1.1 million in a month. Just two months before, in December 2021, there were 214 Bitcoins mined, meaning the price of electrical power spent was higher by more than one third.

In February, the [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) network Hash Rate reached a new record of 248.11m terahashes per second (TH/s). That requires high processing power within the Bitcoin network. It also ensures that the Bitcoin blockchain is completely secured and depends on miners who are building the same chain.

Due to the highest global hash rates ever, the company had to spend much more power to mine the same amount of Bitcoin.

According to some basic macroeconomic rules, when an interest rate rises, so do borrowing costs. At the same time, market demand for high-risk stocks, such as Argo Blockchain, falls.

Last month, the Bank of England raised the Bank Rate by 0.25 points, from 0.50% to 0.75%. It blamed the "tightness of the labor market", "robust domestic cost and price pressures", and "the risk that those pressures will persist".
Some analysts estimate the rate will grow by at least six times more this year, and, if that continues, the price of Argo Blockchain stock could drop even further.

## Long-Term Opportunities

According to the company’s report, Argo Blockchain is working on its upgrade of mining capacity. Texas is one of the most important mining hubs in the US, using renewable energy sources, such as wind, to mine. That is why some members of the US Congress think that Bitcoin mining will play a crucial role in rebuilding energy independence within the US.

The company confirmed it is currently working on a massive upgrade of its mining capacity in Texas and hopes to end it in October this year. According to Argo, the new power plant could supply the company with 200MW of extra power, 130% more than current levels.

Also, the price of Argo blockchain stock could reverse its downward spiral since the company recently revealed its new agreement with Core Scientific about swapping thousands of Bitcoin miners as part of Argo's pivot to operating its own crypto mining farms.

This should also ensure more environmentally-friendly mining operations, which could be positive for the company’s environmental, social, and governance reputation.


Argo Blockchain Stock: Is Now the Time to Buy?

## Are we on the brink of another crypto market crash?

Anyone following Bitcoin clearly remembers the 2017 craze when the strongest cryptocurrency reached a record of almost $20,000.

Sure, it was a fruitful year for most ICOs and wannabe entrepreneurs who wanted to get rich in no time. However, as it usually happens, the ICO bubble had to pop. At the beginning of 2018, the crypto market crash became inevitable.

In 2019, the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that the biggest social network would enter the crypto space with its own project called Libra. Even though the idea sounded lucrative, many big names started backing out as the US Congress expressed concerns about the lack of regulation within the sector. The price of [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) then went down by more than 30%, below $10,000, followed by other cryptocurrencies. Analysts called it "a period of indecision," and investors hoped that Facebook's entry would bring greater legitimacy to the cryptospace. Even though Facebook changed its name to [Meta](https://about.facebook.com/) at the beginning of 2022, it doesn’t seem the social network affected crypto prices during the period to come.

## Fear of a Crypto Market Crash

Price changes usually depend on other circumstances such as recession, inflation, the geopolitical situation, pandemics, US regulatory actions, and so on. In 2020, Bitcoin jumped to a new record, following the government's stimulus packages to boost countries' economies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite Bitcoin being on its way to becoming a hedge against inflation, it still isn't seen as a safe haven such as real estate or gold. That is why we are witnessing the price of Bitcoin moving along with the US dollar and the overall stock market.
We have often witnessed a situation when new short-term investors start to panic and decide to sell their holdings and, therefore, contribute to the drop in Bitcoin’s value. On the other hand, a crypto market crash can happen when so-called "whales" are involved. Holders with a significant amount of Bitcoin can temporarily affect Bitcoin's price if they make large buyings or sales.

## Crypto Market Crash Inevitable?

2022 started badly for Bitcoin and other cryptos even though the number one cryptocurrency was still 500% up since the end of 2019, primarily thanks to the US Government's COVID-19 stimulus.

The total market cap plunged by more than $300 million since the beginning of the year. This was chiefly due to record inflation and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, leading many investors to worry that a crypto market crash may be inevitable.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin stood at around $46,115 and headed towards a traditionally bullish April. The data shows that during the last six years, April was an extremely good month for crypto, as some speculate it's a psychological paradox connected to the spring optimism.

However, a seasonally bullish April could turn positive for Bitcoin even in the long term, together with stock markets.
The first all-spring month means most of the winter debts have been paid off, and buyers are in the mood to buy on a decline.

Still, there is a reason why a crypto market crash could soon be happening. US investors started to pull out of crypto, liquidating over $101 million worth of Bitcoin and approximately $151 million from Ethereum.
 
 



Crypto Market Crash: Bull April Suggests No Fear

This week we watched as the [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) price crashed to its lowest level in almost a year, infamously going along with the stock market plunge.

This, however, isn't unexpected and can be attributed to the Federal Reserve's tightening its grip on the overall economy. Last week, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell stated the central bank accepted a half-percentage-point interest rate rise in an attempt to restrain inflation that reached its record heights in the last 40 years.

Constant rising inflation, paired with a heavy growth of the interest rates, creates one of the most significant short-term dangers for the American economy. The Fed also cautioned that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could represent a dangerous threat to the country's financial stability.

The central bank said that more 'adverse surprises' in interest rates and inflation could affect the financial system negatively, especially if they are accompanied by economic activity declining.

The rest of the algorithm is pretty clear - as the Fed raises rates, the U.S. Dollar Index became the strongest in the last 20 years.

The Crypto community is not happy with the Fed's supremacy over the digital currency markets. Bitcoin's price crashed by 17% in April - the worst monthly performance this year. The biggest cryptocurrency by its market cap completed six consecutive red weekly candles, a phenomenon that hasn't happened since 2014.

However, solace of a kind is found in the fact that crypto prices are following equities, especially tech stocks. This means that the fall isn't the direct result of investors not believing in crypto. Still, it shows that Bitcoin is still not considered a hedge against inflation.

## Fears of Crypto Winter

Analysts argue about what could happen next. Some are afraid of repeating the crypto winter 2018, while others claim the crypto sector is in a better condition now than it was four years ago.

Still, the geopolitical situation is far from ideal. Last year was marked by a COVID pandemic that boosted virtual finance and resulted in altcoins jumping more than 5,000%. This year, we are witnessing an exodus from the crypto market.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at more than 40% lower than its all-time high. It won't be easy to HODL and many will be tempted to sell. 

However, to sell a loss, you're limiting yourself from profiting.

The Fed may be a big deal, but it isn't the only regulator of the digital currency market. The whole sector is still in diapers and we're still waiting for it to be regulated.

## Crypto Not Losing Its Grip

Be that as it may, we doubt the crypto market will lose its grip. However, some investors may reallocate from Bitcoin or gold to the dollar in the short term. Still, it is believed that Bitcoin will still be guided mainly by basic factors, such as an increase in users and network usage.

On the other hand, Bitcoin bulls will most probably take advantage of the Fed's move and, almost regardless of price, buy the dip.



 Bitcoin Price Crash After Fed Raises Rates

Tyler Winklevoss, a US investor and the co-founder of Winklevoss Capital Management and Gemini cryptocurrency exchange, called the Twitter culture "toxic" after the social network-residing community called out Tesla's owner Elon Musk for becoming its biggest individual shareholder.

Winklevoss said the resistance inside Twitter to Musk's attempt to ensure that it is a platform for free speech has been “alarming”. 

“These people are committed to Soviet-style censorship. Their beliefs and ideology are patently un-American. It's time to clean the Augean stables,” he wrote.
Winklevoss was optimistic about this acquisition even when it seemed like one of Musk's jokes. He warned that the Twitter community would see in a short time how malevolent and politically directed the "shadow banning" and algorithms were and how dangerous this all was for the democracy in total.

## Breaking Corruption Between Big Tech and Media

However, he called out the big tech saying that this buyout will finally break the corrupted circle between tech behemoths and the corporate media once Musk restarts Twitter. Winklevoss also commented that Twitter stock has been flat for many years, and now, Musk has come to change this. He called Musk the "most proven and successful entrepreneur in the world" and added that this is a great time for free speakers.

Tyler is also known to be a prominent opponent of Biden’s plan to make massive investments in America’s social safety net. He recently contributed a maximum legal amount to the conservative democratic senator Krysten Sinema who demanded cuts to bring down the cost of the $3.5 trillion plan.

Together with his twin brother Cameron, Tyler is believed to be the first Bitcoin billionaire. 

The brothers are known for giving money to numerous cryptocurrency and blockchain-related businesses, Gemini exchange being one of them. Apart from Bitcoin, he is also one of the most agile Ethereum investors. Brothers stated together that they own 1% of all Bitcoin in circulation.

## Gemini Partners with Mastercard

Recently, [Winklevoss](https://twitter.com/tyler/status/1518612871239843840) announced that Gemini has partnered with Mastercard and WebBank to launch the Gemini Credit Card that brings DeFi together with the traditional financial system (TradFi). 

Tyler founded Gemini back in 2014, making it one of the most successful digital currency exchanges and custodians that allows customers to buy, sell, and store digital assets. It is a New York trust company regulated by the SEC.

The Winklevoss brothers featured in the film 'The Social Network', about the origins of Facebook. This film suggested that the original idea of Facebook was theirs. While students at Harvard at the same time as Mark Zuckerberg, Tyler and Cameron approached him to develop their social network project, ConnectU. Zuckerberg went on to create Facebook.

In August 2012, they purchased $11 million worth of [Bitcoin](/coins/btc). At that time, Bitcoin wasn't even worth $10.

Now the Winklevoss twins own at least 150,000 BTC. This makes a fortune in Bitcoin of over $6.255 billion. Potentially in the future, that can make them as rich, and possibly even richer, than Mark Zuckerberg.


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